Projects V8 60 in a model a?

I found a neat old traditional Model A roadster, for sale with a V-8 60. I plan to ask the guy for a test drive. Has anyone experience with this set up? Could it be peppy enough for around town or just plan on a swap? I know no one can estimate the performance over the Internet, just making conversation.

 

Absolutely! I imagine it’s the hp of a hot banger with closer to flathead v8 torque? Ask @winduptoy how much fun he’s having the next time you see him driving across the country in his A

 

Thanks. I keep thinking I’m gonna have some money coming in, and think about snapping up an almost finished project. Somebody will probably get a good little rod before I get around to it.

 

will be OK around town. just no major roads.

 

Sure.
I'll try and find a picture or two.

A friend of mine has a 29ish pickup. Chopped, channeled, (he's over 6' tall !), "always" in primer.
He changes engines like people change shoes. One of his favorite engines is...a V8-60. It spends most of the time in that car.
He drives it all over SoCal.

Haven't found one with the hood off yet, will keep looking, but here's the car (truck).



Mike

 

I built my avatar with a V8 60 in the early 90's and was disappointed with it, fun car but no bottom end torque. I also had a 30 Pickup with a hopped up B motor and it would out run the coupe until it ran out of rpm's. The V8 60's really wake up around 2500 rpm's but lack low end torque, they were popular in race boats and sprint cars but were running at high rpm's. They fit great in a Model A, look good with speed parts and are ok as a driver but just didn't work for me. They came with 4:44 rear gears and I was running 3:78 gears which didn't help on the low end, they were in heavier cars and had a top end of about 45 mph

 

I think in all early ford motors, flat 4 or 8 trans choice and rear gearing makes a mountain of difference

 

I have no personal experience with a V8 60 in a Model A other than the Stromberg 81's that I run on a couple of my bangers ....I can only imagine how gutless they would have been in a '39 Ford. Like mentioned by @Model A Gomez ...they lack bottom end torque but don't mind running wound up higher than the banger. I would also think it would depend on the cam and speed equipment, if any. I know there was a fellow in my way distant past, that had one in a '29 Roadster pickup and he drove it all over.....but we all have different views of what is acceptable performance... that's why I hop up bangers, I got tired of the bugs smashing into the back window...
All that said....It sounds like you are excited and it could be a fun ride....let us know

 

The v8 60 is a fun small v8, it likes to wind out... its a good easy motor swap in a model A.. The extra power stock vs stock, yes its worth it. Performance wise, alot of money into the 60 and you can get around the stock power of the later 221 and 239 flatheads.

But a well built banger will outrun it light to light all day every day.

I love em all. I'd do a OHV banger before a v8 60; this gets you the best of both worlds. Put a quick change in the rear and rock out or do the 5 speed swap.

 

We had one of our late members frequently tell the story of how he went through all the work to put a hot rod V8-60 in his Model A coupe only to discover that the stock Banger was considerably faster.

 

Depends on what your happy with.
It's getting tougher to find hop up parts for these and certain years were more desirable than others for performance upgrades. Trans and overdrive upgrades probably have the most impact on drivability.
I run a Volvo 4sp behind my hopped-up banger and open drive it it works pretty good for the flathead drags and hill climbs.
Using a 4sp and Mitchell overdrive and they work pretty good for long trips.

 

If he wants to go fast in a model A he would just have to get in his other model A with the chevy

 

I have had quite a bit of experience with V860's in midgets.
If the engine in that roadster is stock, it maybe makes 40 hp. accounting for age so expect the performance for driving around town to be marginal.
100 hp is very easily attainable with some mods. You would be able to easily keep up with around town traffic with this.

 

My 100 hp banger would roll 75 on the freeway with ease and leave folks from a stand still in traffic. So 100 hp is a good mark for the aim....

 

Yeah Tim has it right. I already have a rod that will boil the hides any time I please. This is just for that real traditional roadster experience. Nowadays, buying a running-driving car is the only realistic option for me. I don’t really need to get over 60 to get to and from work and run errands. I just won’t like a complete dog. I think a blower would be a good option for the tiny thing, but for that expense “I coulda had a V8”.
I’ve often thought about building a vintage midget racer for the street. That 60 would be great for that. Oops, I’m experiencing project creep again……

 

Only pic of that combo i have. JW

 

I had a V8-60 sitting in the bottom of a shopping cart (basket was cut off) complete with transmission, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world, still do, but it really belongs in a 3/4 Midget or a single seat primitive race car like the English do the hill climbs with, when you put them in a 30's era car it just kinda gets lost in the enginebay and that engine is too sweet to let it disappear. Personally, if I were a motocycle guy that'd be my choice of power, 2nd choice would be like the JAP car.

 

Sounds like a great idea. Replace that small 200 cubic inch 4 banger with a massive 136 cubic inch V8 and get more horsepower. Wait a minute???

Charlei Stephens

 

Yes, of course. This swap has already been done before I found the car for sale. I’m just considering buying the running car. I could ask the seller to remove the little lump, but then I would be acquiring another elegant piece of yard-art.

 

Not like you have to keep it the rest of your days. Buy it have some fun and move it along if you don’t love it

 

A 221 or 239 would make for a much more 'traditional' and satisfying hot rod.

 

Getting ready to start on one any day now. Bought a complete V860 with trans. It's going in an A frame. I'm going to keep the mechanical brakes. Dropping a 27 roadster body on it. It'll probably weigh in at 1500 lbs. or less. Absolutely nothing on this car will be newer than 1937. Except the battery. Got to make the hand crank work as well. I'll drive the shit out of it around town at first. It's a Gowjob. Probably run like a dog scraping it's butt on the ground. I drive kinda slow anyway and never in a hurry. But lots of cool points. You'll be amazed at how many people don't even know that the V860 even exists. The guys that see this in my garage are all amazed at it and for some reason want to give it a hug because it's just so damn cute. It's itty bitty.

 

I like it. If you were closer I would buy you a beer.

 

I saw this truck at the Dry Lakes years ago, if y memory is correct the owner is a sign painter

 

Correct, sort of a sign painter. He and his Dad used to be.
He builds cars now for one of the bigger hot rod builders in SoCal. Don't recall the shop name.

Mike

 

Turns out this one has one of those brand-new-fangled steel body thingys.

 

Midgets ran V860s, and at that there were two types of midgets, the Offy powered cars the top terre and the V860s which were a less expensive car. Sprint cars are bigger and are intermediate between midgets and Big Cars/Champcar then known as Indycars today known as Sliver Crown.

Midget-


Sprinter-


Big Car/Champcar

 

Thst roadster looks like a blast! I’ve got a buddy here town with like a dozen v8-60’s under the bench. Cool stuff

 

Tim, do you still have that big Olds V8 ? . . . I need to talk my son into it this…. Get my coupe back.

 

Nope went to California to live under a blower but I’ve always got a line on something or other if you need