Flathead guys - coupla intake and carb Q's

[mr57]

My 51 Monarch has a stock 255 in it with that goofy sideways looking carb. It has a different mounting base than a Stromberg 97, right? The intake that's on the car has a crack in it right underneath the carb base where I believe the heat goes through it. I had originally planned just to clean up the crack and JB Weld it, and then get the carb rebuilt. Is this a good idea? The car ran great when I was driving it ten years ago, but now from sitting the carb should be redone. I picked up another intake from a Ford with a 97 on it. It also needs a kit, but then I'd have to change the intake also, correct? Would this be better? Will the intake interchange with the Merc flatty? Will the 97 be enough carb for the Merc? Any thoughts and insight would be greatly appreciated.

[mr57]

BTTT, anyone?

[Mike]

The Mercury carb should flow better than the 97. The intakes will interchange. If you cannot repair the Merc intake, you could certainly use the Ford intake with the 97.

[296 V8]

if I were you (for a low buck fix)I would weld or jb the crack and block the heat riser holes (pennies are a perfect fit)in the top of the block. Is the other intake 49-53 8ba?

[Mr 42]

I agree with Mike.

I have never used JB weld. but if its the heat channel.
it will se a lot of heat, that may burn the JB weld off.
Or in worst case enter the engine.
Id try to brass solder it.

[Fortyfordguy]

Heck....if you want to keep that Merc carb, just get yerself another 4 bolt Merc intake. I've got two of them here. You could put the Merc carb on a Ford intake and vice-versa BUT not without a special adapter obviously. The Merc carb flows a bit more cfm than a 97 or 94. You could also use a Rochester 2G series carb on the Merc intake...they bolt right up.

[fordnutz]

Mr 57, the Canadian merc intake is different from the US one. Bolt pattern issues. If you need one I have a couple. Give me a shout. Canadian fords in the 53 era use an aluminum intake and the US one uses a cast one. I have a US 53 flattie in my 48 Merc and I couldn't just bolt on the Canadian aluminum intake. Ford in Canada did some weird and wonderful things. 29SX276 might be able to shed some light on this. Nutz

[29SX276]

mr57:I've got a Canadian '51 flatty out of a truck and I put on a 32-48 style intake,fits perfectly.On the later 8BA's,Ford reduced the number of intake bolts from 20 to 14,but this doesn't affect the mounting of different intakes.There will be slight differences in road draft tubes and maybe differences in the fuel pump and or pump rod.Apart from the different bolt pattern of the carb I can't think of any other problem.I don't know about the carb base angles between the aluminum and cast iron intake manifolds.As far as I can tell most manifolds will interchange.The model 94's flow about 20-40 cfm less than the Merc carb, but I see no reason not to use 'em.
By the way if any of this info is wrong,I would appreciate any corrections;nothing worse than duff gen!hope this helps.