Ok ive got the chance to buy a Model A coupe, with a 48 caddy 346 flathead ,thats been rebuilt with the automatic tranny. owner says it runs smooth as butter , has a 2bbl carb, custom radiator, and runs 180-200 degrees. He says its not for the race minded, but has tons of torque. Ive done alot of searches, and read alot of post, but i want to know from caddy flatty owners. What are the pros and cons? Are they tempermental, reliability?, id like some actual stories of performance on the road, hills, idleing, accelerating,etc etc, any videos would be nice too, thanks.
Maybe something in this discussion will be helpful: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=548458
That 346 is a great motor, but not alot of RPM. Loads of torque like you have been told. there is alot of hop up parts out there but bring alot of cash. The lower end has only three main bearings so it may have a strength issue. The crankshaft is very heavy with big screwed on counter weights. I guess this is one reason they run so smooth and can idle so low. They also can have some overheating issues, but there are some tricks you can do to try to keep them cool. do some searches on the topic-you will find some info. Also check out "flattie38" on the HAMB he is building a full race 346 and knows alot about them.
Reliable? Tempermental?? What part of Cadillac are you not understanding??? It may be the most reliable and un-tempermental engine of its time. They were used side by side in tanks through the war years and many still run fine.
It's BS! Unlike Fords, the Caddy exhaust exits the top of the head, running cooler than the Ford. Like Ole Don said, they are a VERY dependable engine. Having said that, if a Ford flathead is overheating, there is a problem. Flatheads get bashed for overheating, but when they are running right, there are no heating issues!
I am parting out one of these motors with the block and crank spoken for and flywheel is sold but lots of other stuff.