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Old 01-13-2013, 05:19 PM
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Atomic 4 Number 2 - a/k/a "Got free engine?"

So...

A few days ago, out of the blue, I get a PM from the forum member known as "H3LlIoN", who hasn't been posting much for a while. He lives down in Williamsburg, VA, only one hour from me here in Richmond.

He writes:

Quote:
Do you have any interest in some random A4 stuff?
Now, at that first sentence, I'm thinking, "hmm.. I wonder what kind of "random A4 stuff" he's got. So I read on to the next sentence.

Quote:
I've got an assembled block, head, starter, two carbs, intake manifold (all used) and then a spark plug wire set, impeller, carb parts kit and loose articles.
Uh... ok, so "random A4 stuff" basically is "entire engine plus a couple spare parts"

Then he gave a couple sentences explaining that the engine had come out of a Catalina and had at one point long ago been rebuilt by Moyer. The last sentence of his message was:

Quote:
All free, just need it gone by next Weds.
I re-read that last sentence just to make sure I didn't make up in my head that "all free" part.

Turns out he's traveling down to St. Croix - he bought a 1979 Pacific Seacraft Mariah that's down there and he's going to sail it around there for a while with a buddy of his before sailing it back up here to VA. So, in his words, "I'm out of the A4 game." He just wanted to get the engine out of his way.

Short story even shorter, I replied immediately and said "hellz yeah!" Free engine? You kidding?

So I ran down there today and picked it up.

Here is how it all looked right after being shoved into the back of my pickup truck:





Yeah, it's pretty cruddy, dirty, rusty - and apparently seized. But I have every reason to believe it's entirely restorable. It's essentially an entire, complete engine. I haven't yet cataloged everything, but it's pretty much all there - including two carburetors and some other bits n' pieces, like two coils.

It's going to need a new fuel pump and I'll probably have to rebuild the water pump and some other stuff.

At first I was thinking I would just hang onto it in case I needed spare parts, but now that I see how complete it is, I'm thinking I'll do a complete tear down and rebuild to have a running A4 - either as a drop-in spare, or maybe to use on some other project... who knows?
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Old 01-13-2013, 06:44 PM
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Now you can build your 25 ft. cabin deadrise
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Old 01-13-2013, 08:26 PM
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I actually was thinking something like that.

In the small marina where I keep my boat, there's a little traditional wooden skiff that's been just sitting there on the ground for a couple years. I've been meaning to ask the marina owner what's the deal with that little skiff. I'm thinking it would be pretty cool to fix that little boat up and squeeze this bad boy in there.
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Old 01-13-2013, 08:37 PM
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Paul and I had a similar thought, it would be really neat to have a "motor boat" that was A4 powered. Looks like a fun project, good luck!
--Trina
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Old 01-14-2013, 08:34 PM
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Indeed.

Well, of course, we've got "our own" A4-powered classic Chesapeake Bay deadrise skiff right here on the Moyer forum.

And I know that some people have built those cute little mini-tug boats and have powered them with an A4.

I saw this boat for sale last year - again, powered by an A4:



So they're definitely out there. And some of them are really "out there".
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Old 01-14-2013, 08:34 PM
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Oops.

Sorry for the huge photo - it's not mine. I just linked to it.
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Old 01-19-2015, 06:11 PM
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Catching up...

So back when I dragged that engine home, I fabbed up a quick and dirty stand to plop it on, with wheels to make it easy to move it around the shop, because I knew it was going to be a long time before I ever do anything with this engine.

I took these pics back then.

Yeah, it's a sad bastid.
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Old 01-19-2015, 06:12 PM
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A few more pics.
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Old 01-19-2015, 06:13 PM
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I also have the starter and alternator and some other miscellaneous bits and pieces.

I have a couple wild-ass ideas of what I might, someday, do with this engine. In the meantime, it sits, on its little wheeled stand, tucked away in the corner, with Kroil in the cylinders.

It's going to be quite the project to get it apart, first of all, and then to get it all cleaned up and rebuilt. It's a real mess.
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Old 01-19-2015, 08:32 PM
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Assuming there are no casting cracks or breaches it looks like a $1000 ~ $1500 project. Interesting how free engines never are.

and welcome back!
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Old 01-19-2015, 08:55 PM
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Yeah, I'm not in a hurry to jump into it. Which is why it's still sitting quietly in the corner.

I don't know how long it was submerged, but it's interesting - looking at those pics that I took when I first brought it home two years ago, I can see it does look a bit worse now than it did then. It seems to be still rusting. Maybe I should spray something on it or something...
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Old 01-19-2015, 09:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ILikeRust View Post
It seems to be still rusting. Maybe I should spray something on it or something...
One thing's for sure: it ain't gonna get better on its own . . . Maybe disassemble and baggie things up for the time being?
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Old 01-20-2015, 08:16 AM
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Rust-

Based on your other post about being wrapped up in your business venture, do you still really want that rusted up engine, or would you like to get it out of your garage?
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Old 01-20-2015, 11:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajax View Post
Rust-

Based on your other post about being wrapped up in your business venture, do you still really want that rusted up engine, or would you like to get it out of your garage?
Yea I was thinking the same thing.

Towards that end.
Let it hereby be know, to all far and wide.
I will gladly and expeditiously accept, pick up and or remove, Free Atomic four engines. (this offer applies to free, and or vastly undervalued, engines within a reasonable driving distance of the Jersey shore and is subject to the occasional whims of the Admiral, or if I'm on land or at sea) This offer does not apply to engines at a depth of greater then 2' under water or mud.
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Old 01-20-2015, 05:33 PM
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I have the room, and it's not costing me anything to let it sit there. I do have a couple crazy-ass ideas for what I might like to do with it.

Let's just say - I know it's a "marinized" engine, but there's no reason it couldn't work on a terrestrial vehicle, yes?
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Old 01-20-2015, 06:26 PM
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Gonna build a swamp buggy?
My son in law tried to build a chopper around a flat head straight 6 of some sort.
It was ugly from day one. AS I recall its still sitting on the same blocks in Mission Tx.
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