Im not sure if I will have enough money for a blower and I want a big cam(which I dont think will work well with a blower).
terpu: as a die hard ford guy it bores me when I go to a show and see a ford and can say I bet thats got a sbc in it I walk over and it does. If I wanted to be like everyone else Id buy a plastic duece an but a 350 in it and a sissy automatic but Im a man I drive real steel cars with same brand motors with 3 and 4 speeders in them. I understand where your coming from its just not for me.
I understand your view, I'm not limited by that however. I agree with the plastic/350/350 cars, yawn and boring. You are determined and I understand that. I'm a pretty stubborn individual myself and love nothing more than to blow by a V8 in my 4 cylinder banger that everybody thinks is weak and underpowered. So as long as you are into the mood for some mild torture and monetary strain build a blown F-head. That'll save you alot of heartache trying to make that thing breathe. If you supercharge it you are in essence force feeding it and eliminating alot of hurdles. Yes you are creating a few more with heat and pressure but those can be overcome. As for Camshaft and rump rump sound the blower trumps all of that. The whine of a blower belt like the whine of a QC are music not often heard these days. You should read the book by Pat Ganhal about street supercharging. It has alot of great information in it. Lobe separation and duration are really important for Supercharging. A flathead is a really poor design for natural aspiration. However supercharging gets around alot of that because the intake charge has no choice but to go into the cylinder. Be wise Pressurize! Tim
A Jimmy blower has a mounting flange that needs to be machined off in its stock form. After that it'll work on a 4-71 manifold. But they need work if you are using a factory one, bearings, seals etc. It's alot easier in the long run to find one good to go for supercharging already and use the drive kit that's available. If you want real old timey stuff be sure and stay with a three v-belt set-up. Post a picture when you are done I can't wait to see it. Tim
That last part is interesting Bruce. You're always a wealth of knowledge. I'm torn whether to use a Hemi or a all out flathead in my '32. Guess I have some time before I have to choose. The Beradini roadster is the one that calls out to me for a flathead....but the Satan coupe is the one that does it for me for the hemi. Both are rad!!! I'm interested in blown flatheads. I don't think there was a more purposeful looking engine then Navarro's roadster with a 4-71 on top.
Bruce, you have revived a neuron that I thought I had lost. Seems I read or spoke to someone who was there at the time about Rice in '56. If I recall this correctly, and it is possible that I can't, Rice had both ends of the NHRA record at some point that year, Low E.T with the flathead and top speed with the hemi. Mike.
I think that is about right...there is an issue of HRM with report on the nats and a feature on the car. But what I am saying is that if you build a killer flathead and keep car around or below 2,000, you should be able to get some pretty exciting ET's with no blower. I've seen features on street T-buckets in the 13's. And horsepower?? Remember in the fifties there were streetable roadsters running in the 130's on the flats, and more stripped ones even higher. 200 horsepower...maybe?? If you had a '68 Camaro that went 130, you'd happily tell everyone "I must have 600 hp, easy!"
I love watching people spend a ton of money on cool stuff! Please post pics when you get it together. Are you going to buy a running/project or piece it together? TP
You need to do a lot more reading and research about flatheads. The guys here are trying to help you out but you need to know enough to make your own informed decisions. How do you intend to drive this truck? Are you going to bang gears at 6000 rpm? Do you have a sh*tload of money to spend? Are you a machinist. Would you know a good port job if you saw it? What parts are available to you? Do you have an expert you absolutely trust to work with? You need to have a plan, a set of parts and ports that work together. If you just have money to throw at it you can have a well known guru put one together for you. I recommend Dave Tatom in Mount Vernon WA. When I hear somebody say they wanna big cam 200+ horse flatty I kinda cringe. Too much enthusiasm and not enough knowledge can get you an expensive engine that might not meet your expectations. Don't ask me how I know this. A boosted flathead is a good way go if you want power. Or maybe a 15 second, 160 hp, rumpity, good lookin, great sounding, properly cammed flatty would put a grin on your face and run a good long time. I've been from bone stock to bored, stroked, ported, relieved, custom combustion chambers, billet steel 4 bolt main cap, 6000 rpm flattys. They were all fun, just some way more spendy than the others. Just my .02. Good luck and keep us posted!
200 + hp from your first flathead build I don't think you will get there.After a few try's it is possible Buy a couple of flathead books spend some time between the pages flip over to the ford barn ask a few questions and form an opinion.There is some very good talent on flatheads on the ford barn join up. Tig
I plan to piece this project together with the parts I choose and the with the look I want. My dad has 53 years of expirience from restoring cobras and the essix wire r-model in the 80s or building his own 30 tudor sedan hot rod as a teen. If theres one person I trust in this world its him. I will be satisfied with 185-190hp I know that the number is not much less but I think it is acheivable. This will be my nice day/weekend cruiser. I plan to open her up a bit when I get a few open straights tho. I plan on putting a toploader behind it for some quick shifting. I may build a nostalgia LOOKING stroker 347 ford for it later if I want more power but I think for this crusier Ill be satisfied with the flattie I have other cars that have POWER so this one can be a lil slower but I think 14s should be attainable with 200hp or even 190
Sounds like a cool project. I know flatties were running low 12's and better on fuel years ago in light cars. It's all about flow and cylinder pressure and that's where the advise above comes in. You got to have all your parts working together as you know. I think what your trying to do is very doable. I would say your in the 5k-7K range money wise on the motor depending on what you already have. Just buy a good mag'd and sonic tested block to start with. you won't be using hardly any of the original parts except the block and just a few small parts that are easily obtained. Don't waste your time buying old complete engines in hopes of finding a good block. Start with a KNOWN good block right off the bat. That will save you a little money! Keep us posted.
I agree with what you saying,it costs alot and don't trust someone that tells you they have a good block without knowing for sure.good luck though.flathead rule
I read Joe's book, cost me a lot of dockets...But I had to go for it. Flatheads rule! I left 200 HP in the dust. If you build it, they will lose.
i have a flthd dragster i bought in 1975, was told that it ran 10sec@140mph??? took heads & int off to polish, bore 3 3/8 +.030 [wet sleved], 3 3/8 stroke, some ex work i could see, relieved, edlbk int w/4 97's, edlbk heads, poundin mag, dont remember the cam,48 trans w/2nd & 3rd gear, halabrad qc w/later axils.still have it last time i ran it was in 1983. 1n 1979 it was the first drag vehicle to ever win a AACA nat trophy, we did it to piss them off, they hated hot rods car has caused a lot of contentions,HA HA. completley restored it in -2 weeks, sent all the chrome [a lot] to jon wright custom chrome in ohio ups from FL. on friday, ups returned it back from ohio the next fri., lot of friends helped but we DID PISS THEM OFF.....
oh , i bought the dgst. in a flea market in desmoin iowa in 1975, had stickers on the unusual trailor that said CORN HUSKERS SPEEDWAY, lincoln nebraska, anyone ever go there that might kno about the car??
The best laid plans of mice of men often go awry http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1930-model-a-pickup-project.1018475/
Arkie, I was wondering how long it would take to someone to see what was happening. Although dragging up old threads can re-expose some interesting stuff, it's amazing how often it just happens and nobody notices.
I have got to start checking dates before responding. That is the second or third time that has happened to me.
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