Hi guys. I bought this T Roadster back in the spring. Pretty much everything on the car was a huge mess, but I've gotten most of it straightened out and it's actually a pretty good driver now. The SBC works well with plenty of power, but this thing is just screaming for a Flathead. I'd like to stick an 8BA in it coupled to the Borg Warner T85 with R10 overdrive that I already have. (Came out of a '53 Ford pickup). I have concerns about the exhaust routing for the flattie since it exits the engine so much lower than on the SBC. Take a look at the steering box location and steering setup on this thing. The box mount is pretty ugly and needs to be redone regardless. The current steering shaft has a whole bunch of U-joints in it which is also less than ideal. I'd like to put the engine slightly further forward than the current arrangement to free up some space in the footbox area since I'll need to fit 3 pedals in there. I could probably also raise it up some, but it still won't be enough to clear the exhaust. I'm planning on running similar lakester headers. What are some better steering box options for me? I'm already thinking a Steer-clear might be a good upgrade as well. I am pretty much dead set on the lakester headers...will it just be easier to modify a set to fit? Last, does anyone know if a hydraulic throwout bearing for this setup exists? That would be far easier than trying to make a clutch linkage work. Thoughts?
If you are worried that a sharp corner on your flathead's headers is gonna cause stress on it, make sure you don't look inside the ports of the block. I'd think you could put an upward 90 on each tube of the headers right out of the block and it won't be any worse than the convoluted path the gasses take before they ever exit the block. As for how everything else will fit, you'll just have to yank the SBC and dangle the flathead in there to see how stuff fits.
Not so much worried about the exhaust flow.. More concerned with just straight up interference with the steering box and shaft.
Try "W" type headers. They will usually clear with no problems. They will definitely make more horsepower.
Pete, Now that is what I call a racing flathead,,,,,,it looks awesome ! Everything on it has been modified,,,,,radical. And what kind of ignition is that,,,,,it looks like a high dollar piece . Injection,,,,,dry sump pan,,,,beautiful headers . I see the water pump mounts are blocked off ? Is that what the tubes bolted to the side of the block ,,behind the headers are for,,,,,,water flow ? Tommy
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