Hot Rods Daily driven flathead cars?

After reading Brians adventures in his hemi powered A, I started wondering how many of you guys venture across country in your flatty powered cars and how many of you guys drive them daily?

Not on a sunny Saturday for coffee. I'm talking to work, in traffic, cold weather etc.

Sissys not apply.

 

drove my flathead 51 merc every day and in the snow too from 2002 till i sold it last year. never had any trouble and still 6 volts also .just a little hard starting when very very cold.miss that old merc.

 

I gentleman in my local EFV8 club of America has driven his 46 Ford coupe every day for at least the past 12 years,,to work,grocery store,church and to shows,,it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin',,,Just like a old Timex watch! HRP

 

Not a daily driver, but will be doing the trek from Oregon to Bonneville again which about 1800 miles when all is said and done. This time with straight pipes

 

my Dad drove his 51 Mercury every day.... of course this was around 1955 so maybe it is not so big of a deal.

 

I don't drive mine everyday, but as much a I can 15,000 miles in the last three summers, and all with a 400 Jr. and straight pipes. Its just a lot of fun to drive it!!

 

I drive mine Seattle to New Jersey most years and to Bonneville each year. It is daily transportation. My primary hobby is making performance parts for it looking to improve mpg and drag strip times.

 

I drive mine alot, not daily, to work a few times a week and many long trips. I get burned out on the comute sometimes with all the stop and go traffic on the interstate to and from work. 4 or 5 hundred mile weekends are pretty common.

8ba with 400 jr and dual carbs with a banjo rear.

 

drive my 53 about 5 days a week.

 

Aussie Steve drives the wheels off his 3 window, and we plan on taking 7 flat powered cars including this 35 and my 40 sedan to the next Roundup, 1000 miles each way

 

This is my buddy's car at the Jalopy showdown, it's driven hard year round, and the only time it was on a trailer was after twisting up the then stock rear bones once at the dragstrip after adding the the dual 94's. In 92 degree heat it ran 160 at idle waiting in line after around two hours total driving from the Spin-out to his place and then hitting Rock n Race at 42. The only flathead guy present who would race trailered his A in, and commented when asked about how hot flattys run.

 

Please speak louder, i couldn`t hear you.....

 

Why should a flathead be less reliable than any other engine?

 

Does anyone commute in LA traffic with a flathead? In the summer? Probably not... My daily has a Y-block though.

 

Well Root I haven't driven one daily since about '72 but I know that Kevin Lee drives his daily. And its still that thrift store motor that was in his roadster. That's been a good motor.

 

I drove the 33 daily for the brief time I had it. It was spring so I got rain,snow and nice weather. Sold it to focus on the Touring project.

 

Here's Maybellene. It's a 1953 Ford Panel Delivery . The truck runs a 1952 Mercury 8-C M init along with a unknown year Ford Truck trans mission . I have had it since 1982. In that time , it ran from Dallas texas to Richmond Virginia loaded to the max ! From there , It was used daily as I had no other transportation until 1987 . It became a on an offer for a couple of years where I di the body work on it , won a couple of shows and I used it on weekends to go to work to 1987.

From 1988, It towed a 1969 Oldsmobile from Richmond Virginia to Phoenix Arizona only over heating once in White Sands New Mexico. A year later , back to Virginia , towing the Oldsmobile . Once again , I used this truck as a towing truck until 1997. In 1998, I used it on and off as needed . It now needs a motor overhaul and a transmission rebuild . Stil, It's running ! Try that Volvo ! scrubba

 

Not a hot rod, but it's a daily driven, year round flat head driver.

 

I had a '53 Studebaker Champion, and a '50 Pontiac, both flatheads. Both were daily drivers, at the time, each was the only car I had. I had more problems with the 6 volts than anything else.
A Straight 8 flattie in front of a 4 speed Hydromatic makes for some fine driving.

 

I drive my 50 8 BA to LA and back all the time,as well as around san diego,never had a problem,purrs down the freeway,never runs hot,most reliable mill i have ever owned

 

it probably doesn't count since it's so-cal but there's an older guy who drives a model a truck almost daily that lives a few miles north of me. over 100,000 miles in the last 14-15 years since he retired. drives to oregon once a year in it and goes on the state to state model a tours pretty regularly as well. basicly stock with the exception of a volvo overdrive and weber carb. if you see a late 31 green with black fenders truck in carlsbad it's probably richard, real nice guy, just don't piss him off or he'll smack you with his cane.

 

I love this truck!!!!!!!

 

Man 'o man! What a cool line-up.

 

I know Algon already posted a bit, but here's another pic or two...

8ba, 3/4 Race cam, Edmunds w/dual 94's, Offy heads, Q/C Rear

...and I DON'T consider this my daily driver... because I don't drive it all winter here in Ohio. I do drive it hard and as often as possible, though.

 

My 53 f100 is my daily driver for the past year and a half pretty much stock 8ba. Mind you I dont drive a lot of long trips so I might have put around 4000-5000 miles on it. Runs great though and keeps putting along.

 

Unless it's really pouring down rain, this is driven daily as long as the weather's above 40* or so. And both conditions have more to do with it being an open car than the engine choice...

 

My roadster did an 8 month stint as a daily driver starting in winter and finishing in Summer as it was my only car a few years back. Was great fun and never mised a beat. Its done a fair few miles in its time none of them easy.

This pic was taken at a run that is about 4 and half hours away.

 

You are one lucky SOB..........I love that sedan. My wife keeps telling me to paint our 39 Black.

 

worst Day I ever drove a flathead