Hot Rods Engine swap, flathead to a 302 ?

I am looking at replacing the flathead V8 in my 46 Ford for a 302 Ford V8.

I already have the correct bellhousing for the swap.

1- Where can I get motor mounts? Prefer bolt on if possible.
2- Do I need the mid oil pan sump model?
3- What kind of clutch set up can I use?
4- Starter ?
5- Can I use the old radiator if I block off one side intake?
6- Headders
7- And any other helpful hints will be greatly appreciated.

,What is a good Factory rebuilt 1946 Ford Flathead worth, Complete with 12 V alternator built into the old generator housing. Looks stock. 40 lbs operating oil pressure and 20 lbs at an idle.????

 

Hello,

I am in the market for a flathead, I live in Aptos.

Lets talk

 

I understand why. It's a Hot Rod - More power, better reliability especially in a heavy car like a 46.
Personally I'd also do a C4 and a 9" rear while you're at it.
Check Speedway Motors for bolt in mounts.

 

But to swap out a rebuilt flat head with a 302 and not swap the rest of the running gear kind of defeats the whole purpose of reliability especialy if you have "more power" you have a better chance of breaking something in the old running gear. And this is a traditional hot rod forum and a 302 is traditional in a 5.0 mustang but not a 46 ford

 

But whatever you wanna do with your own car. let someone use the flathead that truly wants it

 

I truly want it. It would go to a good home.

 

I know the running gear is a bit weak for the power of a 302 but it will all eventually get swapped out. The 'Flatty' runs great but I need a little more power. I am not a tire burner like when I was a bit younger so it should last awhile.

I have too many projects that the wife won't ride in so now it's gonna be OK for her to go somewhere with me. I never really drive too far around here because everything is only about ten miles or less, mostly less. They closed the 'drive-in' theater about a year ago, Damn.

I'll post some pics in a couple of days or so.

Thanks, Roger

 

Hello Roger,

I am interested in the Flathead. Please shoot me an email on here.

Thanks!

 

I drove a SBC ( 283 ) in front of a closed driveline for years ( 40 Ford coupe ) ... with no problems. I did not really abuse it but I did DRIVE IT. The 302 SBF would be a great addition to your 46 ... IMHO.

It's your car ... do the way you want

I am of no help ... in your search for parts or which parts to switch over but a friend did his about 15 years ago ... SO I know it is a fairly easy swap.

.

 

traditional really dosent mean you do it because thats what was done.Tradition,and this is how i see it is to do something like put a flathead in a 32 ford for example.I would put a flathead in the 32 because it goes with the style of the car,the heritage of the car the period of the time.Tradition is about respecting the form ,function and personna of the vehicle you are creating,it all goes to the period meaning of the car. its an authentic feel for me to do that.I like to be proud of the fact that i went along and created a functioning engine from 76 years ago and made it function 76 years later.Its not a trend to be tradional its a functional or aesthetic choice,a real challenge.

 

Hey guys I have a 289 in a 33 ford truck. Is it traditional ?????? No it is not....... but it is a blast to drive, it doesn't overheat, I can get parts for it anywhere, and it's a ford in a ford.... Sometime there are things that are more practical for everyday use than being traditional............As for as his question does anybody know if mounts are out there anywhere???

 

I thinks its great that someone wants to get another old car on the road.
He didnt ask what 17" billet wheels or what blanket looks better on his seats.
Not everyone on here is running a flathead, Hemi or Nailhead in a vehicle that originally came w/ it.What does it matter?Do you want to drive it or look at it?
I better stop writing cause I have a 351W in my truck

BTW-Have you called/checked with Trans Dapt to see if they have a universal mount kit you could use?

For the radiator how about bringing it to a radiator shop to see if they could recore it and redo the tanks for the proper inlet/outlet locations.

As for headers how about some Summit hugger headers for that 302-not traditional but will help solve clearence issues.You'll need to use a Ford mini-starter w/ these.

 

260 Fords came out in 1963, and 221's before that. They look just like a 302 when dressed the same, so what is not traditional about using an engine that is below the cut off date for being traditional? I see plenty of 350, 383 and other sizes of SBC dressed to look like 283's and 327's here on the HAMB, so what is the big deal of a 302, I mean 260 in a '46 Ford?

 

put the 302 in your car and be happy. most people on this board like sbc's, they say the 302 is not traditional. what about automatic trans. pw, db, 9'' rears 10 & 12 rears you never here about these items ,also not traditional.

 

Rumor has it '54 Fords are next!

