Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1940 Chevy coupe, hydraulic valve lifters, target template

Question
 What can you tell me about the oil system in this 216ci.  engine? Ihave heard it's only partialy pressurized. I think there are dippers on the rod caps so this may be so.
  Thanks

Answer
Oh you are so right on target about the oiling system in the 40 Chev. It is a low pressure system with pressure to the main bearing, the cam bearings, and the rocker shaft at about 15 pounds per square inch at road speed. Oil is delivered from the oil pump to a system of troughs and nozzels built into the oil pan. The nozzles are so aimed that the dippers, attached to the lower end of the connecting rods, roate into the oils stream from the nozzles to lubricate the rod bearings. When working on the engine the maker provided in the service manuals a target template for aiming the nozzles. That was a trip. The system worked unit we got into the high speed engines in the 1950's. Chevrolet first used the full pressure oiling system in the engines installed in the Power Glide automatic transmission equiped car and also then using hydraulic valve lifters thanks to the higher oil pressure in the fully pressurized systems.
Brad