Most flattie builders modify factory pans. The old-timers took what they had and made it work. Just where did this engine come from? Austin Lincoln 337 Heads Likewise, the exact number of kits manufactured is up for debate, as well; for the longest time it was thought to be around 250 but now seems more like 400. Copyright 1995-2008 Atomic Industry: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. It spawned the modern aftermarket speed-equipment industry and became a favorite of bootleggers, dry-lakes racers, dirt trackers, street racers, and a whole generation that just wanted a fast car. A high-pressure system will run fine with no boiling, even at 190-210-degree gauge temps. Many hard-core guys still swear by Isky's 400-JR solid (0.400 lift, 244-degrees at 0.050, 111-degree LSA). We've seen the dyno sheet, which also reveals the 396.9 lb-ft of torque produced at 4,300 rpm. I'm not sure but casting aluminum MIGHT be a simpler process than casting iron. Don Jr. was the man showing us around the shop; his father was a longtime land-speed racer in whose arsenal were Ardun-equipped motors. It must have a stock style front for the pumps and front cover or my water pump kits wouldn't work. 225: Hooligans In Hot Rods Getting Hamburgers, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Traditionalists can go with Vertex or Mallory mags, while modern guys may want to move up to MSD or Mallory electronic distributors. The 2N has some component changes due to wartime shortages. With a 4.5-inch-stroke aftermarket crank, that yields 334 cubic inches. Fair, is fair. Flat-O Products sells well-designed, complete kits to install the Ford C4 automatic and T5 manual behind either 8BA or 59A engines. The old cam grinders-including Isky, Schneider, Elgin, and others-have both old and new cam grinds. You can now build a brand-new flathead. These include the 39-53 Mercury and 46-53 Ford castings. ". Dave Putnam (Orangevale, California) used a dark brown leather to stitch over the custom buckets resting on top of unique seat risers all crafted by the crew at RR&C. superchargers, which, like the heads, look period-correct but are filled with contemporary tech, in this case 4-71 helical-cut rotors. Box 205 Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 872-9286 D2DFerguson@gmail.com Trust Speedway Motors for best in class Cylinder Heads for Ford Flathead - delivered quickly, efficiently and without any hassles. Sharp 32 Super Dual Early Intake Manifold can accept either Holley 94s or Stromberg 97s. Many hard-core guys still swear by Iskys 400-JR solid (0.400 lift, 244-degrees at 0.050, 111-degree LSA). ARDUN ENTERPRISES Don Ferguson P.O. At present, the only aftermarket custom oil pan available is from Ardun Engineering. Aluminum Flathead engine? | The H.A.M.B. There are several reasons for developing a new aluminum block for the Flathead. Terms of Service. With such a small difference; its relatively easy to take a little off the Ford snout then slightly hone the inside of a Chevy balancer so it slips over the Ford crank. Born-again Flathead | Hemmings It was in the 40s that the Stewart-Warner Southwind used them in Fords. They fit original '39-'53 blocks, French blocks, and (perhaps the ultimate evolution) Ferguson's new aluminum block. All flatheads overheat, then the blocks crack. Melling still makes a high-volume oil pump (PN M-15). Cams like this with good aftermarket heads are capable of producing 200 hp and 240 lb-ft naturally aspirated, and over 300 hp and 350 lb-ft with a blower. We have continually grown and expanded our engine services. Our experience and rigorous assembly procedure is what makes our engines trusted throughout the industry. Difference Between 8BA and 59AB Fatheads Rod and Style Correct-length flathead 1.800 intake/1.600 exhaust valves are available from flathead specialists like Baron Racing. K&F Show #258: The Masters and Adam Sandlers 74 Duster; Movie Review Revisit Happy Gilmore! Large-diameter, unshrouded valves combined with a proper combustion chamber configuration and piston design are needed to promote the proper transfer area from the flatheads valves to the far end of the chamber over the piston tops. This lateral flow severely restricts flathead breathing capability, although it does promote what todays