1962 TR3 Restoration

It was a big day when the engine was removed. And a messy one to say the least. 40 years of dirt, grease, oil, grime, and whatever thing you can think of was built up on the engine compartment and engine block which seemed to be in endless supply. I spent hours with screwdrivers and puddy knives scraping it away and it was still a mess.

You may ask yourself, hey I know this guy how is he going to get this thing back together? Aside from the help of Frank and Paul and from their advice I take alot of detailed pictures. Actually I wish I had taken more. Here's an example of a couple.

Each break line was labeled with tape and a picture taken. Even though I'm replacing each line with a new one I need to use the old one as a template to bend the new one into the same shape as the old.

This little brass screw and washer go here to keep the top of the ignition coil on the cable.

Chained and engine mount bolts removed and also the bolts for the transmission.

Removed! At this point we removed the transmission from the engine black so we could mount the engine on the engine stand. The stand allows you to rotate the engine allowing easy access to different parts.

Pretty dirty

Out

Transmission is removed.

Once the clutch plate was removed as well, the dome shaped portion on the lower right hand side the engine was mounted on the stand. Taking the engine apart is pretty easy and quick but a little messy. Despite the removal of the oil there's alot of nasty liquids and antifreeze which remains in the block. When we rotated the engine upside down to remove the crankshaft it spilled out all over the floor! Whoops! Good thing we don't smoke as it would have sent us to the moon.

The cylinder head was removed and all the valves where replaced.

So I missed documenting a couple steps here with pictures. This is the picture after the crank shafted was installed. The engine block was takend to Arrow Engines in Temecula where Dave baked the engine, and the cylinder head at a very high temperature to burn away any dirt and grease. He them removed the old cylinder sleeves with a press and installed the new bearing for the cam shaft which requires a special tool. he also shaved off a bit of the crankshaft so it would fit the new oil seal. When I got the block back I spent a Saterday afternoon cleaning it out still with a wire brush and hosed it out. I then took a propane torch to dry it completely to avoid any rust and painted the block a glossy black. Ready to eat off! It was nice to actually start the process of putting something back together.

This is the new sleeves, pistons, and rings ready to be put together. The new sleeves and piston heads are slightly larger than the old ones adding another 15 HP. Oh yea! I found the kitchen table to be a great place to do this task. Apparently the dining table was not???

All together!

The new sleeves are in place and ready for the new pistons.

Inserting the pistons is a delecate task instrusted to Franks son Lee who is a professional mechanic. The rings are installed in the grooves and compressed so the piston can slide into the sleeve by gently tapping it in. The risk is breaking the rings which can set you back.

All the pistons are installed. Note the numbers on the top. From now on each piston will be live in the same sleeve for the rest of my life I hope.

Yes I get to help some! In this picture and to Franks delight, I can be seen installing the oil seal where you mix this felt with the most incredibly sticky blue goo and gently pack it down. The blue goo sticks to everything and would tear the surgical gloves to peices.

Oil Pan, Distributer, Fuel Pump, and Oil Filter installed. The oil filter has been modified with a kit that allows you to use modern oil filters which work better and alot more convenient. The bolts you see in the block have a small square tip on them which insert into the camshpt bearings keeping them in place. One of the cool things you see/learn doing this process.