M38A1 F-head

[LeeG]

Hello, I'm looking for some help here with parts or maybe a whole engine. I restored my 1953 A1 about 17yrs ago and had some bad machine work done on the engine and that shop closed right after I received the engine back. It was manageable as it did run and I've driven it for the past 17yrs. It lives in my shop and is registered and insured since that time. The compressions were extremely low (like 75) and it would chuck smoke if you sat a red light too long. It was honed and std piston and rings installed back at that shop. I could tell this later after opening the engine up. So, I decided about 6 months ago to pull the engine and get it overhauled correctly. I pulled it apart and could tell it needed to be bored and decked for sure. That was never done from the last shop I had requested that be done. This next round turned into a bigger disaster. The only machine shop in my town had been in business for around 50yrs so I thought it would be a good one and I was wrong. The owner had turned a bit wacko and I didn't know or figure that out until after I left him with the engine and new parts like pistons, rings, valves, gasket sets, etc. After 6 months of him not returning my calls or doing any more work than disassembly and bored 2 holes, I decided I needed to get it back and find a shop out of town somewhere else. Long story short, I have "most" of the engine back. I am missing the flywheel, clutch and most importantly, all 3 main bearing caps. I brought what I had to a new shop for evaluation. The previous guy over bored one of the holes and now my new 030 over pistons will not work without a sleeve or I get 040 pistons. It also needs a valve job, cam, and new exhaust valves, springs, etc because I did not get those back either. There are a couple small block cracks that the shop said it was no problem to pin them up. And I can get 040 over pistons and not go through sleeving. I put a new crank in it last time and it is still in great shape so no worries there. The real deal breaker is the main bearing caps. Finding replacements and line boring the engine brings the overall cost extremely high. The shop recommended I find another engine so here I am searching. I don't really want to put anything else back in but an F-head and really hate to loose the one that it is believed to be original or at least very close due to serial number databases I went through back when I restored it.

1953M38A1.jpg

Thanks for any help you can provide,
Lee in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

[RonD2]

Hi Lee,
You might try Metalshaper (Brian Hainer) located in Conneticut.
I'm pretty sure he has F134 engines already rebuilt for sale.

They won't be cheap, but the work is top shelf.

You can find his email address here: https://www.youtube.com/@metalshaperJeep/videos

Good luck!

[LeeG]

Thank you, I’ll reach out to him.