And you can do exactly the same thing with a 351W, or very inexpensively stroked to 393, and you haven't unneccessarily bastardized the car. '50 Chebbie, by all means use a 383. The car ain't a Chebbie- and I'd be willing to bet you've never spent much time in a car with a decent 351W- you were talking about torque?
I gotta say, the "Ford in a Ford" rhetoric gets a little old. Hot rodding didn't start with a bunch of guys worrying about a matching name on a valve cover. What the hell does an engine from three or four decades down the line manufactured possibly in a different country got to do with your modified car? Sometimes a Ford just won't go in a Ford without making other undesirable modifications. What, hemis only in mopars? A Nash in a Nash? To the OP, I've had a number of flatheads and sbc's and afew in between. I like to mess with engines, so I'd pull that flatty outta there and spend a little time tearing it down to determine its condition. Could be a little cleanup and a gasket set and you're back on the road and you learned some about an iconic engine that still lives 50+ years past the grave. They're expensive to hot rod but can be very sweet little engines. OTOH, I wouldn't question your decision to opt for an SBC for a second. There's a lot of critics out there, make your plans and go for it!
Just to add in one more thing. I had a rebuilt stock flathead in my '52 Mercury with a T5 behind it and it drove like a dream. It got up and went with traffic and drove 75 on the interstate no problem. So either way the car will get around it's all in what you want.
Well, you would lose that bet. I built a mild 351W a few years back and put it in a 69' Ranchero... loved it. I'm basically a Ford guy, see my avatar and profile. However, the original OP asked about rebuilding the Flatty vs. buying a crate engine and getting the best bang for the buck. I've suggested there is a big difference in the driving experience between these 2 alternatives, and that he first needs to determine which experience he is after. Rebuilding the Flatty is fine for one alternative, but like some have suggested, he might be better off by saving this great little motor for a lighter car. As for buying a crate engine, go to any website and price the equilivant Ford and Chevy small blocks. It's easy to see hands down that you get more bang for the buck with the sbc. The OP didn't ask about going to junk yards and finding buildable small blocks, etc, he asked about "crate engines". I've tried to answer his question and avoid the religious wars... but we all know that is impossible. Some of you other Ford guys are a little sensitive... maybe your mothers didn't hold you enough when you were little We are all starting to repeat ourselve here... why don't we just let the OP decide and give us some updates down the road... and all live ahppily ever after. Regards, X
Actually my mom didn't hold me much at all, she was pretty ill when I was little, my big sister, the Ol' Man and my grandad did most of my bringin' up. Made me tough as nails, and a little confused. I just wanted to say that. Really doesn't matter if he stuffs a ford or a chrysler flatty in it if he motors and it makes him happy. I think that just because of the focus of the board he should have some other traditional options given to him to ponder while he is getting ready to spend his cash. I obviously would build it different than he will as would any number of the other fellas that have posted on this thread. The end of the day it is still his car. I think he has plenty to think about now and will no doubt come up with a solution that serves him well.
No not until everyone gets their panties in a bunch. The OP wanted information but the rest of us just want to argue about a car that we will never drive and probably never see. Are we havin fun yet?
Well Dueces you know what they say, if you never had steak hot dogs will do just fine. I unfortunately have had steak and don't like the view of anyone's engine from 6 lenghts back.
...what you forgot to also mention is that before 1955 the Cads, Olds, Buicks, and yes Hemi engines, ruled the swaps and in '55 the only real change was the addition of one more choice. Even into the early 60's I well remember a Packard engine in a 40 Ford, a Lincoln 430 in a Model A, and a 347 Pontiac in a 37 Plymouth coupe, but I don't recall sbc ruling anything because of their small displacement. Big inches ruled those days and big inch chebbys were the 348/409 and they were still a bit expensive for the crew I ran with. The choices are nearly limitless unless your engines have to come out of a catalogue. .
And this is important because? I seriously doubt this thread is about getting a thumbs up by some random person at a show? So you don't like sbc...great walk away then...and now? You look at a flathead....go drool....who cares? This is much more than a thread to get someone's approval...or at least I hope so.
