Hot Rods Returning to Traditional

Howdy

lets just get this out of the way, i know "traditional" might not be the best name for this, but i wanted something that would catch people's attention

Yall might have seen my 1951 Ford truck pop up on the forums before, and I appreciate everyone who has indulged me on my crazy build ideas and non-traditional thoughts. The original plan was to take the 8BA flathead out of the F1 and drop a 351W out of a cougar 1969 XR7, and do a mustang II front and a 9 inch rear, but I worry that is going to lose its soul and character and become just another cookie cutter custom F1.

So I want yalls opinion and thoughts and experience on this, but you have to know the truck. Its a 1951 Ford F1 that has been the family farm truck for years, and it used to be a prison truck at Angola in Louisiana. It has a prisoner built bush guard, headache rack, and steel bed, and it has an 8BA Flathead and 3 on the tree trans. The flathead is pretty tired, so I am faced with a decision. I dont want it to lose that rough and tumble farm truck appeal, and I would like to make it look and feel like something you might find hauling a Model A hot rod in the 1950s. THIS IS GOING TO BE A DAILY DRIVER AND WORK TRUCK LIKE IT WAS BUILT TO BE

The engine choices are: The 8BA flathead that is in it VS a 1958 Edsel 410

Edsel pros - period correct sound and style, 350HP and 475 Ft lbs of torque, done and machined and ready to go, perfect power curve for a truck, oddball engine that adds character

Edsel Cons - going to need a trans for it, parts are a little weird, probably will need to swap the rear end to handle the power

Flathead pros- original engine, Flatheads are cool and sound awesome

Flathead cons- tired and low on power, needs a complete rebuild, still needs trans upgrade, definitely going to need speed parts to keep up with Florida traffic

So what do yall think? also, What am I getting myself into?

 

I would do the Edsel. Show them tuners your taillights. You hope .

 

Haha yeah you know its! Im not really concerned with beating those rice burners, I know my ol truck looks better than they ever will. I just want it to be able to keep up with modern traffic and give my seat a tug every now and again

Sent from my SM-G970U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I’m a flathead fan, but if I had access to that Edsel engine....I’d use it!

 

I love flatheads but that 410 would loaf along in traffic. And would sound unique. Your still traditional. Lippy

 

Do you already have the Edsel engine? If so, just go for it!
If not, weigh the costs with all of this, and make a decision that feels like it is going to keep you behind the steering wheel.
I have always thought the MEL engines were neat.
Since this truck has history, I doubt you are considering selling someday. If you are, the flatty might draw a bigger crowd.

 

Edsel. That 410 would be right at home pulling a model A.

B

 

Had to read that closer, The frigging Edsel is going to be way too many headaches and way too much money spent over in the "rare as rocking horse shit" parts section.
Your money thrown at it an your headaches finding pieces for it. Myself I'd go with the 351 or even an FE that has way more in the way of available parts that are a lot more affordable.

 

A wise man once said "a man do what a man gotta do".
What do you want to do?

 

Since it's going to be your daily driver and work truck, your only traditional choice is for the least dependable, most expensive and hard to find parts for option in powerplants, and keep it 6V too. Oh, and it also would be a bonus if it delivers really poor gas mileage and handles poorly and rides really rough...

 

Yep! A 390 with a trio of Holley 2-bbl carbs should do the trick..... And the cast iron headers if they fit....

 

That truck is just awesome
A strict flathead guy here. But I don’t live in Florida either.
The traffic there is horrendous and they don’t respect slow moving traffic.
I would install something other than those two engines. The Edsel sounds like a money pit. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

You could put almost any kind of trans behind the flathead. There are a million adapters out there. But what kind of trans could be put behind the Edsel? The original slushbox, and anything else? Is the bolt pattern unique to them?

 

I'm thinking to keep the soul of that truck, I would either rebuild the flathead that is in it or find a better replacement and back it up with a T5. A good friend of mine drives a 50 F1 pretty much daily and it gets down the road just fine with the T5 behind the original flathead. Past that, if it were me, it would get a dropped axle up front and remove a few leaves in the rear along with reversing the spring eyes and it would be done. Great daily driver. I had a 51 F1 that I drove quite a bit that someone swapped a '56 265 into with a 3 speed OD transmission still shifted on the column. I did the things to the suspension that I mentioned above. It could have easily been a daily driver as well and actually was for the guy I got it from. It was all he owned.

Your truck is too cool and has a cool history to turn into some street roddy MII cookie cutter F1 like most others out there.

