I’m building a ‘32 3-window and I’m using a ‘39 flathead and trans. Is the flathead set level in the frame or is it angled down like a modern car?
I think what defines the angle of an engine is the carbs…as far as I know, the carb has to sit level. the rest fallows.
The '32-'48 torque tube cars all have the engine level, along with a flat carb base. Beginning in '49, Ford/Merc cars switched to an open driveline and hypoid 3rd members which allowed a lower drive shaft by angling the engine down a few degrees in the rear, along with angled carb bases on the intakes to bring the carbs back to level.
Heres my 8RT leaning down at the rear. ( see level brickwork ) mounting surface for carb on a standard intake is level with this setup .
A lot depends on the car's ride height. For example, the 8BA in my open drive '32 is angled about 4 degrees down, but the chassis sits about 3 degrees down in front, so the 97s on my early flat style Navarro intake are close to level. If you intend to use a stock '32-'48 Ford rear mount with an open drive, you may find it difficult to attain good U-joint angles without raising the front of the engine.
With that X member and trans mount, you can do whatever you want. But, most aftermarket flathead intakes are flat. If the car has a 3 degree nose-down rake to the frame, then put the engine at a 3 degree up. Then the carbs would be flat. But it doesn't really matter much anyways, because Strombergs hinge the floats from the side so a rake won't effect them.
That little hole at the bottom of the grill is where you are able to use a hand crank to start an original car. It needs to line up with the crank to work. It was more of a tongue-in-cheek comment but technically still true...