Depends on what condition the flathead is in.... I just bought a crate 350 for my 51 merc, only because it has a tired 350 in it right now and it is cheaper....You will spend a lot more money on the flathead rebuild, but I think you will have less headaches if you put a crate motor in it.....
[QUOTE=porknbeaner; I have a 355 SBC that makles an honest 444 pound feet. My 394 according to what I have read made 445 from the factory. So that would be 1 pound foot more for a stock 394 over a built but streetable 355 chevy. The 394 is a big old pig, I had to beef my engine stand just to tear it down. I doubt that the single foot pound will make any difference once you figure the difference in weight. I cannot tell you how much zot the 394 that I have actually makes it has had more done to it than my 355, it will just barley be streetable. That said if I had a big old pig of a car like a 50 merc and all I wanted to do was cruise it but still have enough power for it to get out of its own way a stock 394 in good shape would be a winner for me. pnb, Just curious,at what rpm does your Chev make that tourque? Max tourque for a 401 in '61 occurs at 2800 rpm. For a 325 h.p. 394 in '61,same thing,2800 rpm. I,too,think a 394 would be one of the best choices for a Merc. Planning to get the 455 from a '69 Toranado soon,400 h.p./500 f.p. of torque at 3000 rpm,stock.Not super traditional,but would make that Merc go down the road sideways.
My only point I'm trying to say is that alot of people think as soon as someone is building a ford product they right away have to throw a cheap ass sbc in it cause its "traditional"...The only thing i see when people do that is cause they are following the people that do it... Or they spent all there money on the car, project and ran out of money to build a real engine so they go the cheap and thought less aproach of slapping in a sbc!
I make peak torque @ 4800 and peak HP @ 5500. My sweet spot is around 3000-3200, that is where it really starts to smooth out and cuise. That is really right at the bottom of my torque curve. I don't make less than 400 for the entire curve and it will keep spinning to 6500 or so if my gear is low enough and I'm not pushing too much weight. That is the clincher, in a heavy vehicle with a tallish gear it doesn't want to pull in to the higher RPM range. In the Pusher (a 3800-4000 brick of a pickup) I actually ran a better quarter in 2nd than if I shifted into 3rd. In second I was running @ 100 through the lights at 13.3. In 3rd I was pulling the about same trap speed but @ nearly 14 seconds (13.8 if I recall). That was with a 3.08 gear. Now in a standing mile it may do a lot better in 3rd gear. I did have it spinning almost 6K on the interstate in 3rd more than once. But lots of room to get it rolling. If I owned a sled like a merc and wanted to cruise it I don't think you could go wrong with a Big Block something close to stock, not extremely tweeked. Actually I don't recommend engines like I usually run for most fellas anyway, they need constant tunning and can be a pain in a traffic jam. Someone mentioned SBC street rodders, just to set the record straight I don't think I count as a street rodder. I do like SBCs as well as any other performance oriented engine. Hell if I had one I'd run an Offy, but I would want a car light enough to make it fun like say a '27 Roadster or a Crosley. Some how some of the fellas have missed the entire point of the thread it is not a Chebby V Ford thread like the title implys, it was more of a can you help me decide what I should do at this point. I missed it to and then went back and re-read it several times to get it right, that is why I changed the direction if my posts. It may be good to post a thread about the history of the SBC and the Flathead thread, as traditional hot rod motors go. That would be pre '64 on the SBC and pre '54 on the flatty. Oh wait a minute we would just have to post the HAMB calander for this year. A quick look at the '11 HAMB calander gives a pretty good comparrison of the two engines in their stock form. Actually the baby hemi is also included. Good reading lots of information. If I didn't have one on my desk, I would beg, borrow, or steal one as soon as I could.
dont put the ls2 in it if your gonna do that buy a new camero or smethin and lose the history car if your not gonna keep the history.
if you want to beable to drive a long distance and not worry about parts availability put in the chevy.if your a gamblin man put in the museum piece.who cares what every body thinks ,if the flattie runs good keep it ,if not compare the cost factor vs the real purpose of the car and decide.small block chevies kick ass !
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