I just recently made a trade for a "RUNNING!" flathead motor backed by a c4. A customer of mine bought a drag racing Anglia from Colorado that had a 296 Flathead that runs on 112 gas. He didnt want it and didnt know much about flatheads and already had a blown sbc to go in it. All he knows is that its supposed to be a 296 cid and runs well on 112. and Ive heard and seen this thing and it sounds pretty stout! It looks almost stock with the iron heads but it does have a fenton intake with a holley 4bbl carb and I think an aftermarket dist., an adapter and what looks like a c4.... thats what i see My Questions is .............. do I have to take it completely apart to Identify what it really is and what markings would I be looking for and where.????........... Im taking pics of it now....
Remove one head. Measure the bore;it should be 3.375. Roll the motor until one piston is at the bottom;measure from the piston to the deck(and not the relief); it should be 4.125.
im more of a bodyman than a motor guy, and that sounds simple enough. are there numbers on the block to know what it started out as? This motor sounds radical.. are there ways to make it more streetable?
Here is a picture of an 8BA (49-53 Ford flathead) attached to a C4 using a Flat-O-Matic adapter (the piece of the bellhousing that is aluminum) and the next picture is of a C4 with factory bellhousing. Flat Ernie and Dale gave you everything you need. Does the distributor come out the front of the timing cover or on the side of the cover on the passanger side. If it comes out the front it is most likely a 42/48 and if it comes out the side it is a 49/53. If the heads are cast, what numbers or letter are between the middle spark plugs, like EAC, EAB or does it say Mercury? If the motor is an early motor you should not attach an engine stand to the bellhousing of the motor like you would a normal motor, as the early flatheads have been known to break when support on an early motor. With the early motors you need to support it from the exhaust side like the picture I sent.
No need to figure out what you have really. You can practically interchange everything with a few exceptions. Sounds like you may have got a hell of a deal there.
First you need to go slap your mate up'side the head for replacing the flat motor with a SBC! Then celebrate his stupidity by bolting that motor in your car and enjoying it the way its meant to be enjoyed, flat out!
DAMN IT DUDE!! Stop screwing with me. But yeah. It looks stock from the outside. Pre-49 block with post 49 heads. The distributor doesn't look like anything amazing. Did you pull the cap to see if it's electronic conversion or points? The crank pulley looks upgraded, so there is a good chance that the crank behind it may be the real deal. I'm guessing it's got a stroker crank like he said, a radical cam since it barely runs on pump gas. I've got one of those intakes. Not hard to come by. But to find out it's a stroker, you just pull one head and stick a ruller down in the hole.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=443654&d=1210352067 From this picture the block may have a raised deck. Which is a really good thing. Any better pictures of the intake to the block mating area?
Looks like a 59 casting on the back of th motor. From what I know it should be the one to have been hopped up like he said. Merc Crank etc. Well how much is it?
Well, you have a Flat-O-Matic conversion probably with 1500rpm stall converter or abouts, you also have the EAB heads, which were the highest compression stock heads Henry made, it would be interesting to see what is under the heads in the way of pistons that put this motor on a 112 octane diet. Also, nice set of headers, they look like GearVendors/FlatheadJack/Tatom or maybe Sanderson.....................love the extensions..................bet she sounds wicked with whatever cam................
And if you don't own a ruler...most hotrod pistons will be stamped with bore and the "LC" measurement equal to half stroke increase...though this one may have a lot of oddmods obliterating marks. I assume number on bell is a 59, making this a '46-8.
Yes, it does have the 59 on the back of the block...... and I was also told that the trans has a 2500 stall. It does not have electronic ign. I have video w/sound of the anglia driving into my shop before we yanked the motor, But I can not figure how to upload/download --- to show it!....... arg!
You can down load it at Photobucket.com. And just provide the link here. I would love to hear this puppy!
Don't pull the head. Pull the spark plug, insert an 8-inch length of coathanger wire, and turn crank 'til it is at bottom dead center. Mark the wire's depth even with the deck of the spark plug seating surface. Turn the crank 'til the piston comes to the top, and mark the wire. The difference between the marks will be your stroke in inches. If it is 3-3/4", you have a stock Ford crank. ('38-'53) If it's 4", you have a stock Merc crank. ('49-'53) If it is 4-1/8", it is an offset ground Merc crank, with early #21A or "29A rods. The trick is to get a Race track official to loan you his volume gauge. (it looks and works like a compression testor, but equates in cylinder volume.) IF, however, you MUST remove a head, you can then see the valve diameters, whether it is relieved, and the bore size. Also if: You remove the head and the gasket is the copper 'sandwich' type: remove carefully, soak it in lukewarm water in the bathtub for 30 minutes or more, you can use it over again! Congrats on your find!
I thought about the volume guage also,but I think you have to keep the valves from opening,since it is a flathead this may not be easy to do.
Your right. You can't pump a flathead unless you pull the cam gear. No coat hanger, no bubble tester. Pull the head, it's not all that much.
I"ll have my THEM brothers over Tues. nite and we'll pull a head to see if we can figure this thing out. Thanks for all the info and ideas............
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