high-tech engineers term swirl and tumble, which enhances fuel mixing and combustion. The first-design 32 through early 38 engines had only 21 cylinder-head studs and until mid 1936 even used poured babbit main bearings. "These engines look cool, run cool, and are reliable," he says. The mixture must follow a tortuous U-turn path out the block-mounted intake valve, over to the main part of the chamber above the piston, and then back out the exhaust valve. A good supply of new French (really) blocks exist and outfits like Scat make new H-beam rods and sell cranks with up to a 4.5-inch stroke. Ross, Wiseco, Egge, Arias, and others make pistons in any configuration you desire. Around 1998 Ken began making Ardun intake manifolds for a friend. It comes with the standard REVO IFS with drop spindles, splined sway bar, upgraded to Penske double-adjustable coilover shocks. Traditional flathead airflow management practices call for relieving the block-removing metal between the valve-seat sides closest to the cylinder bore. Baron, Edelbrock, Sharp (Wilcap), Navarro, and Offenhauser make both old-style heads as well as improved new configurations. Great info ! The Ultimate Source Guide for Flathead Ford V8 Performance - MotorTrend High-compression is the way to go. Its everything you need to make the conversion. Mostly true, but the French military used flatheads as late as the early 90s and ancient flathead technology has evolved to run over 300 mph at Bonneville. Built in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. All flatheads overheat, then the blocks crack. Not only has Don Ferguson continued to reproduce the heads, but he's taken the baton and run with it, the result being this high-grade 356-T6 aluminum block that now means it's possible to. The bell housing mount is Chevrolet and I believe the water pump has a revision. No one runs the old weak stock ignitions anymore. In the mid '90s, Orosco took on the task of reproducing the Ardun heads, improving on their design yet making sure they were visually exact duplicates of the originals. What's right for your engine differs per application. If you're interested in a complete Turn-Key engine give us a call 818-248-2371 or send us an email. DD. As for cylinder heads, Baron, Edelbrock, Navarro, Offenhauser, and Sharp (now sold by Wilcap) all have their adherents. The blown motors make another 50 hp at an easy-to-live-with 5 pounds of boost. There is also an Australian outfit, Flatattack Engineering, offering plenum-style, TPI-like systems controlled by either GM Delco or MoTeC computers. Motor City also manufactures aluminum cylinder heads for Flatheads, and plans to build these all aluminum Flatheads in crate engine form. At first everyone was dumping modern engines into old metal, but eventually the supply of stock bodies dried up and reproduction glass bodies took over. Copper head gaskets are sold by SCE. There are several techniques; the accompanying photos show the method preferred by Baron Racing. 217 and 201 are only 4 bolt which you can see if the lower cover is off the bell housing. The top was chopped ever so slightly with 1 inch cut from it. The new Sharp V8 60 flathead cylinder heads with front water neck. Ford Flathead V8 - The engine that gave birth to Hot Rodding is back Whether you're looking for a full blown show engine or hopped up daily driver, H&H Flatheads can help build the engine you need. Behind that door are bays, shelves, and rafters chock-full of streamliners and other cars under construction, customer engines on stands, the Ferguson's lakester under a car cover, bare engine blocks wrapped in plastic, a Superflow engine dyno waiting for its next tune session. This S, New French blocks are pickled in cosmoline, sealed in plastic bags, and packed in wooden c, This French block was machined and heavily ported by Baron Racing. Because the French version was used in trucks, the intake- and exhaust-port throats are choked down under the valve pockets, so extensive port-work is required for racing. It offers adapter kits to mate GM automatic transmissions and Ford C4 automatics to 49-53 8BA blocks, as well as a variety of adapters to mate both early and late flatheads to most GM and Ford manual transmissions. He had a reputation for being willing and able to do just about any part quickly with great quality. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Its the ol friend of a friend connection that brought him to the correct 1936 Ford coupe. Making power with a flathead is a fine balancing act, juggling the higher thermodynamic potential of raising compression against improving airflow through the combustion chamber. He showed us dyno sheets of full-race engines making north of 800 hp on alcohol. Stay tuned for further updates on this project. The current incarnation is 3 inches taller than the originals and has smaller 1 1/2-inch ports (vintage versions had 1 3/4 ports, but the new casting is thick enough to hog 'em out). In 1947, they were commissioned by Ford to improve the output of its truck engines. The Ford 2N was a variation on the 9N introduced due to World War II. Back in the day, four-barrel carbs had barely been invented. What's the deal with that thing? The present-day Arduns are CNC-machined using high-grade 356-T6 aluminum, have refined combustion chambers, and improved oiling and valvetrain components. ford flathead engine block for sale | eBay There are several reasons for developing a new aluminum block for the Flathead. The sight of this engine certainly drew a crowd when Mark Kirby opened the hood of his full fendered 34 Ford five-window coupe. On the street, flatheads are happy on todays crappy gas, because thats the only kind of gas there was back in the 30s. Ronnie: Is the Ferguson motor allowed at Bonneville? Apparently, the old boys network doesnt want any youngbloods crashing their exclusive country club. Rising from the console is a 1939 Ford truck shifter handle, while immediately alongside is a 1936 Ford steering column complete with ignition key and topped with a 1935 Chevy steering wheel. Like a lot of race shops located in industrial sections of Southern California, Don Ferguson's place is nondescript to the point of camouflage. Most in this group will accept a modified flathead as long as it is period-correct, with no obvious modern technology visible. Ground with a 114-degree LSA and 112-degree intake centerline, it has 0.395-inch lift and 234 degrees duration at 0.050. HOME | Mysite Where are the water jackets for coolant? The best balance has been the subject of debate for over 60 years. Valves are 1.875 inches in diameter on the intake side, 1.5 on the exhaust. Like all fads, once started, the process fed itself. TMCP #537: Ask Rick Lessons Learned to Promote (or Dismiss) Employees; Plus an Easter Project Car Review Blowout! The only aluminum flathead block commercially available that I know of at this time is the block made by Don Ferguson for his Ardun heads. He was basing his calculations on the assumption that a coefficient of friction of over 1.0 could not be achieved. Because the French version was used in trucks, the intake- and exhaust-port throats are choked down under the valve pockets, so extensive port-work is required for racing. Back in the day, four-barrel carbs had barely been invented. Flatheads need high compression because they don't breathe. At present, the only aftermarket custom oil pan available is from Ardun Engineering. Although a great leap forward when it was originally introduced in 1932, by the '50s the aging motor could not stand up to the new generation of overhead-valve powerplants like the small-block Chevy. Ardun Enterprises (Don Ferguson) Wilmington, CA 323/775-6803 www.ardun.com Ardun OHV cylinder heads and related valvetrain and camshaft parts; aluminum blocks, cast-aluminum oil pan, EFI systems . Instead, air wants to go over the front of the valve and hit the chamber roof. Lifters look nearly identical to the originals, except his are made from solid chilled iron. Fortunately, a wide variety of adapters are available to mate the venerable motor to todays automatic and manual transmissions. He apprenticed as a pattern makers helper when the war broke out. Again, like so many of us, he attended car shows most of his life but life doesnt always present the time necessary to dig in. But the times, theyre a changin and the opportunity wasnt lost on Amie. Ken Austin grew up on a farm in Newberg, Oregon where his interest in cars started when he got his permit to drive to school. He also makes a compatible cast-aluminum