 

Some info: a friend has a 58 Big Ed with a 410 and the original trans. He cruises with it and has run it in parades. GR8 mill. As 14 year old in 1958, i remember a ride in a 58 Corsair....very fast.....i'd use the Ed.

 

Daily driver I'd go with windsor or FE, and a/c since youre in Florida. Best brakes you can find on your front suspension of choice.
Dont jump on the mustang 2 bandwagon before checking out options to make your suspension work better.

Weekend cruiser, flatty, edsel whatever. You have time to wait on parts.

 

Man, I love a flathead, but if you've got that Edsel sitting around ready to go for decent $$, I say put 'er in!

 

Daily driver in Florida means a/c unless you enjoy sweating. Cool as the flathead is, between needing power for the a/c and keeping up with traffic, its just too marginal IMHO. You would come to resent the truck. Get a spare frame and do all the suspension and driveline work to it. Then swap over the body.

Sent from my SM-G965U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I must be crazy, but flathead absolutely all the way. If you don't use it ship it to me, lol...

I had a pickup with a semi built motor once. What's the point. So little weight in the back the rears broke loose with the slightest touch on the gas pedal. As for cruising on the highway as mentioned, my flathead cruises down the highway at 70+ with no issue whatsoever. I don't get those comments.

Put some tlc into the flattie and it should be plenty to do what you want, and nothing sounds like an old flathead...

 

I love and appreciate tradition. Back in the day flatheads were all the rage because they were everywhere - cheap and readily available. With plenty of low cost go fast goodies at very affordable prices. Same with the MEL Big Blocks. But now both are expensive options. You said the truck is destined to be a daily driver work truck. Which means there is really only one viable option and that's a SBC. SBC will go 250 K miles w/o issues, are incredibly reliable, and are TRADITIONAL since they appeared in 1955. Super easy conversion and you can accessorize them (3X2, 2X4 etc) relatively expensively. If you're willing to spend big $$$, by all means go with another flathead or the Edsel but neither will be as practical as a SBC. I know I'll likely take flack for my comment, but I have fat fendered fomocos with Cad, Olds, flathead V8s and V12s. They are not overly practical and certainly not inexpensive.

 

The Edsel 410. Always go for more cubes. That mill will haul that small body around with ease and be loafing most of the time..

 

Stick a 4 or 5 speed behind that 410. I believe that 410 MEL is 475 ft lbs of torque. Ya fucking hoo!!

 

Since the 410 is done and ready to go, use that. Cheaper and more dependable
as a daily driver. Save the flatty.

 

Ah, as usual, the Chebbrainwashed have to try and impose their brainwashing where it was not asked for- the poster's choices were Edsel 410 or flatty- no Chebbies in the choices! "The engine choices are: The 8BA flathead that is in it VS a 1958 Edsel 410". That truck is way too cool to bastardize with a scrub engine

 

Ok,
Here is my 33 years of owning and driving my trucks advise.
I have a one with a 1951 F1 with a 351 Windsor and C6, (I took the flathead out and missed it), a 1951 with a 274 inch Flathead, 4-barrel with a Tremec 5-speed. I also have a 1957 Ford with a 410 FE and a Tremec 5-speed and I drive all of them.
The additional weight you are going to put on the front end of the F1 will scare you when you need to get on the brakes, and that does happen. Even a mild stop on a dusted road will wake you up. If you have to, read this a couple times, I do not want to be an "I told you so!"
The flathead runs at 1,900 RPM at 75 MPH in 5th gear.

 

Thanks for all the responses guys!

I want one thing to be clear, I AM NOT GOING WITH A MUSTANG 2 FRONT. I just put it in the original post because I wanted yall to see my design process and how this idea has evolved from doing a 351w and a mustang 2 to going with a more traditional engine and sticking with the straight axle (or going with a napco? That would be cool)

Sent from my SM-G970U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

While the reliability of the SBC is undeniable, im not really interested in doing that. I know they are cool, and traditional, and parts are easy, but thats not the point. I want to keep it ford, not for purist sake, more because the 2 options I have are, in my opinion, way cooler than a sbc, though they might be a little harder to source parts for. I have no issue with doing a little more work for something special.

Plus, I dont want to sound cocky, but im a professional. I work at a restoration shop and I do alot of the parts procurement for the cars here. I've found stuff for cars that they only made 20 of, so im sure I can find stuff for a flathead or an edsel

Sent from my SM-G970U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Also, the engine that doesn't go into this truck goes into my 29 model a tudor, so its a win either way

Sent from my SM-G970U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

The 58 MEL uses a FE bolt pattern and motor mounts, so anything FE bolts up in the trans department

Sent from my SM-G970U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app