I'm trying to expand my horizons a bit and want to try something other than a sbc or bbc. What would be a good flathead Ford engine? My son has a 1927 Ford roadster, currently in pieces, that I would like to put one in. I'm thinking an intake with 4 Ford script 94s. I haven't thought too much more than that. I've seen some really amazing FH here on the HAMB. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Looks good!. Would seriously suggest a triple carb set up with a 3/4 race cam and a real good port, polish and relieve job for the block. Plus all the rest of the fruit salad required if you want the thing to really boogie on the street. Four carbs are meant for full race. Ask anyone who is willing to tell the truth how much time and effort it takes to keep a four carb flattie street polite. Looks good though.
4 carbs will work really well on the street, BUT, in order to do that, you are going to have to spend a very large bundle of money on the stuff that will be under the manifold. I have done many but all had 286 cubic inches or more to start with. The more inches, the better they work as far as driveability.
A good flathead is any flathead that is not a rusted hulk with very few cracks except where they don't matter. Find one to your liking from 1932 to 1953. 60hp and up. Don't go for the big build right off the bat. Start with a stock block then add on the good stuff as you go thru the years to see how you want to go, It'll cost big bucks to start off big. 4 carbs is way too drastic.
Ok, 3 carbs will be fine, I like that look too! So is an 8BA THE engine to use? That's about the only one I've heard about around here.
You have no idea. You just don't. 4 Stomberg 97s is about Two Grand in just the carburetors. This is not counting the intake and linkage. So 2500-3000 bucks just in the carburetors, intake, linkage and and fuel block. This is what costs so much on a flathead...all the foo foo baloney. Truthfully, a good well tuned stock 59A or 8BA/8RT will push a T around like a rocket. A well tuned stock or mild hop up flathead V8 will probably out perform 50 percent of the "hot rod" Flatheads out there. Why? There's pretty good evidence that a good many flathead enthusiasts are more concerned with how many carburetors they can put on the top one, rather than if it actually runs well. My suggestion is a post war 59A, stock with dual 97s or 81s on a slingshot. This is more realistic and it's pretty dog gone cool.
Awesome F-One, I'm not dead set on anything, other than a flathead, so I really appreciate the advice. I've seen some way cool flatheads with 2x2s.
I'm running a single 94 with the stock LOM distributor on my 51 Coupe. It's tuned up and it's a swell running car. It is a pleasure. 2nd gear is a blast...it is a freaking blast. I'm a community mystery right now... "Who has the blue Ford?" "There's that Blue Ford."" I heard this car go by my house...I knew it was a flathead Ford." " I knew you lived somewhere close by me."" What kind of car is this?" I've had the blue coupe a year. I have worked on it. I've made short test run trips. Just in the last month I've really put on the road. Three weeks ago was the first time it's been on a nice smooth road. I have been terrorizing Blount County Highway 39 with open headers, just stretching it out. I have my pipes on now. I can't tell you the grin I had went I first hit that smooth pavement in my Coupe. It drives so good. I tell you this because you can have a lot of fun with a good running stock flathead. You don't have to have all the bells and whistles on it. What you do have has to be well tuned and right. They are really fun.
The first 59 series engine or 8BA that you can find that has a usable block (no cracks). The way things are these days, you can't be too picky. Contrary to a couple of other posts, I would stay away from 21 stud engines and v8-60's.
Years ago I was at Joe Smith's speed shop in the Atlanta area. I had a 47 Ford with a flathead and was looking at hop up parts. Their engine man was an older man and said anything more than 2 carbs was a waste on the street. They were putting a car together for Joe Smith and it had 4 carbs on it. They all had spacers underneath them. He pointed out that the spacers under the end carbs were solid and the fuel lines to those carbs were plugged. He had the looks of 4 carbs with the street-ability of duals.
This 59L engine is running the two outer 97 carbs with the center one blocked. Runs well. Just be sure you know what you are getting into. This is definitely not a cheap power plant solution. there’s a reason why you don’t see many on the street and on the hamb. As they say. You’ll never pay so much for so little HP. I had two young early 30’s guys flood the gas station the other day. With drool. I was impressed. Yes there’s still new interest in these old engines. First fire.
I prefer the post-war 59A engines. With the distributor where it is, it makes for a cleaner look up top. As previously posted, it is an expensive power plant to build.
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