Bearings for straight 8 engine?

BigSky
BigSky Senior Contributor
in HUDSON
Here’s what I’m wondering, has anyone successfully done inserts for the straight 8 Hudson engine?  

Rods are originally babbitt & mains were inserts but for either my 37 or 49 straight 8 engine, I don’t see anything out there for the main inserts.  So what are people doing, other than a 308 engine replacement or spending a boatload of cash to have everything babbitted?

Comments

  • 50C8DAN
    50C8DAN Senior Contributor
    Yep, when I rebuilt my 8 back in the late 80s even then main bearing inserts were not easy to find.
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    The problem is that all main bearing journals are a different diameter, and new or remetalled bearings  have to be line bored.   No easy way out I'm sorry.  
  • Courtesy Man
    Courtesy Man Expert Adviser
    Main bearing inserts used to be available in standard  oversizes but in limited quantities - not seen any . Somewhat more common were mains in an oversize called "semi" which need to be line bored to size to fit the crank.  Mains and rod bearings are all babbit - anyone know of a shop that can do this today ? I remember the enjoyment of driving a 1947 and a 1950 straight eight Hudson - with overdrive - you could pretty much stay in second gear and even start out in that!  Very smooth and quiet. Gert
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    Unfortunately the death of Hudson splasher engine’s is looming near…
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Not really.  there are still people out there who can re-metal and line bore main bearings.
  • Old Fogey UK
    Old Fogey UK Expert Adviser
    Geoff said:
    Not really.  there are still people out there who can re-metal and line bore main bearings.
    Re-metalling is one of the few things my engine rebuilder got right !
  • Old Fogey UK
    Old Fogey UK Expert Adviser
    BigSky said:
    Unfortunately the death of Hudson splasher engine’s is looming near…
    As far as I'm aware, nobody in the ROC over here is having to re-engine their cars because they can't get the bearings re-metalled. The people who can do the work are out there - you just have to find them and pay their price.
  • BigSky
    BigSky Senior Contributor
    Yeah, there are still some in the States but the number keeps dwindling.  Unfortunately unlike model T’s where some of those builders do hundreds of rods/mains a week, there are just so few who do Hudson’s.  “Their prices” definitely are becoming an obstacle to rebuilding the original engine unless one is really “ “ bent on rebuilding the original engine.  I wish there was some way to easily do inserts on the mains & cams then one would only have to send off the rods to be babbitted.  Just my thoughts as I get ready to tear into the 1949 254ci straight 8 in the garage to see what I really have…
  • Toddh
    Toddh Member
    There’s a guy by the name of Bill Coleman in Baltimore, MD who did my engine out of my ‘46 Super Eight coupe a number of years ago.  He’s still around as far as I know. He had my mains and rods poured by a company Pittsburgh and then he line bored it.  At the time I was told he had the only boring bar in that part of the US long enough to do my straight 8. He also assembled the short block as well. It was superbly done and you didn’t know it was running unless you put the hood up
  • tombia
    tombia Member
    Line boring is still a common process, how do you think they do diesel engines? Any really excellent rebuild includes line boring, as far as who does pouring shells semi. you got to make an effort to find someone. 

  • Glowplug
    Glowplug Expert Adviser
    Tombia you are absolutely on point!  Hudson engine building is and continues to be an a labor of ❤️! 

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