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| Well, i got the old flat head running last week. runs a little ruff. Both exhaust manifolds are busted so it's
pretty noisy. Been sitting since 92. Seems to be running on all 8. Both thermostat housings are hot so something is firing on both sides. Runs much quieter after i but oil in it. 50 lbs. cold and 10 lbs hot. Good thing it has solid lifters. Wouldn't want to be adjusting those things any time soon. Not fun. Had to replace the cloth wound rubber gas hose to the carb and remove the screen in the fuel pump's sediment bowl. It was plugged so bad i couldn't use it. I love those old motors. If you could find parts the fuel pump is rebuildable. I bought two more flat heads last year and got them home last week. The 24 bolt motor,the one i wanted, is seized solid but might be salvagable. The 21 bolt motor was running after the rebuild but sat long enough to seize. it'll run again.Problem is these motors are pre 49 with front mounted distributors. Just above the crank pully. My truck motor has a conventional distributor. Much newer. The two older motors will be good bench mounted runners. Mind you i have and old Farm-All tractor that might look good in a flat head motor. I have an old 3 duce manifold and aluminium heads for one engine and up swept headers. Should look good on my tractor. If it doesn't move it will sound good. |
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| Sounds like a great hobby you got going there! If you were my neighbor, I'd want to hang out at your place to watch or help if you'd let me! |
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| Come on down. I'll show you how to set lifters on these old buggers. There are no side covers. They all came with dual point front mounted distributors and you had to remove them and set it on the bench. Lots of fun. I know where there was an Eaton blower for this engine. I hope the guy still has it. You can still buy them brand new but not spending that kind of money. You are more than welcome to help out. You know the old saying. " Real hot rods don't have valve covers ". |
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| A lot of those old Ford flat heads had poor design manifolds, from the stand point of even air flow, that is. A rumor was floated that when a young enterprising engineer discovered the manifold problem, he suggested changing to a better design, but then, the engine would have a much more even exhaust note, not the loopy, characterestic rumble of the Ford V8. Old Man Ford wouldn't hear of it and would not change it. He thought that the sound was part of the sales appeal and it telegraphed power, when in fact, it was power robbing design. The hot rodders of the day knew about the mainfolds, and all they had to do to get more power was to order out a set of mainfolds and headers from EdleBrock and bolt them on - no engine modification. The power gain was good. However, the intake manifold might be a tad taller than the original because it would be of the 'cross over' design: using a 2 barrel carb, one barrel fed 2 cylinders on the left bank and 2 on the right. The other barrel fed the other cylinders. This necessitated that the intake runners 'cross over' each other. Yeh! Those were the days. A guy could tinker with this engine. So, what you going to do when you get these engines cleaned up and running? Maybe put them into something that can be in parades? |
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| How that is the 64 dollar question. I have no idea. Probably put them on stands until i find a doner body or add them to my parts collection. Fire them up from time to time to bring a tear to the eyes of the old timers. My brother's kids were over yesterday. Suggested i put in a honking big PowerStroke into my 53 with a custom flat deck box and up swept 6 inch boom tubes. I'll have to think about that one. |
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| That power stroke probably would generate too much torque for the drive line: Clutch, transmission, differential, and U-joints. But then, these pieces are supposed to be stong enough to spin the wheels on dry pavement, so maybe it would work. Wheel slip limits torque. Here's a thought: Locate a 32-34 Ford Roadster and drop the engine into it. This is a 2 seat coupe, rag top, suicide doors, with rumble seat. Paint the thing bright yellow or orange. Remove the fold up part of the hood to expose the engine to view. When you drive it, you will look like 'Archie" of comic book fame. Old guys will wipe a tear when you drive by; Everyone else will want to pet it when it is stopped. And if you never drive it, its a good display. Then, go ahead and drop a power stroke into the truck - make the kids happy. |
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