Art & Inspiration FORDILLAC FLATHEAD IN 1/3 SCALE

Gents,
For those of you that have followed my miniature engine work on this forum this is my latest project. I wanted to build a Ford flathead but after hours of designing I just couldn't come up with a feasible way of getting the exhaust runners through the block. This led to making a slight change in the design. All the detailing and shapes will follow the Ford engine, oil pump, timing cover, distributor and general block shape but the exhaust ports will exit the top like the Caddy flathead.
I have to thank one of the members of the forum for providing me with some dimensional help on the block. I can't find his email so I've lost his name but thanks.
I have all of the machining complete except for mounting the main bearing caps and line boring the block. The block is made from 6061 aluminum. It will have pressed in seats and guides along with iron liners for the cylinders. The cylinder bores have been undercut all the way down to form the water jackets. It will have a full pressure oil system along with cooling through the block and heads. The heads will be made from 2 pieces so that the water jacket can be formed on the inside. All that's left is to tap all the holes and smooth out all the machining steps.
gbritnell

 

I am in awe! What skills you have.

 

Your planning and execution of these projects is absolutely stunning!

Thanks for sharing.

Too bad Henry didn't put the exhaust ports on top, he woulda had something really 'cool'

Ray

 

What is the size of the block? Maybe put something next to it for comparison.

 

This is gonna be another outstanding thread from an outstanding craftsman.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

You guys have fascinated me for years building these small scale engines......knowing I could never afford to splurge the extra money to buy one.........I'd love to have one to sit on my desk......I know the theme doesn't go with that of a one man Sign Shop, but it opens the doors with people to talk cars and engines........I can only imagine....first designing it, then machine it, making all the rockers, valves, cam, pullies, distributor......not just a distributor, but all the parts inside that make the thing spark.........I'm telling you....you guys amaze me...I marvel at your genius........

 

Too cool

 

Being both a mechanic, and a model car enthusiast, I'm in awe of the knowledge and skill needed to make something like this. Very cool!

 

Absolutely amazing!

 

I appreciate your skills and attention to detail. It just amazes me how you and the others that make these scale engines can do such precision work in this scale.... Thanks for sharing you project with us.

 

Truly a work of art and exceptional machine tool skills.
You are amazing.

 

I have been on the planet for 67 years; 52 of those messing with performance flatheads,having owned and run blowers,brass heads,multiple carbs,etc and was truly ASTOUNDED at the detail and workmanship you have put into this build.You are to be congratulated as I am truly in AWE of your abilities. Job well done sir,very well done!

 

Like others have said, I am in awe. I look forward to following this project.

 

Beautiful !!!!!! The 5 mains are a great improvement. What material will you use for bearing shells ?

 

Holy shit! Far Fkn out!!!.................

 

A 5 journal flathead. Amazing

 

According to the thread title, it is 1/3 scale....a flathead Ford has a bore of just over 3".
So, 1/3 of that is a bit more than an inch....... 4 x 1.125 = 4.5" plus the block material in front, between and at rear of cylinders, estimating that to be about 3.5 to 4".....I am guessing bare block length at 8 to 8.5"......

Ray

 

I was thinking....maybe you could put one of those engines in your will to be sent to me...........that's the ticket.......yeah.........that'll work

 

As a retired tool & die maker I can really appreciate the time and talent in bringing such a complicated design to life.
Very nice work; looking forward to seeing it run.

 

totally first rate! the way henry should have done it. do you remember seeing something like that back in the late '50s or early '60s in r&c or hot rod that actually ran?

 

Beautiful - this one of the reasons why the HAMB is the greatest automotive content website in the world.

 

Man I would like to have one of those full sized to build a rear engine A bone. Cool

 

To answer a couple of the questions posted I'll start with the bore. I started with the factory number of 3.062 x .3 = .918 but from past experience these things like to make heat so I reduced the bore to .875 to get a little more water around the cylinder liners. The length of the block came out pretty close to the original but not having to shift the center 2 cylinders apart it shortened it up a little. The finished size will be 6.80 inches. It will have a full pressure oil system feeding from the pump to a longitudinal galley much like the full sized version. The only difference will be the rear main feed. Rather than come from the pump cavity it will also be fed from the main galley. The rods will be steel and have bearing bronze shells, as will the mains.
The five main block was for 2 reasons, one was strength in this smaller size and the other was because with the bores evenly spaced I would have only had a narrow center main.
Another departure from the norm is the use of hollow steel bushings to locate the mains rather than cut a recess in the block. I found this method helps to locate the mains in both directions.
The mains were cut and milled to size. They were then located together in pairs using the dowels and rough bored. The numbers were stamped and they were installed in the block for boring.
Given the size of my machinery I made up a fixture plate with locator dowels to keep the block square. This plate with the block mounted was then set up against an angle plate that was indicated dead square. The center of the cam hole was indicated and the mill was moved the proper amount to center up on the crank holes. The first 3 mains were bored leaving about .012 for checking and finish. The block was then rotated on the dowels and the other 2 mains were bored. The block was then set up on the layout plate and checked for alignment. The rear 2 mains were dead on in the vertical axis but were off .0015 side to side. The block was then set up again for final boring and the rear 2 mains were shifted accordingly. This takes care of all the block machining.

 

Just too cool!!

 

AMAZING!!!

 

If you don't love this you're not breathing.
Beautiful,precision work.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

The block has been temporarily set aside to start on the heads. To get water through the heads without making a casting the heads will be made in two pieces, upper and lower. The lowers will have all the bosses for the head bolts and spark plugs on one side and on the other will be the combustion chambers/valve pockets. The uppers will be finned and have a recess cut out so the bottom half will fit inside. The tricky part will be the parting which had to be made at an angle to create the correct water space.
Machining started by squaring up the stock and drilling all the holes. The two bolt holes at the farthest ends were reamed for dowel pins so the plates could be fixtured accurately for the various machining operations.



From there the lowers were milled on one side creating the water jacket cavity while leaving stock for the bolt bosses. On the other side the combustion chambers were roughed out.

 

The uppers were mounted to another fixture plate and set up for milling the fins. After all the fins were cut on both uppers they were put into the vise and had the cavity milled out on the back side.

 

There were a few machining operations that needed to be completed before cutting the angled faces, the valve pockets on the lowers and the water outlet pad on the uppers. An angle milling table was set up and indicated. Onto this was mounted the fixture plate. It too was indicated square. A special cutter was made up from an old end mill for the valve pockets. It was a non standard dimension and need a radius on the corners. Each center was picked up and the cutter plunged to the proper depth.


The only thing left to finish on the combustion chambers is the side wall connecting the combustion chamber to the valve pockets.