$1000 for a truly crack-free block is not too much if you place a value on your time to find, transport, tear down, clean and magnaflux 2 or 3 junk blocks that you paid $200-300 for. You might be lucky enough to have people bring them to you, but i have search them out....jack one more point- no cracks equals MUCH less machine shop costs.
Gotta love em, I get a kick out of all the people who ask "what kind of motor is that"? or "is that a Hemi"
Ive been going to the big three swap meet for a long time. It has always had a lot of flathead stuff. I would say less now than before.
I love flatties....have had two of them myself, but I've gotta say that when I talk to my dad and his old hotrod buds about getting another one, they just roll their eyes. These are guys who ran flatheads in the 50's because that's what they had (and couldn't afford the new Hemis and brand new SBCs. In the 60's as young married types, they ran all the new hot V8's at the drag strip and then continued that trend into the 70s and 80s. They're now running Hemis, SBCs and an occasional SBF in their sweet traditional rods because, as they put it, they're the best engines for the money. They all laugh at me and my love of flatheads and consider a flathead to be a silly little toy that you throw a lot of money at to get half of what you get with a SBC. I come back with the whole nostalgia thing and they laugh even harder....they reply that they were there "back in the day" and only used flatheads because that's what they had to work with at the time. All this, not to rile anyone up....just my experience with a group of old rodders who I've been handing wrenches to since about 1970. ps....on this issue, I ignore their taunts and continue my love affair with the flatty.
As seen in my user name. I am a flatty fan too. My 37 Ford truck is powered by an 8BA. I have always liked that saying "The world is flat"
I rebuild about two engines a month for the local guys. Also have about 20 blocks stored mostly 8BA's. Just a great engine, solid, reliable and gutsy. They just look awesome when decked out. It says some thing about the old flatty when were here talking the pros and cons. Particularly since they went off into the sunset @ 50 years ago!
It think the message here is that there are NEW guys becoming interested in flatheads, meaning that the market for them is getting stronger. Good news, bad news. Prices will rise, old stock dug up and sold off, new repops will start to show up, etc. Cars are like fashion, if you keep it long enough it eventually comes back in style.
Nevala....I do most of the work except tanking the block, magnaflux, and boring. I use a shop over in Arlington, Tx for that work.
Where do I buy a new ''FLATHEADS FOREVER SIGN'' . A friend is building a flathead , and I would like to buy one for him .......THANK YOU.....
The flathead did leave. When i was a young hotrodder 50 years ago the first thing we did when the old Ford came into the yard was to yank that flathead and put in an Olds, Caddy or maybe even one of those little Chevys. Now I've got a 34 PU and 35 coupe both with souped up flatheads. I love it....I never spent so much money to go so slow...... But the crowd will climb over that 350/350 to check out that flatmotor..And that straightpipe sound is just killer.
I have been selling spare flatty parts for a long time at a local swap meet and was very glad to see the huge increase by young (under 30) crowd starting to buy and build flattys.........
If it's $1000 for a block, then demand is still high. That means they are still popular. If everyone was selling off, they'd be $50....
Flatheads are still the mainstay of real American Hot Rods. People never stopped building and rebuilding them to place back into their 'Antique' cars. -Like the Ford 4 banger, Model T and A owners kept right on restoring what they had so the demand has never really gone away. It's true that a resurgence got under way probably starting in the 90's but for the most part Flatheads/Bangers are more popular than ever and with that comes price. -I do miss the days of walking thru the swapmeets and buying 97's for 3 or $5. .
Ive had z 28's, el caminos, and when i sold the Chevy's I thought I'd better bone up on flatheads so i joined The Early Ford V8 Club of Dallas (founded 1981) these guys taught me alot about life (avg. age is around 70) and a ton about flatheads. Got 3 / one in each of my rods now...and not looking back...the key is drive um! Guy Weintraub President Early Ford V8 Club - Dallas
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