I have a chance to buy a flathead i think is in good shape. Turns over with compression. A friend with me thinks its a Merc. He looked at some casting numbers on the intake. Distributor is down in front. Can anyone enlighten me on identifying this. Probably go ahead and get it either way.
After so many years and so many chances for the engine to have been modified, the only sure way is to remove a cylinder head and measure the stroke.
Im just going to take out a sparkplug and use a gas welding rod or small roundstock and check it that way. Should give me an idea of what it is. I thought it may also be id d with casting numbers.
The wire won''t work: the piston is not directly under the plug hole. Mercury didn't have a 4" stroke until '51 I think. 39 to 48 were all 239 cubic inches.
Don’t feel happy about having compression. You could easily have a cracked block under all that jewelry. I’d never spend more than 200 for an engine not totally inspected. Good luck.
Again, 70+ years after the fact, it could be made out of five different engines. I've seen Ford engines with Mercury heads, Mercury engines with Ford truck heads, etc.
If the distributor is down low in front, it doesn't have a 4" crank in it unless someone put one in there, the 4" Mercury crank didn't come out until 1949 and by then they didn't use the front drive distributor anymore. This is assuming a factory stock engine. But if the price is right, I'd go for it. Flatheads that turn over are getting really rare in the wild, even if you are taking a chance on it. Nothing wagered, nothing won.
yep, forgot about the plug not over the piston. Engine came with a 40 coupe i bought but the engine was laying on the floor and at the time i didnt really want it. But thinking maybe its a good engine because its been laying there for 40 years out of the elements im going back for it. will post picks of the find when i figure out posting.
Pics would be of benefit even prior to purchase. A 1939-48 flathead that's been sitting on the floor for 40yrs isn't worth much more than $300-450 depending on what's bolted to it. You didn't mention any speed parts, and sadly that's where a lot of the value of an unknown engine can lie. A rare set of heads or some cool bolt on goodies can make a $450 engine into a $1500 engine real fast. Remember, you're buying an engine that has already lived a lifetime of use, and they're not exactly rare. Don't overspend out of sentimentality. Ask me how I know that. ~Peter
the engine turns over and i can hear compression leaking out, so must not be to bad. At least it was in a dry place all these years.
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