Hey guys... Anyone dealt with Flatlander for hardcore Flathead parts? Im considering grabbing a stroker kit with the liteweight Ross lug/ring pkg and a set of the Hbeams they sell. They call their HBeam rods "Proline" but Im guessing theyre just a rebadged CAT, Scat or Eagle rod? Any words to the wise on their stuff/service? Rat
I had 1 experience with them at that was enough to make me never buy from them... I was getting a stroker crank for my 351C (about 500 bucks) using SBC rods and wanted to verify that it had the SBC rod width, so I shot them a quick email. The only response I got back was that "Scat doesn't make a 351C crank with the SBC rod diameter", so I got the PN for it off THEIR site (that even said 2.1" journal) and asked doesn't this one use SBC rods? His response was "buy what you need then", thats a direct quote. So I told him where he could stick that crank and that I'd relay this lesson learned to anyone that ever mentioned them. I called Scat and asked, and the guy knew the answer right off the top of his head and verified it did use SBC rods. Proline stuff is cheap imported stuff like CAT, not Scat or Eagle quality... I'd avoid it, that cheap stuff costs a fortune to balance in my experience (we sold some of it at the Speed Shop I worked at, and alot of it was literally JUNK).
I just got some parts for our 8BA from them, prices were good, I got the stuff in a reasonable amount of time and everything I ordered was of good quality. I always try to determine who actually makes the parts before I order from anyone.
I buy a lot from them but its only a 20 minute drive! One bad thing Ive heard from Fordbarn but havent verified is that their Scat cranks are junk and almost impossible to balance. But that isnt just Flatlander who sells them. I stick to Merc cranks and 276 cubes since old time stroker crank bearings are outta sight, they are the full floater 59A type. Want more power? Blow it.
Been trying to buy a Scat 4.375 crank for a year now, the right guy to speak with at Scat was away on vacation & nobody was intested in helping with my enquiry regarding an order, H&H at the antique nats didn't even want to talk to me regarding the Scat crank..........i had a fat wallet to spend on flathead parts at that time.....oh well! Upon returning to England i e-mailed Flatlander & had a poor response so i phoned them & got the same thing.......never mind back to square one. Jim suggested i order direct from Scat via his contact Robert Jones, Jim very kindly placed a firm order six months ago for the crank, shells & custom Ross pistons all balanced & ready to go, they have been ready for about two weeks now. I guess what it boils down to is speaking to the right person at any of these dealers, get the wrong guy & you may as well bang your head on the wall! If they all had the same quality of service like Kevin at Cyclone or Tony Baron we'd have no trouble! By the way i'm using Blue Cat H beam rods which i had checked over here by my balancing guy, he said "they are ok & no different to any other Chinese rods he's seen". While i was at Vern Tardel's he showed me some identical & said you'd have no trouble using them. Kev.
Hey Limey thanx for the info.....what combo are you building? VAphead, didnt get your repky yet...l Rat
Hey Rat no problem, even before i bought the '39 my plan was to build a hot flatty for whatever i ended up with........seems like its coming together & only restricted by cash flow, as i'm sure you know! Parts i have; Good French block. NOS sump. Choice of three intakes, D&S dual, Fenton triple & a Weiand four carb......will most likely run the D&S to start with for breaking in with 94's. Three sets of heads, Edmunds, Big Boys & some Cyclones.....will be using the latter i'm about 99% sure of that. Vertex Magneto. Blue Cat H beam rods. 4.375 Scat crank. Ross 3-3/8 pistons. Clevite shells & mains supplied by Scat. 3/8 Potvin 276 duration 375 lift. Cam bearings. Guides. Chrome moly retainers. Cloyes Cam gear. Melling HV pump to be converted for full flow filter. Parts i still need; Flywheel & clutch. Valves, seats & springs from Tony Baron. Lifters prob from Reds. Head bolts. Gaskets. Water pumps. Front pulley. All necessary parts for filter mods. Block still requires machining when i finally get the pistons here. A good port job following av8's very good illustration's. The plan is to build this over the coming winter, maybe i should have gone for a blower but i'm interested to see how it works out without, i'm not expecting too much in such a heavy car but should sound pretty healthy. Kev.
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