140 heads stop engine from cranking???

[sparksfarmer]

Hi Everyone,
I just dragged home a '65 500 yesterday. The previous owner gave up on it, after two years of not getting it to run. I took over the challenge and when I got it home, went about to try to find out why the engine would not crank over. ( By hand, it would hit three hard spots.) He had figured out, it was happening when the pistons were at TDC, but his diagnosis of rusted cylinders did not sound right to me. I unadjusted the valves, in case he had bottomed out the lifters, but that did not really help. Finally, I decided to just pull the head.
As soon as I did, I realized the raised pistons were bottoming out on the heads. I took the engine numbers and went to my computer. The engine is a 110 Smog with the raised piston heads and the 140 heads he had stuck on, were not. Each time it cranked over, the pistons would kiss the heads.

OK, That is where I am at. Now what? Can I make it run, without milling the pistons or the heads by stacking gaskets or thicker gaskets or do I need to find a set of 110 heads. I would really like to do what is easiest, as the car is still in need of a master cylinder and new brake lines, and a host of other things. The 140 carbs are long gone and I have a rusted up 390 Holley and 4 to 1 carb adapter that needs a lot of cleaning to get even close to using the carburetion provided.

I look forward to any advice you can provide.

Thanks,
sparksfarmer

[mlevair]

a buddy of mine just used thick copper head gaskets to space out the head enough to clear the pistons.I am not sure what thickness he used.

[sparksfarmer]

Thanks Michael, for the quick reply.

I got a response froms Clark's and they suggested replacing the pistons to stock type.

That makes sense, but i really am not looking to rebuild an engine. I was hoping to just add thicker head gaskets. I guess this "quick fix" is now another project that I'll have to think about.

Thanks,
sparksfarmer

[3000 cc vairdk]

HI---NEW ON THE FOURM, NOT THE BEST AT COMPUTER ALSO. CAN FOR-SURE FIX YOUR HEADS TO RUN ON DOME
PISTONS TO WHAT COMPRESSION RATIO YOU LIKE IS. MY BACKGROUND IS MACHINIST--MILL WIGHT--IND MAINTANCE,
HAD 65 CAR FOR 26 YEARS, NOW HAVE A 3000 CC - 180 CU IN SAND RAIL-4 SEETER WITH A 4-53 BELT DRIVE BLOWER
PUTING OUT 260 HP AT 5600 WITH 15 LB PUSH, MADE IT ALL IN GARAGE IN 2002--NOW RETIRED. HAVE SHOP IN GARAGE-ALSO TAPPER BORE DROPSTOCK CARBS LARGE, THEY OUT RUN CENTER SET CARB - WITH GOOD MPG ALL-SO.
DROP ME YOUR NAME --PHONE #-- WILL CALL YOU IF YOU ARE STILL NEED SOMTHING DONE, IAM IN CALIF.
DMKOSTICH#GMAIL.COM HAVE A GREAT DAY