Keep spreadin that gospel Chaz. Spread it far and wide, actively discourage any of your disciples from doing any proper research on this subject . That way, those of us who have been using them for years ( 47years in my case ) won't have too much trouble finding another one when the one we have overheats, cracks and expires . BTW tell them that the heads and manifolds and other aftermarket flathead stuff is junk too, and if someone you know has a Harmon and Collins mag for a flathead please tell them where my scrap bin is.
I've built all sorts of modern OHV engines - SBCs, SBFs, BBCs, BBFs, Hemis, Pontiacs, etc -- but my 'first love' was this flathead - built 42 years ago when I was 15: Then my second one when I was 18 - at the Antique Nats in Orange County, CA: Then the latest one (at least for me) - Pittsburgh, PA - on a gig with Flop: All three engines are/were very different, but they all ran well, looked good and made me smile. There is nothing like the sound of a stroker flathead with a bad-ass cam in it . . . totally unique: Here is a video that a fellow hotrodder was kind enough to send me from the ECTA meet last spring in Wilmington, OH.
Damn dale. Car looks awesome full fendered and sounds just down right nasty. People must be mind blown when they hear that car in person. One of these days I'm gonna have to get out your way so we can run em. Lol I will have to lighten up my roadster to about 900 pounds since you are full fendered and maybe we get to the end about the same time. Flattys for ever.....
Dale sounds pissed off that you revived it from the dead. I beleive this one is yours too correct? Great sounding flatty.
Yep dale is a flathead guru. He helped me build this 286" from start to finish. And it crackles and sound mean too...I'm super happy dale took the time to help me. Just from the hamb I now have a great teacher of the flathead ways. Thanks a million dale.
You guys are WAY too kind . . . just glad I get to work with the likes of all of you - to keep building these engines with a mix of new/old ideas and associated technology. If a man can build them . . . a man can make them better. As I told Bruce from the start --> "If you're going to build a HotRod, build a Fxxxing HotRod!". Nothing against stock/mild builds (still love em) - they do have their place (just not in my cars). LOL
Yup, It broke! Engine was in my 35 cabriolet, on my way back from a 600 mile trip, 150 miles from home, the slight rumble/ vibration I had felt got suddenly pretty noisy, pulled over as soon as I could and called for help. After pulling the engine, everything looked ok but when checking float on the crank noticed it was very obvious that it was different front to back. How can that be? I thought, unless of course crank was split and sure enough when removing rods discovered a major crack. Upon inspection it seems this crank had been welded in a previous life, can't think why as it is a French Military engine and I would have thought they would have had stacks of cranks on shelves. Anyway engine is scheduled for complete rebuild with Scat crank and new rods, pistons etc. A blow to the bank account but I still love Flatheads. Attached pic was taken in happier times, the aftermath you have seen.
Hi friends, great thread! I have a 50 'merc that has a 302 engine, so it came when I bought it 8 years ago, and since then I've been looking for a flat head to do the project correctly. Very difficult to find that engine here in Mexico, but at last I got it. Much to do but with the help of experts as you hope to do the right thing ...[/ATTACH]
Here is my 286" 8ba. Edmunds heads edelbrock intake elgin pistons merc crank and GranCor cam. Built in the 60's I believe and was in a 48 Ford gasser.
This just followed me home the other day, a rebuilt 1942 Merc engine but it has been sitting in a truck, waiting to be fired for a long time. Points were corroded, after cleaning, she lit right off.
Still can't believe Steve gave up on the flathead so quickly. At least now the old flathead will be appreciated appropriately! Sent from my SM-N900P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Ok, I think they are way cool retro but it seems more younger guys have the bug. When I was a kid we couldn't wait to pull the flatties out of whatever and put a say 283 with reliable hp in its place.....I can't remember anyone bragging on an old flat head lump back in the early 60's.....you'd have been laughed at. Just some perspective.
What comes around goes around... Now a lot of guys passionately build Flatheads and laugh at guys with small blocks. I love em both personally... but have a special place in my heart for the flathead obviously.
Yeah, I get that...but that is a 'new age' gig and not what happened in the day...much like rusty rods. Just know you are living in the moment and not re creating an era....unless you are creating a pre mid 50's ride. Honestly, you couldn't give away a flat head in the late 50's....I tried, went to the dump.
That depends upon what time your are referring to by "in the day." Not all of us are focused on late-50's or 60's. Some of us are trying to emulate 40's and early 50's builds, when the Ford Flattie was the king of Hot Rod motors and had been for some time. When the Cadillac and Olds OHV's came about in '49, it took a few years for them to find their way into Hot Rods, then they ruled the roost. The SBC represents a "later" era of Hot Rod and Street Rod engine for many of us.
That is absolutely true....my only point is this...flatheads didn't 'rule' after the mid 50's and the very common 'oh, another SBC' you hear today is a retro re inventing history kind of gig. SBC's came out in what '54, and they were plentiful and cheap...just like the flathead was a decade earlier. And, big and, they are still making cheap plentiful HP 63 years later....
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