So, with my transmission ready to install and while cab off, I figured I should check engine compression. I need rings and a valve job. I started here way back trying find out what carburetor I needed. My block is 1959 223 six. Valve cover has bolts all around like the later 223. The Holly 1904 I bought on Ebay did not fit my intake. To order gaskets I'm thinking order for 1961 model year. Other than valve cover and carburetor stud spacing, was pan, intake and exhaust the same?

Have a Carter that fits.

 

As far as I remember, the only difference in a 223 gasket kit would be the valve cover gasket. A '61 223 gasket set should have the right valve cover gasket.

Your carburetor situation is a different matter. As far as I know all Holley 1904's have the same bolt pattern as did all the early Ford six cylinder engines. To make sure I was correct I looked up the carburetor mounting gasket. The same gasket (Fel-Pro 8013) fits '52-'64 215, 223, and 262 engines. Is it possible that someone re-drilled the intake manifold to make that Carter carburetor fit? I measured the base on my '58 F-100 223 c.i. six cylinder. This truck has the original intake manifold and carburetor that has never been off the engine. The carburetor studs are 2 3/4" apart, center to center. You might measure that dimension on your new carburetor as well as the studs on your intake manifold. If something doesn't match, it will give us an idea of where to look further. Let us know what you find.

Lou Manglass

 

Mine measures 2 3/4" as well. I'll have to see if neighbor still has the Holley. I bought it as a "rebuildable Holley 1904 core", ordered and installed a rebuild kit and found it had mount hoes too narrow. Guess I wasted a lot of time thinking carburetor was correct and my intake was other than standard, Actually the carburetor rattled and when I opened it, some internal paers were missing. Seller sent me a partial carburetor. Have to see what those mounts measure. Thanks for your help.

 

Is that some kind of transition piece between the intake and the carb? This is how mine looks with a Holley.

 

I don't see a difference except mine is filthy and has hot water piped in between carb and intake. Is that what the brass fitting on yours is?

 

I thought it looked like your carb bottom was square and then transitioned. I have been known to see things! Humor me!

 

Wish mine looked like yours. Do you drive it or just clean it?

 

It gets it's share of the summer time driving between a couple other trucks. It is parked up in the haymow for the winter. I wish it stilled looked that nice under the hood but that was near ten years ago. It still runs great though.

 

You did a nice job. Mine is an old dump truck so has never been pampered. I bought it rough and used it too much to do the cosmetics until transmission failed. Decided to paint the donor cab and front clip I have had waiting and go through everything before putting it back to work. I'm sure it will not look like yours though.

 

Mine only looks cared for under the hood and inside the cab. Here's the outside right after I got it back together and drivable. It came out of a barnyard in ARK. It had really been beat. Took two other parts trucks to get it all back together. The second pic is what it looked like under the hood when I got it.

 

Still looks cleaner than mine. Removed oil pan this morning. What a greasy mess. So was I afterwards. Pistons tomorrow. Too cold early morning here and have an afternoon thing all week so manage about two hours per day. At this rate I'll likely forget how it all goes back. Thank heavens for cell phone photos.

 

Pics are your friends. I have many before pics just because I knew I would forget years later. Is you engine on a stand now?

 

No, block is in truck. Going to pull the pistons, hone cylinders and new rings. Valve job too. Everything easy to get to with body off. Except scraping grease to find the 22 pan bolts while laying underneath.

 

Stands don't cost much and a whole lot easier to assemble while using gravity to put rod and pistons in verses trying to hold in place while you put the bolts in. How are the motor mounts?

 

I have a stand. I replaced mounts. Replaced bell housing mounts when I installed new clutch and motor mounts looked bad. I was ready to put transmission back in and thought before I do I should check compression. Working in circles. I may use my stand Wasn't much fun pulling pan laying on cold cement with grease and dirt raining down on me. I would have to pill clutch and bell housing or could I hang motor on the four transmission mounts?