Turbo charged Flathead???

Back in the day there were quite a few flatheads with various supercharger.
I've searched the forum and can't find anything about setting one up for street using a turbo..

Know of anyone who has done it??

 

I believe you need RPM's to get a turbo to be effective. Not what a flattie is known for.

 

Turbos are for ricers!....
Nevermind! I'll get the popcorn ready!

 

Actually, its not so much about RPM's as it is about heat enregy. Diesels use the hell out of turbos and they don't rev. Really a flathead would be an excellent candidate for turbo-charging. It's all about getting them sized correctly for the application. I'll be willing to bet that a pair of small turbos would flat scream if done right. The set-up would not be "traditional" though. Except for aircraft, turbos didn't come into play really untill the mid- to late sixties. Olds f-85 and corvair are the first factory jobs that come to mind.

 

For certain technical reasons, a flathead should respond well to turbocharging.

1) Because of the combustion chamber shape, high compression chokes off breathing in a flathead. Supercharged and turbocharged engines do not like too high compression anyway, the blower pressure supplies the compression. So you can run a free breathing, low compression head and make power with the turbo.

2) Flatheads are built for low and medium speed power, not high speed power. Turbochargers do not supply much boost at low speeds, where flatheads don't need much help, but do at high speeds where flatheads run out of breath.

3) Flatheads are compact engines and have lots of room under the hood for adding a turbo.

Here is one example of a turbocharged flathead, a Studebaker Champion six

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/documents/TurbochargingtheChampflatheadsix.pdf

His salt flats engine dynoed at 233HP with 17.1 pounds of boost, vs 85HP stock!

 

I'll get the marshmallows and drinks!!

Doc.

 

By the way.... American cars were known for their centrifugal superchargers as far back as 1934 (Graham straight eight). A turbocharger is nothing but a centrifugal supercharger, driven by a centrifugal turbine. Thousands of centrifugal superchargers were used on flathead engines from Graham, Auburn and Cord factories , and as aftermarket installations on Ford and Mercury V8s, all flatheads before 1940.

 

Joe Abbin's first Flathead High Performance book shows and covers turbos being used quite a bit back in the 40' and 50's, so it was done long before ricers came along!

 

I know of at least one HAMBER who has a turbocharged flathead,maybe He will chime in on this subject.

 

Sorry guys.... I just "never" did like'em... They remind me of a 1800 watt Revlon hair dryer....

 

Did someone say turbocharged flatty??




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Turboes may not be the most traditional, but they offer the most performance potential as they are non parasitic power producers. I think a turbo could work great with a carefully selected turbine size as well as aspect ratio.


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Not really the case anymore. Newer turbines are so much more efficient that they produce power down low and spool up fast and easy. I would say the reason its not being done r that guys into flattys are traditionalists and those into turbos are into new technology, high spinning power.

 

Last time I checked a hair dryer won't double your horsepower with ease. Once you ride in a real turbo car you'll understand

 

Maybe so, but it still ain't my cup of tea...
Sorry!....

 

Incidentally if you were into turbocharging flatheads a Ford would be a poor choice. The exhaust passages through the coolant would chill the exhaust, reducing its pressure. Not to mention putting too much heat into the block, possibly more than the cooling system could handle.

A more conventional, inline flathead would work better.

Or, use a centrifugal blower that is not exhaust driven like a McCulloch (traditional) or Paxton (not so traditional).

 

A Packard 356" or a Buick 320" bored to 356" or a Hudson bored to 327" would all be terrors with turbos. (And yes, I know the Buick is an OHV, but all those inline eights are just cryin' for turbos. And yes, I know the Hornet is a six, but it too needs a pair of turbos.)

Done right, turbos can be made to look like they belong on a H.A.M.B.urger.

jack vines

 

Good choice, bad choice I am not sure,, Just a thought I had..

Turbos have to be as traditional as air bags aren't they? Enough of them get discussed here.

But then since it's not Dueces cup of tea we should just forget it and move on.. sbc's aren't my cup of tea either,, but that's OK too.

 

iv always heard that a ford flathead is a bad candidate for turbos. EGTs get high when boost goes up, and they crack exhaust seats. Plus its already so restricted on the exhaust side.

 

1940's Besasie turbo for a stovebolt 6;

 

Enjoy the thread guys.... You all have my blessing!

 

Link to the Dec 17 1944 issue of The Milwaukee Journal with an article about Besasie's turbos;

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...n-8ZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HiMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6221,351365

 

I have been running twin turbos on a flathead for a little over two years. The only problem that I have had with them is that I didn't realize they wernt designed to be used in a draw through application. Sucks oil past the turbo seal and fowls the plugs after a while. Hope to have that fixed by this spring.

 

The ideal candidate for a turbocharged flathead might be the Cadillac V8. Its exhaust passages come out the top of the engine right next to the carburetor.

Or, for some real power, how about the flathead 452 cu in Cadillac V16 of 1938 - 1941?

 

A turbo flathead 6 would be the best. If you can find one with 7 main bearings you would be starting out with a stout bottom end.

 

Its seems carb issues would be the biggest obstacle with a turbo flathead.

 

People have been doing turbocharged flathead Fords for many years.
If you do a search on Google or Bing you will come up with enough photos and videos to keep you busy for a LONG time.
Here's one to start you off:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsmBVKXdsdg

 

I'm thinking head gaskets would be the biggest problem, or at least the most frequent maintenance. Greenracer, can you elaborate?

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"I'm thinking head gaskets would be the biggest problem, or at least the most frequent maintenance."

Think "O" rings.

 

I haven't had any problems with head gaskets and I am using 97's for carbs. The guy that helped me build this engine has some background with turbos. It really does run pretty good and has been a lot of fun. I will try to post some pictures when I get a chance.