Headers/Exhaust
 

Hey, I'm new here, but i've been reading here for a while, TONS of helpful information! Thanks!

But right now I have a little problem with my 1951 Ford F-3 (239 flathead of coarse). One of the header bolts is broken off. I need to get it out some how, any suggestions on how to get this out? Then once I get that out I need to figure out what kind of headers/exhaust to get, I already know I wanna get some Smithy's, but I dont know what size. For headers, I'm looking at some of Red's, are they pretty good or what? I just don't know much about this car, i've only been working on it for a couple months.
My dad got it back in 70'something and he used it for a work truck. Its been sitting for a couple years, but Its up and running! It has a couple exhaust leaks that I want to fix. Right now I'm also working on converting it over to 12 volt, I just got my alternator bracket, I'm going to put that on today, and then finish the rest.

Here are some pictures of my truck here:
http://www.eric-wood.com/truck.html
Needs some body work, but I dont think its to bad for being 50+ years old!

Elemenopy
Eric Wood

Hi Eric
Welcome to FTE......nice looking truck! I've seen a bunch of backyard mechanic stunts and done more than my share, but your horn button is a first. :) If you weren't from UT, I'd figure it had to be Yankee ingenuity at it's finest.

What does the choke cable on the dash control? Throttle or choke? That's also pretty good.......

Truth is my own pickup was similar when I started. I welded up what seemed like thousands of extra holes in and around the cab.

Broken bolt - short version - I'd drill it out carefully. Don't use an easy-out if you don't have to. Think I'd pull the engine so I could roll it over to get at the bolt. It'll be a bear otherwise.

Smitty's - longer is quieter, shorter is louder - all are pretty mellow until they blow some of the fiberglass packing out with time. I run them.

Haha, that choke cable on my dash is the wiper blades, good 'ol vacuum powered!

About that horn button... you're guess is as good as mine! I always remember it looking like that. The original horns arent hooked up. Some one installed a wierd little buzzer. I'm dying to get rid of it!

*Warning* all the little "rigs" you see in the truck (horn, wiperblades) were not done by me! But if you know how they were originaly, i'd love to fix them so their back to normal!

Uhg, well its a good thing my father-in-law is a 20+ year mechanic and has a lift and stuff in his garage. It just looks like i'll have to wait to get my headers put in if i have to pull the engine.

Eric

If you have enough of the stud protruding from the block you could try welding a nut on to it
This has worked for me a few times

Stephen

Elemenopy:

I have one picture in my gallery that shows the dash of my F3. Everything is stock; the only thing not operational is the hand throttle, though the knob is there. There are reproductions of the original horn button available.

I've heard good things about Red's. Someday, I want to put headers on mine. Steve_B has a good suggestion about welding a nut to the stud. Heating the area around the stud with an oxy-acetylene torch is helpful too. A propane torch is not sufficiently hot for the job.

wow very nice! so you say that the horn button is still available? i'll try out those suggestions on getting the bolt out.

Thanks again!

Elemenopy

Hi Eric - nice truck! I just got a set of headers from Reds ($175 in raw metal) and they are good quality and he guarantees that they'll fit. I also like Smithys and bought a pair of the 26 inchers thinking that they'd be middle of the range in "bark". I like the original horn button - I've seen that switch used a lot but never in the center of the original horn button - all the horn parts are available from Dennis Carpenter and other suppliers. Do a search on Dennis Carpenter or Sacramento Vintage and be sure to check out MotorHaven for parts.

Have fun with your truck! :-X22

Leaks

Eric, If you're going to pull the motor anyway for whatever reason, that would certainly facilitate the job of drilling out the broken exhaust manifold bolt. If you had planned to leave it in the truck for a while while you work on it,Here is a trick that I have used a few times with very good results. Assuming that you have the manifold out of the way, there is enough room to get a right angle drill with a shortened bit in there between the block and the inner fender panel. If there is any bolt at all above the block surface, it will help to gently grind it as flat as you can. Then center punch the broken bolt as accurately as possible. Slowly drill a small pilot hole in the broken bolt to a depth equal to the depth of the exhaust ports other hole-you dont want or need to go too deep. Then gradually make the hole bigger until you have reached the drill size for the tap that you will need to clean up the threads. I agree with a previous reader that this is no place for an easy out. On my 59AB flatty there are two different sizes of bolts used to fasten the exhaust maniforls. Your motor is probably an 8BA but You can figure this out. At the risk of sounding a little surgical, I have had success using a mirror to see what is going on during the preccedure. This will take a little patience and dexterity.

regarding headers, I found an original set of Fenton headers at a swap meet that look cool and really get the flow right with the stock steering box. They repop these but they are approaching $250. If you never wany to have to revisit your muffler needs again. I would recommend stainless such as Flowmasters or Dynaflows. I put Dynaflows with aluminized pipe and the sound is awesome. You have a worthwhile project. Keep on truck'in. Lazy