Replacing Pistons and Such 1935 era

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

While not a military vehicle REO did make military vehicles in World War Two, Vietnam ... So the company fits here under "restoring".

What options would there be if once I start to work on my 1935 REO Gold Comet motor that has not run for 3 or 4 decades that the pistons and cylinders have seized and are unserviceable? REO made their own engines at the time. Did REO stick to the same dimensions for their engines over a long period of time so there may be some degree of inter-changeability within the same company?

Can different manufacturer's pistons be adapted to fit? Or is it a case of taking a relatively intact sample to an engineer with a request to make six of these please?

I would like to start on the restoration mid next year. So I have some time to explore options. What have other people done when working on 81 year old engines of unknown qualities.

I am going to buy a flexible inspection scope to put down a spark plug hole. I have also been putting a mix of diesel and CRC down spark plug holes into the cylinder at intermittent intervals.

Supposedly the engine was running when it was parked up I could be pleasantly surprised and it could all be pristine. However, I tend to work to the worse case scenario - you know "ye of little faith".

Kind Regards
Lionel