Hot Rods Mystery Hot Rod Flathead engine

I bought this old flathead from a buddy of mine to use as yard art. But after looking at how well and how large the porting on it was done. I am very curious as what all may be inside it. It is obviously stuck. But I was just going to put it in a old FED chassis that I have laying out back as yard art. Now I am thinking about cleaning all the dirt out of it and soaking it. Chances of getting the heads off without breaking them are slim as I have been down this road before.

 

Looks to be '49 and up.

 

somebody put a lot of work into that thing, it must have broke something or they would not have left it out to die.

 

To bad someone thought so little of it.

 

Cool yard art for sure. It would be fun to clean it up and find more details, but I agree likely something broke in bottom end. But even broken, fun to try some archeological investigation.

Sent from dumb operator on a smart phone

 

The 1/2 bell housing and starter plate are worth something.

 

Too bad that you can't soak the whole thing. Definitely had some porting done, I wonder what else?!

 

My plan is to clean out what dirt I can and then I am gonna pull the pan and if the crank and rods looks decent. I will soak it. If not I will stop and just caulk it up to my original plan and it will be yard art.

 

I would have scraped the crud out it in the first two minutes. I want to see the valve guides and lifters. Radius lifters? Angled valve guides?
The head bolts should be easier than studs.

 

Damn. Let us know what it looks like from the bottom end. I was just at a guys place today to pick up some parts and he had three block for sale amongst other stuff. He said they all just had the standard cracks at the head bolts. People hoarding all kinds of stuff. He said there was a local in his 70s who had 350 cars on his property, but of course wouldn't sell any of it.

 

I dug some of the crap out of the valley, And yes it looks like it has Radius lifters and Angled valve guides. I think I am gonna shock hit the head bolts with a piece of Brass and see if and how they come out.

 

50/50 mix of ATF and acetone, patience and maybe a bit of luck!

 

Stick the whole thing in a big tub of feed molasses mixed with water and it will take the rust off. Soak for a few days, rinse off and if clean enough, spray with wd40 or similar to keep from flash rusting.

Dave

 

there was one like it fer sale about a year ago up in Frisco, Tx..........had an aluminum intake just sitting on it........

 

Thanks for the advice, but I have had trouble in the past with the Molasses damaging aluminum.

 

I'm trying to remember if I ever put any aluminum in the molasses....
Hadn't heard that.

Dave

 

Maybe electrolysis? Probably going to need some heat on those head bolts

 

55 gallon drum and diesel.

 

i would try Evaporust. its amazing.

 

I would try the head bolts first. The heads will not like any kind of acid. Ditto the pistons and timing gear. You also have an aluminum front cover that would come of easily.

 

Citric acid maybe?
You have a digger frame and you’re not using it?
r


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

hope that it works out OK for you - pic is a piece of "indoor yard art", with fried internals, that is at a Hot Rod shop - display only

 

Molasses will turn aluminum into a gray goo. The aluminum will ruin the molasses. They hate each other. I think I'd soak the head bolts with 50-50 acetone/trans fluid for a few weeks and then hammer on the tops of the bolts while soaking. I'd use an impact gun to remove the bolts and work my way around each head with a putty knife and a hammer, being careful and squirting my atf mix where I worked with the putty knife.

 

Joker, i dig the dual ign. Fun to time it....if it ran.......Holy plug wires Batman !!!

 

As said above, clean all the crud out of it, then keep soaking with ATF/acetone or diesel blend. Take a while, but it won't do any more damage than what's already there.