Brooks Van Ette restoration at Yankee Air Museum

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:50 am

Jerry Watson provided these images from work on the Van Ette last Saturday.
Work is progressing to be able to remove the body from the frame.
Gas tank removed (with a big thud as it hit the floor). Jerry says it is pretty heavy with some solid "crud" in it and a nickel size hole in the tank. More to fabricate later!!!!!!

The steering gear/column was also removed for ease of body removal.

Next up will be removal of the radiator to get at all the wiring on the firewall.

I will keep y'all posted.
Regards,
Mark

mtpopejoy · **Post subject:** Update 2-19-09

No pics today but worked for a little with Jerry Watson on the Van Ette.
Got the radiator out today and started removing the wiring harness.

I know the picture of the serial number was not very good so I wrote it down.

*99T-547614*

From what I have been able to find the 99T shows for 1939 95hp 8cyl
1-1/2 ton.
Any other info on the id of this vehicle would be huge for us.
Regards,
Mark Popejoy

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:21 am

Had a full crew to the hangar yesterday to work on the Van Ette.
Our goal was to get a wooden frame built to hold the body once separated from the chassis.

Then we got to work on separating the body and frame. Basically we decided to hold the body at the height we already had it, lower the chassis and roll it out from underneath the body then lower the body on to the casters. We used a forklift to hold the rear of the body and 2 aircraft jacks on either side of the front of the body with 2x4 oak beams to put in between. Here's what it looked like.
Rear

Front

Making progress!!!!!

And we have separation Houston!!!

While I was looking around yesterday I found another tag from the Defense Plant Corporation.

If any of you all know what it means let me know.

All for now. If you all dont want to see anymore let me know I wont plug up the maintanence hangar with these posts. Just thought you all might be interested in the ground vehicle side of warbirds.

We will be working to remove everything from the frame to have it sent out for blasting and primer. The engine/trans will also be being sent out for overhaul as well.

Have a good week all.
Regards,
Mark Popejoy[/list]

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:37 am

The museum's DHC-4A Caribou (Serial number 2) is undergoing a paint job to Army livery for this airshow season. Hope I was allowed to tell you all.
Here is a little eye candy for ya.

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Fouga23 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:09 am

Thanks for the updates! I'd love seeing the restoration of the truck! Caribou looks good too

mtpopejoy · **Post subject:** 3/13/09 Update

Good crew of guys out this last Saturday to work on the Van Ette.

We made good progress.
We removed the engine and transmission and got the frame and body in their "final resting places" after moving the M37 so we can start stripping the frame to get ready for media blasting and work on the body.

Engine coming out:

Engine is out and on the ground.

Next time I am out I will look for a serial or casting number on the engine and transmission to see if it matches up with the frame.

Anyone know where to find these casting numbers on flatheads?

Another cool tidbit on the motor. One of our volunteers removed a spark plug to see their condition. Amazingly there is not a single speck of carbon on the sparkplugs and shining a flashlight into the head shows a bright shiny valve. This engine appears to have been rebuilt and never run!!!!

Here are a couple of after shots showing the frame. That rear axle weighs more than the engine and trans together I do believe.

A lot more room after the M37 was moved.

That's all for now.
Any requests on things you want to see let me know.
Regards,
Mark

SPANNERmkV · **Posted:** Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:45 pm

"Houston... We have separation!"

You have a bunch of guys here in Houston breathing again!

Cool bit of aviation history and keep updates coming.

And say hello to your Grandpere from a grateful WIXoid.

Don
AKA SPANNER

Django · **Posted:** Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:35 pm

Looking good!

That red on the motor isn't original. AFAIK, it should be Ford green. Note the red paint on the generator too, which should be black.

This will help with the numbers.
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_home.htm

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:31 pm

Thanks for the link Chad. That's what we thought that it would be Ford dark green.
The thing that is throwing me off is the 99T at the beginning of the frame serial number. From the website you linked it shows a '39 1.5 ton regular truck. Weird.

Oh and Don, thanks I will definitely pass on your regards to my Grandfather.

Django · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 9:56 am

Maybe it's not the orginal flatty?

mtpopejoy · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:08 pm

I dont know if it is the original block or not. I will try and cross check this weekend. We do know it has been rebuilt as the oil is clean, the spark plugs are carbon free and the valves you can see after removing the spark plugs are shiney as new.

mtpopejoy · **Post subject:** Update 3/21/09

Three of us out today to work on the Van Ette.
Actually 2 of us. I didn't do much but take pictures. One of the other volunteers on the Van Ette brought his Father down to see what is happening at the Yankee Air Museum and I was honored to be their tour guide for about an hour.

I had said in the previous update that the valves lookes shiney. When I got to the museum one of our volunteers, Jerry, had removed the left bank cylinder head. Pretty amazing how clean it was in there. The Ford script stamping was still clearly visible in the valves. No carbon whatsoever.

I stated that I would get all of the casting numbers I could find. The only 2 I have found so far was on the rear portion of the block near the transmission bell housing and on the left bank cylinder head. Any ground pounders out there that can decipher these?

The two Jerrys were working hard on getting the rear axle and leaf springs off the frame. They had it halfway out when I had to leave. This thing weighs more than the engine/transmission I believe.

Good job guys. Soon we will have the frame stripped and sent out for media blasting.
More updates to follow.
Regards,
Mark

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:15 am

I wonder if that engine was ever run after being reconditioned since the valves and pistons are that clean? It almost looks like someone freshened it up and put the van into storage.

Great progress!
Scott

Django · **Posted:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:29 am

I agree... never fired after rebuild.

M MAKI · **Posted:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:27 pm

I am more than a little rusty on my Flathead knowledge, but after a little refresher research this is what I can tell you about your serial numbers.

The engine block is newer than 1938 because that is when they changed from the 21 stud head to the 24. It is also Canadian, WooHoo

, all Ford and Mercury V8's manufactured in Canada were cast with the "C" preceding the engine number in that location on the block from 1932-48. Sorry no luck yet with the number.

As for the the cylinder head "29-A" is a 1942 Mercury number.

Hope this helps!

Mike

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Brooks Van Ette restoration at Yankee Air Museum

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