early Mac (Mc5) parts

[ted johnson]

Thanks for the pix, Tom. I like the candy red stroker! Mine had a candy green flywheel shroud with a polished head shroud, trimmed short like yours for the Hovey header. I remember the guys carping about green on racecars, but the little beast ran for a very long time, and was pretty much unbeatable in Central Florida in A Super Light. I also remember several guys with less attention to detail having their head shrouds sit crooked. That drawing of the piston should clear up a lot of confusion! Later! TJ

[ted johnson]

Re: The thread referenced from Jeff C. on page 3 of this thread. One of the pix shows a saw with the different style flywheel shroud. At least some of the early '5s used this shroud. There was a very early Cad Cart ad in '60 that had a '5 with this shroud. Thanks to Scott Kneisel, that's the type that's going on my '5. I also got my Scott K. modified crank today; his workmanship is superb, and I thank him ! TJ

[Tom Smith]

here's Mcculloch's photo of the protype Mc-5, you'd think they could have at least cut the grommet off the plug wire. I think an Mc-5 was a 1-60 powerhead with the back (piston) ports drilled and not much else.

Prototype Mc-5 JPG.JPG

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[ted johnson]

On page 3 of this thread, the top pic in Jeff C.'s post also has the grommet there on the plug wire! It's a different angle shot, but It's most likely the same engine.
I'm using Eastwood DeKote paint stripper; it removed 90% of the paint from the '5's f/w shroud in about 20 minutes. Of course, that's Rustoleum, not that wonderful Mac paint that has to be removed with a jackhammer ! I know for a fact that DeKote will remove powdercoat easily. There are a few small divots in the shroud that I'll fill with High Temp Lab Metal before powdercoat. The inner shroud won't be so easy! It looks like the surface of the moon... TJ

[Tom Smith]

That's a different mac 5, it has the plastic filter cover on the Tillotson and the plug wire is painted yellow. Jim Bultler used that photo in an exclusive report article about the new McCulloch Mc-5 in the May 1960 KW. They elude that the first test Mc-5s were 1-50s without the third ports but were too rpm restricted in early testing.

[ted johnson]

Tom, you're right. I hadn't noticed the fuel inlet cover, but I did think it looked like the plug wire was painted.
I have my buddy, Charlie's, magazine stash right now, but they only go back to the July, '60 issue, so I haven't read the older issues since about '62..
I'm trying about a 1 X 5 area of JB Weld right now on the inner shroud to see how it'll sand... I think I'm in for a couple tired arms! The High Temp Lab Metal should be here by the middle of the week, then I'll compare. I'm bound to make that engine look nice. I've got an almost new alky HL232 here. Terry I. is looking for one of the top plates with the cast inlet nipple so I can use the metal fuel filter cover. Later. TJ

[Tom Smith]

Ted, like these? Early Mc-5s used the 1-51 and 1-61 saw carb with the fixed inlet port. The idle fuel pickup hole is enlarged to .052" (#55 drill) on the kart carbs. Later Mc-5s used the HL -63 B with the plastic screen cover. Tom

small carbs .JPG

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[ted johnson]

Hey, Tom, you haven't got any old carbs lying about, have you ?? That looks like our old carb box back in the day, but Dad finally threw everything out in about '65 after we closed the kart shop side of the house. Dad had a mower shop, and old pieces just kept piling up until you couldn't walk through the place! Even my pal, Charlie Craibe, threw most of his old stuff out years ago. I can remember Dad going on a lawn mower buying trip in about '65, and Charlie and I cleaned the shop completely. When Pop returned, he gave us he** because he couldn't find anything. Within two weeks, it looked exactly as it had for years!
Can you replace the top inlet plate on a Tilly with the plastic bowl with the top plate with the cast in inlet nipple, then use the steel cap to make it look like the early Mc5 carb? I haven't seel one of the saw-style carbs apart in 50 years. Thanks. Ted

[Tom Smith]

Ted, I looked at changing the top plate and it appears that you can. What you can't change from one to the other is the filter. The steel cover style has a sintered bronze type of built in filter instead of the removable screen disc. I looked at an HL-63C. About as close as you can get to the correct Mc-5 carb. Drill the idle fuel passage out and you're there. If I have it right, you're just going to use the cover plate for appearance purposes on a later Tilloston correct? I would, the HL-63 is a built in restrictor plate for sure.

[ted johnson]

Thanks, Tom. I intend to do just as you suggest; mimic the '5 carb's appearance with a later carb. It looks like the block is +.020, and I may use one of Ron's thin ring pistons with the '91 rod. If that's the way we go, I'll probably go with a thin head gasket and run alcohol. I hate to have to take two different fuels to the track! Besides, with alky/castor, the chances of sticking an engine are pretty slim. If we use thick rings, I'll stick with about 8/1 compression and gasoline. Have a good week, and thank you again! Ted