R 2, Box 371-13 Buckhannon, West Virginia 26201
I’m now redoing a 1 HP Economy engine. The valves were in
bad shape and, not sure as to where get replacement without laying
out lot of green, or sweat (I’m many you have found yourselves
this fix), I consulted my junk pile, which is quite large, and head
from an early ’70s Datsun car, a B-200, I think. They fit
perfectly! Had to cut 1 inch off.
Now for the tip: These valves are very hard! I got out the Bemz-
o- Matic and heated the stem about two inches down as hot as I
could get it (with propane), until it showed bright orange. I let
it cool ’til could handle it burning fingers. did three times
(once won’t work). Then cut stem length with hacksaw drilled
hole end, using 3/32‘ bit and liberal use
of cutting oil and slow speed drill. Even after annealing (drawing
temper by heating), these valves are somewhat harder than the
originals.
Here’s another tip that has turned out to be a lifesaver.
When getting ready for the paint job, after the clean up is done,
do you run into a brass tag you don’t want to remove for fear
of wrinkling or destroying it, or a decal that’s hard to
replace, but still in good shape?
I’ve had this happen more than once and found a good way to
deal with it. Before painting (primer/color coat), apply a thin
film of plain old axle grease over the tag or decal. Make sure
it’s covered completely, but don’t get messy! You can now
apply primer/color coat. When the paint dries, simply wipe the
tag/decal with a clean rag and the paint and grease will come right
off. Repeat the operation for every coat, carefully, and everything
will work out fine. It works for me!
There are a lot of you out there who already know what I’m
talking about, but to the newcomers this may save some grief. Have
a great one!
