I never realized how heavy a Ford Flathead flywheel is. I am working on my 47 59A flathead. Any of you old rodders where do you machine the flywheel to reduce weight without harming the integrity? I looked at aluminum flywheels but they are about $600.00. Thanks in advance for any responses.
You should add your general location to your profile and someone might suggest a shop that has done it before. Charlie Stephens
funny...pulled the bellhousing and 11" flywheel off my Studebaker motor I'm trying to start up today.....the starter I was using wasn't working....pulled it apart....checked my other flywheels....found I had the wrong starter....had to put it all back but have the right starter ! Have both a Stude and a flathead aluminum flywheels I hope I can get some new facing one day......goood luck with yours....
Don't remember the brand name but I had an aluminum flywheel with a steel clutch face on a 59AB in my Model A when I was in High School. Got it used and free. Theory was that the rpm's came up quicker with a lighter flywheel.
I had the lip that surrounds the clutch on my 59A flywheel removed which I believe got it down to 24lb
I Blanchard ground the clutch side flat removing the whole raised outer ring. I don't remember the finished weight.
Not an answer to your question, but every time I hear someone mention lightening a flywheel I think of Smokey Yunick. NASCAR wouldn't allow lightened flywheels at the time, so he figured a way to lighten it without it showing, hahaha. He pulled off the ring gear and drilled holes radially from the outside toward the center. Then he put the ring gear back on and you couldn't see the holes. He got away with it for quite a while until one finally broke and the inspectors saw the Swiss cheese pieces.
Yeah, they did. But reality was that as soon as you popped the sticker, the car fell right on its face! (especially full bodied cars, like my '46! <grin...>) Light cars like 'T' roadsters, fenderless highboys that were gutted, etc., fared better, but best if you hazed the clutch coming out of the hole, and (if you had them) Zephyr close ratio gears. Light (aluminum 10, 12 lb.) flywheels were competitive it the track roadster classes, where 'rolling starts' and high revs were consistent. My fast '46 Coupe with 3/8 X 3/8 flathead (9.5:1 C.R., three 97s, Potvin cam, DuCoil ignition) was a real Holeshot Hero. (high school, 1958) I came across a Weber aluminum flywheel with burned up bronze face...Turned flywheel down to aluminum, (yeah, I know...) but its 11 lbs. remaining when installed (along with a lightweight Auburn open-frame pressure plate) revved so fast the mechanical S-W tach got confused! Torquey flattie with light 'wheel made big '46 fall on honorable face the minute the clutch engaged. No, no rubber was laid. (lain?) Lame. Good news was that as fast as it went in, it came out! (a lightened steel 'wheel replaced it, 28 lbs. if I recall correctly) Best news was there was a 'know it all nerd' that asked, "How much ya want for that flywheel?" "Forty?..." "Sold!" Final footnote: NEVER AGAIN.
Same, went with an Aluminum flywheel for a while in my roadster, 59A powered, super quick to rev up, just no torque, would lose momentum between shifts and would not dampen vibration at higher speeds. Much more pleasant with a lightened steel wheel in now. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The Jalopy Journal
