1945 B with freeze damage

[Derweibhai]

Got a good deal on a fully restored 1945 B with electric start, lights and new rubber. Poor guy I got it from rebuilt it and painted every part before reassembly, then parked it in an insulated but unheated garage forgetting it still only had distilled water in it. He came out in the spring to find pieces of the head on the floor.

So he took it apart again and had the head welded back up, and put it all back together. He said it still was getting coolant into the pulley side cylinder so he gave up and cut his losses.

#1 anyone have experience with this?
#2 anyone have a spare cylinder head and cylinder block they would sell for a reasonable price?
#3 should I just find a junker and gamble that it has solid un-cracked parts?
#4 this is an all fuel tractor, what part #'s ( head and block)are compatible
With this year of B?

I just attended the Myers auction in Broken Bow NE and watched 2 identical fully restored B's with new rubber just like this sell for $1500 and $1900. So putting much in this would be a financial dead end ( not that I plan to sell).

 

[Sam Vastano]

I have a block for that but the head I have is cracked. I am in Western PA so I don't know what shipping would be to your location. My e-mail is open.

Sam

 

[deeretails]

A number of years ago I bought a B under the same circumstances. I large piece of the head broke out of the bottom. I found a good head and had a similar experience once I had it
together. The brass pushrod tubes in the replacement head were bad. New tubes and it ran for years until I sold it.

 

[Derweibhai]

Don't think I could get lucky enough to just be the pushrod tubes but I will check.

Where does the block crack? Is it in a spot that can be seen with the head off or does it need to be completed torn down to see? Really hoping for a relatively simple fix, but doubt it will be.

Thanks for the block offer, will keep it in mind if I need to go that route. EBay shipping is running $100 for a block or head right now, and I am in Nebraska.

 

[Paul from MI]

My 1944 B was frozen and welded in many places when I bought it. Didn't leak for a few years, the srarted getting water in the oil.
Turned out to be a crack into a push rod hole in the block. Different block and head fixed it many years ago.