Flatheads are cool!
 

Ford flathead v8s are making a big comeback in popularity.

The 53 Ford F600 that I bought for hauling bales has the original flathead v8 in it. It was rebuilt in the mid 70s at a Ford rebuilder and bored 40 over.

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As I’m learning about these, they are actually pretty cool. Lots of stuff to make them 200 hp or so and not difficult to work on.

I’m considering putting a flatty back in my 53 Merc M100 pickup instead of the crown vic swap I am planning.

There's a machinist in Colorado that pretty much specializes in the old stuff. OHV, flathead, tractor and car motors. He did some work on a flatty a while back; I think there might be a Mercury motor somewhere in his build videos.

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I wonder what the “-4-CRS” signifies. 8RTs were available with multiple different heads. Maybe it indicate the kind of heads put on it? Or maybe it indicates the displacement? It could be either 239 or 255 depending on the stroke. I’ve heard 255s were more common in Canada.

Mine appears to be a 239, 99 or 100 HP. It has factory dual exhaust and I’m not sure if it has a governor- I do t see it if there is one.

It runs great and I’m really feeling the nostalgia. I want to get a set of aluminum heads and a dual carb or 4 bbl intake and a cam but it’s just a farm truck with really low gears. So then I’m thinking about building another one for my other truck that originally came with a flatty.

Without even asking me!? ;)

Just a suggestion from a guy who has worked on a lot of old trucks and tractors:

Take out a spark plug and put a rod 8 or 10 inches long in the hole. Turn the engine to TDC, mark the rod, then turn it to BDC and mark it again. If it’s 3.75” it’s a 239. If it’s 4” you got lucky and it’s a 255. If you do this on #1 it’ll give you a chance to mark TDC on the crank pulley. Sometimes it’s hard to see due to rust etc. The TDC info may come in handy at tune-up time.

+1000 !!

In my fantasy build deuce...chopped coupe or hiboy roadster...I bounce between two engine choices. A dressed flatty? An early Hemi? Either works, both period correct...

Flatheads are definitely cool... :cool:

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I think I still have the flathead valve adjustment tools around here someplace. If you want them you can have them - if I can find them.

so many did not respect their antique vehicles and stuck in V8 chev engines with auto transmissions. the result is a low number of restorable antique vehicles because often the OEM parts simply went missing.

Yes they are!
My Pop put a 49 Merc Flathead in a 29 Model A.
Navarro heads. 3 twos. Pat Warren Quck change read end. Dropped front axle and Goodyear Blue
Streaks with baby Moons. Much more. Baby blue. Loved that engine.

...just because

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Not sure this works with a flathead. The plug is between the valves and not over the piston.

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I’m pretty sure it’s a 239 based on this on the firewall. They had it apart, they would know.


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Well… I bought a 8BA flatty out of a 50 Merc sight unseen this morning.

My plan is to get some aluminum heads, a cam, and a 4 bbl intake for it.

WD15 - I’d love those tools, looks like I may need them.

A flatty sure looks better in a T-bucket or 32 coupe than a 350 small block Chevy engine. But I bet more have the small block than a flat head.

Or a '49 '50 '51 shoebox.

I took my dad for a road trip yesterday to go pick up the 8BA flathead that I bought sight unseen. I got it home and pulled off a head with my son. Despite being in a 50 Mercury F1, it is a stock 239 8BA flathead… not a 255 Mercury engine.

I’m now looking for a Mercury crank.

I think I found a shop that can bore my block .125 over, I will confirm this tomorrow.

My plan, based on advice from The HAMB is to get it to 276 CID with the .125 over bore and a Merc crank, get a high lift variant of the Merc cam, get some Edelbrock or Offy heads and run a small 4 bbl carb (or duals). My target is 150 HP.

Flatheads are cool but they don't sound like a flat six. Ok, I got my little humor out, now the truth. They sound like crap. If I had one for the looks I'd run enough muffler to not have to listen to it.

(edit) since this thread started I have read about Ford flathead overhead valve heads:

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Then I found Seth Hammond's Model B with a Ray McDowell head.

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The tool I promised you is finally on the way, unclebilly.

Here is a video to prepare you for the awesomeness about to grace your mailbox. ;):D


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I have always been aware of them, but have never driven one, and I don't know that I've ever seen one run. There's something cool about them, simpler times and motors and all that.

Kind of funny, so much work, huge overbore, long crank, fancy heads, and a 4bbl and still only 150hp. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Are they (relatively) low RPM torque motors or are they just old and therefore not as powerful as more modern motors. I'm more familiar with the old SBC (before the LSx).

The induction and exhaust systems are limiting, but you can get a lot more than 150hp out of one - for a while. The bottom end and especially the cooling system were designed for 100hp or less. If you want to put hundreds of hours on one, 150 is a good number.

How cool is that?

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Had to delete Flav's pic. Just not right. They roasted him a while back and one comedian said "Why you wear that clock around your neck? You havent had to be anywhere in ten years."

Edit: Just load Ford Flathead V8 into Wiki. It will get you started on a nice journey if you are curious and a noob like me.

I’ve always liked business coupes. Dodge/Plymouth are my faves. Fords are OK, but unlike the others, I think Ford sedans look better than the coupes. I never liked the round/spherical theme of the Ford dashboards.

I remember the lead guy in the book Rich Man Poor Man had a business coupe. No idea what it looked like as there were no pics.

I saw the Ford first time yesterday and look up the Plymouth just now and cant believe I'm so clueless. I love them.

My 89 year old dad laid out a bunch of info for me this am.

Less is more.

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