block. How To Make and Aluminum Engine Block - The Ford Barn The 2-inch rod journals are very popular because their diameter and width permits the use of readily available 215-inch-style Buick/Olds/Rover V-8 bearings. The Thickstun two-carb high-rise intake (today marketed by Baron) is an excellent street setup and it even provides clearance for the stock generator. The '39-'48 flatheads used a direct camshaft-driven front-mount distributor; '49-'53 engines use a gear-driven, vertical-mount distributor on the right-front of the engine. With 6 Ford Flathead Cylinder Heads for sale, and options to fit your needs including custom and direct fit Cylinder Heads for your needs. The two most common Flathead motors are the 59AB (1946-1948) and the 8BA (1949-1953). Chrysler 6 cyl flathead - Massey Harris & Massey Ferguson Forum It has a f, Block mods for adjustable lifters: With the windowed solid flat-tappet lifter, drill a sma, Built to Barons specs, this 12-quart pan with integral windage tray fits 59A and French i, Baron Racings full-flow oil system: Plug the existing main-feed lower lateral port at the, Drill a 3/8-inch hole from the bottom of the cam bore to the rear main journal (photo 2, E, Baron Racing intakes include the Thickstun two-carb high-rise (left), shown here with Chan, The original Edelbrock four-barrel carb intakes were designed for small, now-obsolete, Car, Wilcap is reproducing Sharp intake manifolds. What would you save, 100-150 lbs? Aluminum Flathead engine? | Page 2 | The H.A.M.B. Good question. Ford Flathead V8, Cylinder Heads | Speedway Motors For this group-whether building a rat rod, yanking a Chevy that just doesn't look right in that old Deuce, or building a brand-new car-the outlook couldn't be rosier, even better than the flathead's heyday so long as the bucks hold out. Records are made to be broken. Flathead gurus like Don Ferguson and Tony Baron strongly urge that hot rod engines run a harmonic damper. Small logo on front, large logo on back. Don was interested, but his approach would be different from Orosco's. They're machining the first block castings right now. Powered by vBulletin
With no rocker arms, a flathead's total lift must be generated entirely by the cam lobe. Barney Navarro started machining Weiand speed equipment right before he started making his own in 1947. This grew into 6 different Ardun, V8 60 intakes, Lincoln 337 heads and intakes, Lincoln V12 intakes and heads and ford flathead intakes. Copper head gaskets are sold by SCE. These second-design 38 1/2-48 blocks (often referred to as 59A castings) retained an integral cast-in bellhousing, used a distributor that mounts flush to the front cover with a horizontal shaft on the front of the engine and had insert-style main bearings but still used full-floating rod bearings (one bearing shell for each rod pair). Ground with a 114-degree LSA and 112-degree intake centerline, it has 0.395-inch lift and 234 degrees duration at 0.050. The street version of the ARDUN-equipped Flathead produces about 1 hp per cubic inch unblown but with a S.Co.T. At the other extreme are dry-lakes, Bonneville, and nostalgia drag racers who have applied modern technology to the point where in some instances it is questionable whether the engine still remains a true flathead: Once-85hp engines now produce over 400 hp on gas and have exceeded 700 hp on fuel-all this on an engine with only three main bearings. These include the '39-'53 Mercury and '46-'53 Ford castings. Solve cooling problems by using a modern water pump available through Speedway Motors and other sources. Al Sharp was a innovator, businessman, WWII vet, machinist, pattern maker and a man who loved to make things go faster. The man behind it all is Mark Kirby of Motor City Speed Equipment, out of Dundee, Michigan. A wide variety of headers are available for flathead engines, which certainly should not retain the restrictive stock exhaust manifolds. The king of adapters is undoubtedly Wilcap. A wide variety of headers are available for flathead engines, which certainly should not retain the restrictive stock exhaust manifolds. Research has shown there's relatively little air movement over the base of the block. Melling still makes a high-volume oil pump (PN M-15). Making power with a flathead is a fine balancing