Should I put a flathead in my 1950 mercury?

Run what you're" running buddies" are running. You gotta keep up. Leave the hood down! Traditional ? Air conditioning ? Heh it's your car ! Do what you want.

 

I drive 65 - 75mph in overdrive 112 miles round trip to work using flathead power. I have no issues with reliability and it actually gets decent mileage. I wouldn't hesitate to take off across country with it at the drop of a hat.

 

I think a SBC is cool in a rider mower or Chevy Vega ,but not in a hot rod. What if it was a 1950 Harley barn find with no motor...would anyone suggest replacing it with a honda? Hey it would be way faster, get better mpg and parts are cheap....and ya it would look like shit. The motor is the bike and the motor is the hot rod...so go with the flattie and when someone asks what your runnin' you can open the hood with pride.

 

Small block Chevy cool , but not in a hotrod ?? Thats probably the dumbest statement I've ever heard! Jesus, what the hell is the matter with you ??

 

Nothing worse than seeing a nice old Merc or Ford with a SBC in it... my $0.02. Also, AC is not traditional.. not to me at least.

 

What the Hell is the color of you guy's sky?? Do you realize they made SBC in 1955??

 

i dont know man. is that you in the cut offs and the white reboks. you can have your sbc. GFY

 

Flathead-- no way car is to, FAT WAY TO FAT!!!

_____________________________________

'' Real hot rods don't have fenders ''

 

Flathead all the way. However, I would definitely consider a Cadillac 331 as an alternate. Any of these motors definitely backed by the factory 3 speed OD trans from the merc.

I have my flathead slowly going together while I went ahead and dropped in an early 283 chev with an adapter to the merc 3 speed trans with od. I have a ford 8 out back with 2.79 gear in it. It should be getting 710-15 tires on it.

Good luck picking your poison.

 

IMO, if you have a Flathead, run a Flathead!
There a 2 ways to find out if it's a good idea; ask a friend you trust, or mount it! If it takes you 5yr to break you had a great run/great fun.

My philosophie on hot rods is get it in, and get going with what you got. And when somethings disapoints you or goes to slow, upgrade!

Did the merc run flat' before? Or does it have CSB mount and stuff. If so, it's a No-brainer!
All motors can be rebuilt to work better, and still be broken! Just my two cents.

 

My sky is Washington Blue! Hahaha
Vintage SBC is cool.. 350/350 is lame.. T-5's too!

 

["It's better to be thought a Fuckin Idiot, than to open your mouth,and remove All doubt" Try to remember that !!



QUOTE=390kid;8029709]i dont know man. is that you in the cut offs and the white reboks. you can have your sbc. GFY[/QUOTE]

 

It is perfectly ok to put a Ford motor in a ford car.
Flatheads are neither easy or cheap but man their sweet

 

I'd go with a Flathead.
I just picked up a 53 F-100 with 47k original miles. Yes, from teh original owner also.
I really didn't see the excitement over the flat head. Until I drove this one. Yeah it does blow the doors of much of anything..but it is a blast to drive. A few upgrades in the right areas...(cooling) Radiator and water pumps, (power) drop in dizzy module, (exhuast) free flowing headers and no crossover oil pan soaker pipe, (heads,carbs) better air flow and heat dissapation and fuel pressure...This trucks going to be a great little cruising machine.

 

It is really funny to me when I see the following: A Ford hot rod that has a 900.00 radiator, 1500.00 intake / carb. combo and a 350 chevy crate motor with an owner who justifies the engine because it was cheaper and easier to install. Why dont these guys just build a Chevy car--------they are cheaper.

 

Easy?? Whats not easy about a flathead? I bought my re-built 50 flathead for less than a 350 crate engine...

 

traditional? run the flathead and use one of those window-mount a/c units (swamp coolers?) like you see on the lowriders!

 

Flathead
Flathead
Flathead
Flathead

Do it!


Sent from my iPhone using TJJ

 

Its your car build it how you want it. I have had flattys and sb they are all good engines no matter what. I have run flattys on the power tour with no problems, ac is not vintage but thats why you buy a swamp cooler. If its really hot then buy a cooler and a bag of sonic ice and load that sucker up. I have a truck that has a merc flatty in it, had been sitting since '89 got it home change oil hooked up a tank to it, put some lube in the cylinders and fired it up next day, its a daily driver when i am home. i drive big trucks so i come home once a month and thats what i run around in. just got to get right gears, i have a 4 speed granny and 4.11 with 8.20 15s on back and run 60 all the time. I do want to put a merc aod behind it and drop to 3.00 but it works for now. The only way to know what you want is to experience it.

 

It's YOUR ride,....But I'd say FLATHEAD !!!!!!!!!!!!

4TTRUK

 

amen.

 

I have a 1950 Merc coupe with the flathead. May not be the fastest but it looks great and the sound with smitties is hard to beat. I am considering A/C as well and has been converted to 12V. I live in Arizona so it gets a bit warm here.