used flathead heads....

[zgears]

so, i just got what i think is a good deal on some edmunds 8ba heads + intake. one head seems to be about perfectly flat, the other i can see light under the straight
edge. i dont have a feeler gauge handy, but it dosent seem like much. maybe in the thousand'ths. so what's kosher? i know the smart money says, dont use used heads. but what can i get away with? at what point dose it need to be sufaced? how much is to much?

[thirtytwo]

if you can see light thats pobely at least 005 im sure the alum will move around a little i put a set of used ones on a customer car they were resurfaced once at least had to work for a couple of hours to get the valves to clear and so the piston wouldnt hit , guy got it hot once and the chambers cracked if your buildn a nice motor i dont think id risk it , if its a worn out used one give it a whirl..it ill just cost you the gaskets ...put a feeler on that one head though and see how bad it is

[Cannibal]

I`m running the same Edmunds heads on my 8ba.
They were used when I got them.
I had them surface planed and had no problems with a stock engine.
I rebuilt the engine and put a higher lift cam and had valve clearance problems, nothing a die grinder didn`t cure.
Its been about 5 years and no problems.
Used stuff is always a gamble but if the price is right and you clearance everything it might just work.
Just my 2 cents

[Chopped50Ford]

Since this topic is on flatheads, where do you find the numbers to determine what type of motor/year and all that.

I just picked up a, what I think, is a 49-53 merc flattie.

[zgears]

if it is it should say CM 1 (mercury) or (ford) 8 BA

[thirtytwo]

late ones have water outlets in the front of heads earlier are in center , earlier have a small bell housing and late have one that looks more like a sbc or contemperary motor

[Chopped50Ford]

Where on the block would it say 1CM or 8BA to identify it as a merc or ford? Or is it on another part?

[burndup]

blanchard grind, take that .005 or LESS off...

[zgears]

[ QUOTE ]
Where on the block would it say 1CM or 8BA to identify it as a merc or ford? Or is it on another part?

[/ QUOTE ] on the top of the stock heads

[magnet]

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_home.htm

[Chopped50Ford]

I have 8CM on the heads and "mercury" casted in the heads. and the original color of the block and heads are green.

Im debating on pulling the heads, it was a clean running motor. I know checking the valve guides and cylinders for cracking, but im anxious to see if it runs and how it sounds.

I checked out the website 'magnet' and thanks...damn good info there.

The motor prep is so far out...gotta build the car first...on my 'building' downtime i want to clean her up and paint it.

thanks guys for the info.!!!

[Big A]

More Flathead ID stuff here...

http://www.agt.net/public/bboogaar/engine.htm

zgears, if you think you're getting a good deal, buy 'em anyway. If you don't want them, give them to me http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Smokin Joe]

Just because the heads are on the engine, doesn't meen they started there. Around here I've seen quite a few mismatched heads on engines. Same for cranks. Lots were rebuilt for performance or out of whatever was handy back then. One of the engines I tore down had 2 cyls that were bored with oversized pistons. The other 6 were still stock. Guess the farmer didn't want to waste pistons where they weren't needed. You never know for sure what you have till you open them up and dig thru the sludge. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Upchuck]

I didn't notice BigA posted the url previously sorry about that

[zgears]

blanchard grind? what does that mean? is that the crosshatch grind pattern?

[zgears]

[ QUOTE ]
blanchard grind? what does that mean? is that the crosshatch grind pattern?

[/ QUOTE ] ???