act, juggling the higher thermodynamic potential of raising compression against improving airflow through the combustion chamber. Scott's car, too, won its class and set a new B Lakester record of 201.015 mph with LeRoy Holmes at the wheel, becoming the first open-wheeled car to reach 200 mph. Some builders also recommend installing exhaust-port dividers to split the siamesed center exhaust ports. This block is completely beefed up, with four-bolt caps, reinforced bottom-end and webbing, furnace-brazed sleeves (max bore is 3.5 inches), and new-design head studs that tie into the bottom of the block. Schneider's 278F solid (0.420 lift, 250 degrees at 0.050 duration, 110-degree lobe separation angle) is one grind that falls within these specs. $1,120. MCF's born-again flatty will come standard with a 3 1/2-inch bore and 1/8-inch-thick cylinder walls, thanks to special insert sleeves. Most builders convert the stock oil system to a full-flow design with a modern, remote-mounted oil filter. French blocks have some unique features and are covered separately. Coolant needs to remain in liquid form when it circulates through the motor. The flathead's compression ratio is well suited to supercharging, and besides, what could be more hot rod than a blower poking through the hood? Maybe they are only for dragsters. Instead, air wants to go over the front of the valve and hit the chamber roof. Don has also raised the floor of the intake and exhaust ports to better move the air. H&H started in 1972 with rebuilding all early Ford Flathead engines from Model A, B's, T's and V8 Ford Flatheads from 1932-36, LB's, 59A's, 8BA's,V8 60's, Lincoln 337, Lincoln V12's and Y Block Ford and Mercury. Automotive American Classic Vintage & Modern, Googling around as you do I initially found the story of Mark Kirbys newly engineered Flathead V8 block on the Coker Tyres website, This is a quite old story from back in 2010, This page led to me to the Motor City Speed Equipment (no longer available) Website. Learn how your comment data is processed. Anyone know of any updates? Tony Baron says that a good-running flathead should have no less than 0.400 lift and about 250 degrees duration at 0.050-inch tappet lift. Mullins, a leading purveyor of surplus Jeep and other vintage military parts in Texas, accidentally discovered a warehouse full of brand-new French blocks about to be junked during a European trip searching for Jeep stuff. Even stock flatheads can run 6-7 psi boost with no problem. Small-block Chevy valves remain popular, but with reduced-base-circle cams they may be too short to permit proper lash adjustment. His passion for Hot Rods and to create new products has helped the after-market industry continue to grow, DIXON heads relocate the exhaust valve out of the block and into the head reducing overheating and allowing for vastly improved exhaust gas flow. The 57-inch-wide Ford 9-inch rearend (Detroit Truetrac limited-slip differential with 3.90 gears) is further enhanced with a triangulated four-bar setup, again Penske coilovers, and upgraded with a Roadster Shop sway bar. It's been over 50 years since the last Ford flathead V-8 was commercially produced in the U.S. There are builders on the left and right coasts and all points in-between who assemble reliable, powerful, 150-200hp engines, or you can buy new parts and build one yourself. Phone: (818) 248-2371. Flatheads are old, ancient, obsolete technology. The coupe is no stranger to awards, having won the Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year in 2019 and three Goodguys Pros Picks as well as a Best Rod at the Grand National Roadster Show. Younger guys yearned for a simpler, back to basics approach. French blocks are about 30 pounds heavier than a standard flathead, which is a good indication of better metal and thicker walls. If it boils, steam pockets form, and when you have steam, you'll get cracks. Standing out among the parts and projects is a flathead engine on a rolling cradle, fitted with Ardun cylinder heads and a S.Co.T. By doing so it gives the interior a more spacious feel as well as allowing room for the positioning of the custom bucket seats utilizing 1956 T-bird seatbelts. Learn how your comment data is processed. Still not enough? They are available in both two- and