Finally I can start to built this blown flathead engine. 2years have collect stuff for it and now have bored and honed cylinders, decks are done and block was first of all 2days in citric acid. Its long way before we are in dyno, but all 95% of all parts are ready. Try to use old stuff as much as possible. Old Italmeccanica 4000blower+intake. 2xrebuilt 97, old howard, potvin or no name ovaltrack cam, old navarros, Harman Collins magneto, Weber alum. flywheel, 1950 merc 4" crank. New valves, springs + other small stuff, New forged pistons, H-beam rods, water pumps, homemade v-belt pulleys etc Aulis
Please take that block off of that engine stand and get it supported by the exhaust ports or get some support up front. Some 59A blocks have been known to crack in the back. Search on here and Fordbarn for info on it and where to find engine stand adapter.
36tbird is giving you advice that may just save you a ton of money and much heartache. So, PLEASE, do it.
Thank You for Your advice. I have drive and built too long time SBC and BBC engines! I think, I have seen flathead bolted to engine stand from exhaust bolt holes. I have rebuilt, to my friends, two 21bolt flathead and I have been lucky, engines has been bolted like this from bellhousing. I need make front support (with ball bearing) when crank is ready and bolted on. I think its enough? Bearings are free for me (dayjob I sell bearings). I do not know how much italmec 4000 gives pressure. I have 2500 small italmeccanica and that gives only 0,2bar (180hp). Roadster is good to pass (overtake) trucks etc., good torque but shortblock is very original style (but rebuilt) so maybe better that not so much power and torque. Old cast crank, cast pistons and orig. rods looks not so "hiperf". This 4000 Blower looks very good. Rotors are like brand new, also housing is very good, No scratch. I bought blower/intake set from New Jersey US. They were polished all and changed new bearings, seals. Only thing what they were not done is rotors installation to the right place (backlash). Not big job to do it, I have good assortment shimwashers. Italmeccanica blowers are very good job and easier to shim than old 2-stroke-diesel pumps (old 6-71, 4-71,...) Hope that engine gives 300hp, but more important is that can drive long ways without problems. If blower gives 0,5bar (7psi), that is OK. Hope that those Ross forged pistons are OK with blower, I have not measured yet how much there is material piston top, but I do that. First need to change cam bearings and do valvejobs. After that need to make cam cards all three cams, so I get real info (overlap, lobeseparation,...). Old ovaltrack cam looks very strange. Not so much lift, but very much decrees, profil looks very special. Maybe that is best choise for this engine, after made cam cards. Next weeks I must leave engineproject and need to make MC style fenders to my olivegreen roadster. I have sold car to South-Europe and they cant register hot rod without fenders,... Aulis
be more realistic 300 with what you describe is a real push, 200+ is more like it which will be plenty in a light vehicle.......
Thanks. You´r right Carl , Hp is not goal but if no problems and all parts are match Flathead can give good Hp. Torque and loyalty (i do not know if this is right word to use) are more important. Torque is need when Kilos/Lbs are push foward. I want that this engine gives good torque, that is more important thing than hp. Long good torque curve would be nice. I do not know how much Flywheel is decrees torque (weber alum/steel) but blower gives more with good torque cam. Antti Kivinummi´s Dyno shows specs and there I can adjust carbs and magneto. Is there available bigger trottle bodies to old 97 carbs. Im interested in to order one pair if available. I do not know if 2 x 97 is enough (air flow),..... I was plan that this blown engine is installed to my new hot rod project, but maybe I need to leave this engine in garage. There is 21bolt flathead in my new hot rod. Old EWH twin plug heads + old Thicksun intake, Nash 16 distributor, rock´n´roll cam and another interesting parts and I decided to keep that engine on its place. Im waiting that i get this car to my garage. 1st time project is not shit, no welding, no weeks englishwheeljobs,...... aulis
thanks. My garage is not so big (60sqm), so for example my lathe is not installed there. Only englishwheel, airhammer, beadroller machine, glassblow cabin (i do not know what is right english word for this), welding machines (tig,mig,gas) and beld grinder. Need to have more everything, but money limits. Good thing is that have friends who have good old machines. I can bore and hone there. One older man has also crank grinding machine, milling machines and many another old machines. aulis
try 48 carbs bigger than 97's and flow more, 2 97's are on the lower end of flow with a blower I use a 500 cfm 4 barrel on a Weiand 142 and it is just fine used the two 2's origionally and was not satisfied the Edelbrock really woke her up.........JMHO 5/16 x 4 with head work and mild cam Offy 400 heads modified by myself in 36 PU
I'm also running a Weiand 142 and agree, if you do not want to run a 500 CFM 4-barrel use 48's instead of 97's. Also if you are looking for a lots of torque including into lower rpms a track cam is a poor choice. I'm running an Isky Max1 which is a pretty mild cam but it couples well with the blower and I get at least 90% maximum torque from about 2100 RPM to redline. 7 psi boost sounds a little high for reliable street performance, hope you plan on at least a reinforced center main cap.
