Picked up a promising looking flathead V8 today, trying to figure out what I've got: The bellhousing is clearly marked 59. Is this an earlier distributor or is this the correct distributor for a 59 block? The passenger side head has the markings "T-9" and "99T-6049". The driver's side head has the markings "T" and "81T-6050" along with a small "70" below the Ford insignia in the bottom center. Is this a matching set of heads or are they mismatched? Plans are to run this with stock heads and a single carb - pretty much all stock except for a modern distributor, headers and conversion to 12 volt. Might even keep the stock distributor and exhaust manifolds if they work OK. If these heads are mismatched and I need to look for a new pair of stock heads, what should I look for? I seem to recall reading on the HAMB that some of the stock heads flow better than others? Thanks, Will Kimble www.kimblemandolins.com
Those "diving bell" distributors work fine, but they preclude mounting the fan lower in a car. The cars had a flatter dist. with the fan mounted separate from the generator. Unfortunately, the bell dist. uses a longer cam snout than the later flat one. If the engine has been rebuilt it may have the short cam and an adapter to fit the older dist., I have a few like that. You'll also need different pulleys, the newer fan uses a two belt setup.
So am I to understand this fan/waterpump/generator setup may cause problems in a car application? Because you wouldn't be able to get the fan low enough? This would go in a '32 frame, stock location, side frame mounts, probably a '30-31 Model A body. And the solution would require new pulleys, a slimmer distributor, and a different fan/generator setup at the least? And possibly a different length camshaft if it doesn't have the short cam and adapter in there? Hmmm... Are any of the stock 59 heads better than the others, or do I just need to look for a matching pair? Seems that I read something about how flat or domed pistons need to be matched to specific heads? I have been waffling between using a flathead V8 or an early 283 with an adapter to my '39 gearbox. Pretty much planning on the 283 so I would have cheap and reliable power. I paid a lot of money for esoteric BS when I built my last car with a Model B engine. But I like flatheads, too, and I bought this engine pretty cheap. Now I need to decide if I can make it work on a budget. If not, I will shift gears and start looking for a 283. By the way, I don't need any opinions on why SBCs aren't cool or are belly-button or whatever... I will see if it turns tomorrow, and it looks like the heads will be coming off eventually so I will be able to get a good look for cracks. Thanks for all the help so far, Will Kimble
What you have is a 46 - 48 block with early heads and distributor. Doubt seriously if you will find much difference in compression ratio between those two heads. If it has a 46 - 48 cam, then there will be a spacer in there to run that distributor. Easy enough to check. Also easy to put in the flatter "crab" style distributor. The crank pulley is from a 39 DeLuxe - 40 style engine.
Pull the intake when you turn it over to check for stuck valves, they're fairly common on an engine that's sat for a while. You can see the valves through the plug holes to see if any are stuck open as well. Flatman
difference in heads will be minimal, fire the baby up and see how she runs. you have a few options on fan setup and parts are pretty easy to come by so don't worry too much about that.
That 59 block just may be a replacement block for the 221 engine which is what it replaced in that 38 truck. You'll need to check the cylinder bores to be sure it is a 59 46-48 block with 3 3/16" bore OR the odd 59 221 replacement block with 3 1/16" bore.
The fan setup is nearly identical to stock '32...you are fine there. Cam could be early or late+adapter plug, you can use any '32-48 distributor with only minor trouble either way. Engine is about 99% likely to be a normal 239 59A, could just possibly be the 59 marked postwar replacement block for 221's. Perfect start for an eary rod motor. Book shows about 1/2 ratio dif between those heads! Gotta do something there.
Thanks for the help everybody, I will see if she turns then pull the heads to inspect for cracks or other obvious damage. If it looks good out I will scare up a matched set of heads and try to fire her up. And thanks Bruce, that is good news that the fan setup is a good place to start. Merry Christmas everybody! Will Kimble www.kimblemandolins.com
You won't know if it's a treasure or boat anchor until you have it presure tested.Had several blocks which showed no cracks but leaked out the exhaust ports when filled.
Engine turns real nice, water pumps and generator are grumpy... I will pull heads in the next day or two and get a better look. Thanks everybody, Will
I just checked my stack of heads, I remembered that I had an oddball out there. But it is not the same as yours, the one that I have that is not an 8BA or 59A is a 29A-LH (29A6050)
Pulled a head tonight, everything looks pretty good - bore is 3 1/16". So apparently this is a replacement for a 221 block? Is there any more story behind this setup? When would it have been made? How would it have been purchased and installed? Also, what ramifications does this have for choosing a set of heads? Any problems finding parts or anything else I should consider? Thanks, Will Kimble
Thanks Bruce, I think I remember looking it up after I pulled apart that motor but when I saw this thread I just didn't remember which one I had. I'll have to get it out one of these days and get it in the classifieds for someone, but I recall there is some rust in a couple of cylinders. Will, the 59 blocks were started in '45. I think that one of the changes to the block was the angle of the valves. The pre war blocks had a slightly different angle on the valves from one bank to the other, and required a specific right head and left head with different reliefs for the valves. I think this was changed in the post war blocks, including yours, allowing you to use the newer heads as well as the older ones. Since I really have no experience here though hopefully someone else will chime in. I also think the replacement 221 blocks did not just have extra metal in the cyl walls -- so they will not bore out as large as the real 59A blocks.
The 221 replacement block (marked 59, listed as 41A in parts book) apparently varies some. All I have heard of had enough cylinder to go very comfortably to 3 1/16. A few knowledgable people have found examples capable of biggish bores lik 3 5/16. 59-41 type blocks usually have a slight interference between upper edges of valves and prewar heads...Ford made a toolkit to fix this, but all that is needed is a shallow pass with a grinder. The Ford '37-48 overhaul book covers all applications of this along with cooling mods to heads. Fan...your setup is identical to '32 except for length of the fan mount. all fan mounts for generator type fans are the same 1932 up, fans come in a number of mount lengths for different chassis.
Thanks for all the info guys. I got the other head off today and everything looks nice. I also got some good advice about heads - the water inlets on the early heads are not a good match for the later block, best to use later heads for better water flow in the heads. Merry Christmas, Will
Commoest and smallest chamber late on is the later '46-48, 59 AB. Only real HC option is a rare prewar Denver...but all 24 stud heads are easy to apply. '46-8 gasket plus some drilling (all in the manual) updates the prewar heads.
Do you have a factory relieved block? When I pulled mine out of my 38 I discovered the block was relieved. I am wondering if all the factory replacements were relieved or just some, to order perhaps.
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