three-ca, Ardun Enterprises overhead-valve hemi heads are shown with old-school mechanical stacked, Flathead Engineering offers single, twin, and quadruple TBI systems. While enduing lifes ups and downs, hes held steadfast to what he likes in vintage tin, a 1936 Ford coupe. Mullins, a leading purveyor of surplus Jeep and other vintage military parts in Texas, accidentally discovered a warehouse full of brand-new French blocks about to be junked during a European trip searching for Jeep stuff. With such a small difference; it's relatively easy to take a little off the Ford snout then slightly hone the inside of a Chevy balancer so it slips over the Ford crank. Starting in July 1938, the blocks went to 24 head-retention studs. The new Arduns have lighter 11/32-inch-stem stainless steel valves and accept modern 12mm, Save another 70 pounds with Arduns new aluminum block. Provided you have an original bellhousing, you can use available Trans-Dapt adapters to install Ford passenger-car transmissions from the mid '60s to the late '70s behind the '49-'53 flatties. Most stock flatheads never came with an effective harmonic damper. https://fordmanualblog.wordpress.com. French blocks have some unique features and are covered separately. Isn't Don Ferguson making an 8BA aluminum Flathead style block? The block, heads, intake manifold and water pumps are made out of aluminum, making this a very light alternative to its cast iron brethren. There are builders on the left and right coasts and all points in-between who assemble reliable, powerful, 150-200hp engines, or you can buy new parts and build one yourself. The single and twin u, Gemini Electronic Fuel Injection looks like traditional mechanical fuel injection but is a, Roadrunner Engineering offers complete kits including beltdrives for the Weiand 142 and 17, Uncommon Engineering specializes in, well, uncommon setups-modern renditions of the most f, Dont want a front-mount? . You can now build a brand-new flathead. There are kits to install Weiand and Magnuson superchargers, or even one or two GMC 71-series blowers. The best balance has been the subject of debate for over 60 years. A stock flathead rod (rear) is forged from steel that will bend instead of break outright. Stewart-Warner 2-3/8-inch-diameter gauges mounted into the stock dashboard with a clock mounted in the glovebox door. Newly Engineered Flathead V8 Block - Motor City Speed Equipment - Automotive American Newly Engineered Flathead V8 Block - Motor City Speed Equipment Advertisements Googling around as you do I initially found the story of Mark Kirby's newly engineered Flathead V8 block on the Coker Tyres website This is a quite old story from back in 2010 Kop With that motor, the Chrismans won the B Comp Coupe class and set a new class record of 160.178 mph. However, the main caps are beefier than traditional stock flatheads. TBI injection through billet Stromberg 97 carb-like throttle-bodies is available from Flathead Engineering. The front fenders were then modified to allow for valve cover clearance. The full article is here on Hot Rods website, http://www.romax.addr.com/offy/Movie1.swf, The Ultimate Source Guide for Flathead Ford V8 Performance Marlan Davis Hot Rod Network, Engines Exposed: Fords Hot Rodding Pioneer Flathead V8 Brian Grabianowski @CARBUZZ, What To Look For When Buying and Building A Ford Flathead Hot Rod Engines 101 Matt Murray @Irontrap Garage, Early Ford V-8 Meet comes to Auburn; Lime Rock to celebrate Italian masterpieces - Tom Comerro @Hemmings Automotive American, Best 19 History Of The Ford Flathead V8 - Oto-1.Co, The vilification of Leo Beebe: Ford's mission to win Le Mans in 1966 - Frank Comstock @Hemmings, So-Cal Speedshop SF Flatheads Stage 1 to 3 Mercury/Ford Flathead V8 Blocks, Was Leo Beebe a corporate villain or a good guy with a tough job? It was only at the very end of the flatheads reign that the first small four-barrel carbs appeared; back then everyone used multiple-carb setups. That should get any hot rodders beat to quicken and pique his curiosity. Fabled Stromberg 97 carbs are back, but you can also upgrade to modern Holley four-barrels or even electronic-fuel-injection systems. Speedway Motors offers pumps with sealed bearings that do an even better job in both early and late configurations.