Industrial Dynamite! Ford’s OHV 4

I’ve been hanging around traditional hot rods for a good number of years now, and in that time I’ve seen every conceivable 4 cylinder motor put to work in a jalopy: Model A, Model B, Chevy II Iron Duke, Olds Quad Cam, etc. However, thumbing through an old copy of Car Craft were laid out hop up plans for one I’d never thought of: A Ford Industrial Power Unit OHV 4! The motor came in two standard sizes, the JE-134 cubic inch and the JD-172 cubic inch, putting out 49 and 63 horsepower respectively, and powered everything from pumps to cranes for decades. So why did anyone think this under-powered farm wheezer might be a good motor for a sports rod? From the author’s standpoint they already had enough torque on tap and lots of potential to increase the horsepower with improved breathing. Read the article for yourself- It sure seems like a lot of work to make that power, but then again, perhaps a Ford Industrial 4 would make a pretty sweet mill in a little T Roadster. Ever seen one yourself?