 

If building a Hot Rod meant following tradition, then there wouldn’t have been many Hot Rods built back in the day. The idea of building a Hot Rod was being able to build a car the way you wanted it, not necessary following a direction of what others thought was the proper way. My biggest appeal to Hot Rods was the fact that you didn’t need to follow the mainstream. With some on here the term Traditional is mis-used to try and create a standard and a true Hot Rod is not built to a standard but to a vision of desire.

 

agreed

 

I pulled a flat head and put in a 302, c4 and a 9in. Much better then that sbc crap.

 

I'm running a 38 flattie and a 46 merc flattie. Both run great. One is now 70 years old.

They aren't crazy power plants but i love the sound and the look. Couldn't see changing them.

 

I have been working on a fucking 289 all day I hate the late model motors maybe more power when they run?
but every time you look at them they need a starter alt and a battery and carb rebuild ,
this is a new motor that has been sitting for a while
cause every time I look at it, you never run out of things to replace?

my flathead has been driven hard for 18 years and hasen`t given me any grief compared to all the 302`s in the 69 conv or the 289 hi po in the 54 f100

I`m putting flatheads in them that`s it

 

to answer the mans question..best thing to do is buy a car with the setup that you want. There are plenty of mavericks, granadas, and LTD (?)s with 302`s. Look for a busted one they are about 1000 running, driving and rusty. There are universal bolt on, but if you dont have a welder at this point you need to invest cause it sounds like you enjoy the hobby. Not to start another flame war, but the bug in your avatar rules.

 

2nd part of the question...the flathead is worth whatever you can get. Not too many want one, but when they do, a runner is hard to find. Guessing c-list for 500$

 

I know someone that was trying to sell one a few years back .I think it was a 52 Model and it was spotless clean and it would start at a flick of the switch .I think he was asking $900 for it and he a had another set of Heads (which were Edelbrock ) and a two pot intake that went with it .He brought it to a swap meet on a stand with a gas can and battery hooked to it.He started it for many people but noone bought it as far as i can remember , maybe its sold by now...

 

Thats funney a guy in our car club sold one last year for $5,000.

 

I am using a 302 in my model A for a few reasons. I had a flathead to start with i had trannys and everything but i started to think about what happens if it breaks down. I really want to drive the hell out of my car and i want to have my girl with me. So i thought if it breaks down in nowhereville Ohio i want to be able to get parts and god forbid if something happens to me while we are out she can drive the car without having to worry about anything just drive and go. So even tho i wanted the flathead and the cool factor i thought about "what if" and decided that the cost with the 302 was alot less.

No as for motor mounts i just used stock mounts that go to the motor and welded custom brackets from there. Good luck and have fun rodding.

 

Mines for sale now too....

 

Okay,

I'm ready for the Flatty.

Still wait'n.......

 

So .... I shouldn't even mention the replacement aluminum radiator going into my 46 ford coupe??

To actually answer your question: A very simple install would be front motorplate with 55-7 chev. style bisquit rubber motor mounts (speedway sells them). Very simple & clean install. A little fab & weld work & presto. This would also give you more exhaust clearence too.

Hope that helped.

Paco

 

Yeah fucking man. What a damn shame.

Flatheads I guess are reliable, any motor is reliable until it breaks I guess. But to think that you are going to get parts when you are stranded somewhere as easily for both flathead or SBF/SBC is just plain ignorant. When you break something at a car show you don't have time to order something from a catalog and wait a few days. And, before anyone gets all lady-fight on me, I did daily a flathead for years in my old 50 Mercury, rain/snow...my ONLY car. Pulled for a SBF setup years later. I will tell you that pulling that in favor of a 302/C4/9" was pretty great. In my area, no, the flathead absolutely sucked ass to drive daily. If I lived in a more rural setting, it would have been fine, but northern NJ has a slew of 65 mph highways that merge from a dead stop and a yield sign. Without having a ton of $ into that flat motor, it aint happening, and it wasn't safe. If I could just cruise country back roads or even be given the chance to merge up to speed, no probs. With the OD behind that flathead 80mph in the left lane was no issue for it, running cool all day just humming along. The problem was GETTING to that speed, and when I blew the trans I figured time to pull it. Put the SBF in and never looked back.

That said just rewired my friends 50 Merc Ive been doing a ton of work to, we stuffed the flatty/OD back in, I welded up some exhaust for it and got it to start. Great sounding motor! His daily is a 09 or something Audi with a V8 so he isn't going to be wowed by the Mercs performance, just wants a nice nostalgic Merc. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Just incase the guy reads this messy thread, what about oil pan? Do you need the double sump like the 49-51 does?