Thanks, good advices. I have 3pc old 48´s and I can use those. I need first rebuilt those. Anyway, I have to order some carb.rebuilding parts from Florida US, because I have many old Ford carbs waiting for rebuilding. Maybe 7psi is too much and I do not want to overdrive blower. Im doing MainGridle to the block. It has been watercut and next have to drill holes and grind it in magnetictable grinder. Has somebody info how much those Italmeccanica 4000 blowers give boost if 1:1 Rpm or approx. 20% overdrive? My small 2500 italmeccanica is 100% condition and gives now 0,1-0,2bar (50% overdrive). Not so much but good extra when drive long ways and need to overtake trucks, korean plastic cars,.... Cam has big effect how engine gives boost and I hope that "ovaltrack cam" ,one of those old cams I have on stock, gives good cam card. I want big torque and overlap. Belts: I m gonna use Optibelt -red power or Gates -GT serie are stronger than normal serie v-belts. Those can be used normal or stronger model so, it´s easy to buy from local belt&bearing dealer, if problems on the road. (for example XPB 1500 red power or XPB 1500 GT). Those belts are "long life", if You use outside idler for v-belts. Aulis
If you mean a certain carb rebuilder in Florida, please search the HAMB for many negative opinions and experiences about that certain rebuilder. I would recommend buying parts from Uncle Max here on the HAMB, or direct from Stromberg on your side of the world (they are in England).
Absolutely agree with alchemy, that Uncle Max is THE Stromberg connection! Your build looks fantastic.
I have ordered few times 94-carb parts from Charlie Price (vintagespeed.com) . I like His parts quality. When have tuned 94 carbs, I have found all what need from his stock. He has good assortment for example power valves, jets,.... Strombergs I have rebuilt only 2pc and like more Ford carbs because basic policy is same than Holley double pumpers,... Aulis
Sorry Boys, I really didn´t look what carbs I have bought with Blower and intake. Those are 48 carbs and totally rebuilt. Today I looked those first time with time. Have to say, Im going old and maybe need to take every morning those green pills,.... Aulis
Finally 1950 merc crank has been grinded for 2" rod bearings. Crank is also balanced and finally I can start to built engine ready. Aulis
Aulis, did the citric acid clean up the deposits in the water jackets? I bought a 53 Merc hopped up flathead and need to clean it up and reassemble. Everybody recommends having someone like Redi-Strip do these blocks, but the closest one is in Phoenix, AZ - too far. What kind of solution did you use (how much water to how mutch citric acid)? Did you neutralize it with something when you were done?
OK Auliz, .................go getum ............... looks like your block has been decked make sure you clay your heads for clearance and interference...........
Happy New Year. Carl; Yes I will check clearance. I have decked only 0,1mm (0,004"). Block was not good condition, but there is some good things. cylinders are not broken (crack), there was nice ovaltrack long torque cam inside and Johnson lifters and it was nearly free for me. Block has been outside in Solvang CA 35-40years. Good thing that it was there, not here middle of snow. Yesterday I made few valve seat job. Also changed 14pc helicoils to headboltholes and 8pc to headers bolt holes. Im not gonna port intake and exh.runners, just fix little and make good valvejobs. In this engine I use old Johnson lifters, looks that those are little more lower than new production copies. Aulis
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