[Big D]

Hi all,

Not a lot to report this week as I’ve been busy getting the rebuilt Hercules engine back into the scout car, which has taken up a bit of my time. It is looking good though.

As far as the M8 goes, here are a few photos of the lower engine panels temporarily fitted into place so you can see how they are arranged. I think I will leave the small panel under the fuel tank in there prior to the fitting of the engine. It is not the easiest of things to fit into place. The other panels can go in once the engine is fitted and everything is looking good.

With the help of a friend, we’ve started assembling the engine for the M8. The machining has been done on the head and bores have been taken out to 0.060” oversize. Don’t you just love cleaning all the cosmoline off those NOS parts! I’ve fitted the plumbing to the new oil pump so that it is ready to fit.

I was going to remove the crankshaft pulley wheel from one of the old crankshafts I had and reuse that, but it is a little rough and the locking nut is quite badly rusted. I figure it will take some time to remove that so I will search out a NOS pulley wheel instead. If anyone has a spare one, I’d be interested.

For the information of the Scout Car engine rebuilders, I’ve attached a photo showing the difference in diameters of the M8/M20 pulley wheel and the Scout Car pulley wheel; 6 ½” on the M8/M20 versus 7” for the Scout Car.

The new ring gear for the flywheel has arrived, as has the third gear and synchro hub for the gearbox. I’m just waiting on the synchro rings now to be able to reassemble the gearbox.

The other protectoscope box I was looking for has also arrived.

Does anyone have any of these adjuster screws for the timing covers for the JXD engines?

That is all for this week.