Which is cooler flathead six or OHV V8?

My first 48 Plymouth coupe had a very strong 383/727, my current 48 Plymouth coupe had a hopped up 230/Borg Warner OD. Two differnt power trains for two different times in my life.

The first I built in my early 20's, no wife, no kids and going fast was my only concern. Now I'm in my early 50's, wife, kids and running like a scalded cat is not so important any more.

Loved both, just depends when and where you are in your life in my opinion.

 

im 30 and i am glad i have a flathead in my car it sets it apart at a show most of the time

 

I've been having 0.060-0.070 milled off of the head to raise the compression on the late 40's, early 50's DCPD sixes. Seems to work very well.

 

What is the world coming to when we are even seriously discussing this on a "hot rod" forum??

 

The flathead is cooler but it limits you to either slow leisurely trips across the country or to only using the car for short trips. Duals with glass packs on one sound fantastic though.

The 360 isn't cool except they are usually dead nuts reliable and you can jump in a car with one in good shape and take off for anywhere in the country without a second thought. It means road trips at the speed limit or above that can run into the thousands of miles rather than. Two week Vacation to go to Austin for Roundup or Wendover for Speed week and make it there, have fun and make it back no problem. With the six you can plan on extra days travel time in each direction but that isn't a bad thing as at relaxed speeds you might get to see more and take some of the non four lane roads across the country.

I'd say base the choice on what you really want to do with the car and not so much on how it looks sitting at a car show with the hood playing alligator.

 

Flathead 6 has a different 'WOW' factor than the V8...V8s are popular for power, but making that 'obsolete' flathead move usually gets a thumbs-up from those that know engines

 

Take my Hornet up to 80 with foot-feed to spare. Twin-H 308 flathead six spinning a dual-range hydro, 3.07 gears in back.

I'm 32 and would take my flathead over any bellybutton V8.

 

my vote is for the flathead 6. that's what I am rebuilding for my pickup. and if there is anyone that cant give away a flathead 6 let me know. I always like free engines

 

If'n I was putting a flat six in a car I'd go with one out of those silly little OT cars with the alphabet soup names that win those dirt road kind of races. The ones that come factory with blow dryers already bolted to the exhausts?

 

^^^^
This!

I know an old timer who used to race a Dodge coupe with a 265 'Spitfire' motor. Bored out the block in his kitchen. They don't come any cooler.

Hang in there. You'll figure it out.

 

No I really doubt that. Unlike you guys, I've been doing this since before hot rods stopped being about performance, and started being about pose...

 

Flat head six.

1shot

 

If you are going to jump on the interstate and do a lot of traveling then go V-8. If you are just going to cruise around town, stay with the 6....

 

I'm not going to argue, but please read this before you write off the flathead six as weak, unreliable, or incapable of maintaining highway speeds. It was an eye opener for me.

Report on a 51 DeSoto 8 passenger Suburban sedan after 185,000 miles and 24 years in the hands of the original owner.

http://www.allpar.com/cars/desoto/suburban-1951.html

My favorite part is his description of how the engine smooths out like a perfectly balanced turbine at 70 MPH at 10,000 feet elevation in Colorado. While pulling a trailer. With 4:11 gears. Total weight of car, trailer, passengers and baggage 8490 lbs.

 

Seems to me that adds significantly to the "cool factor"--a vintage engine design that lasted a long time and is still capable of handling modern conditions is the best of both worlds.

 

Poncho overhead cam 6 banger.........

 

Not every car needs to be a hot rod. Hot rodding may have always been about going fast, but cool cars have not always been just hot rods. There are kustoms too, and not a whole lot of them were built for pure performance, either. Resto's are cool, too. Nothing wrong with building an updated stocker, capable of managing today's roads, traffic, and poor drivers.

I drive a 1960 Falcon, with a 6, daily. I handles the freeway just fine, and will be even better when it gets power discs, and a 5-speed.

Several of my customers drive late 40's and early 50's DCPD products, with sixes, daily. On the freeway, over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and even the Rockies too. Way cooler than a Civic, a Corolla, or a Jetta.

Don't let the V8-heads fool you into thinking that you can't do just fine with a 6.

We all want to get down the road. Not all of us want to get down the road, at 8 MPG, or at 120 MPH.

 

This is for a 55 Dodge Sedan,

I'd say the built flathead six & 3 spd IS the hot rod engine compared to the modern V8/auto trans.

A new Hemi+autoOD trans will outperform a 1st gen Hemi& a T-10,
which one is the hot rod engine?

 

I cruise my 230 Plymouth flathead six with the R10 overdrive at 70 all day. Have made multiple 1000 mile round trips with it. The lone problem being a broken valve. I would not be afraid to get in my car and drive across the country on the interstate.

 

My '51 Plodge Regent with the 218 three speed seems to be quite happy running along at 65 mph.

 

Ya want a be cool? Use an overhead valve slant six. Makes good ponies, fits, and folks will love it. Not all that hard to find.

 

The flathead could look pretty cool with an aluminum head and 3 sidedraft carbs - maybe Carter YHs like on the early Corvette Blue Flame.

When I first saw the title of the thread I expected the OHV V8 choice was going to be a Dodge Red Ram hemi. Super cool but super bucks.

If you were to go with the sidedraft Carters would that make it a Dodge Red Flame? No? Must be a Monday.

 

I've driven mine all over,with only one problem and that was a blown head gasket at 90 mph cause i forgot to retorque the aluminum head.Thankfully i was almost home and all the streetrodders I blew past didn't see me at the gas station waiting for a tow truck.Call Wilcap and get one of his tranny adaptors for a 700r really makes it bitchin down the freeway,raise the compression get a good cam, pertronix or there is a hei available and drive it.All this stuff about having to have a V8 to be dependable is just that "stuff".They used these engines for many years and they are very stout have alot of torque but don't like alot of rpm thus the overdrive.Anybody can have a V8 but only some get out of the box.Go for it and have fun.

 

rowdy, was jumpin around the HAMB and saw your post here about your 48 Dodge. Finally found some one to backup storys about my 48 Dodge.I got it when my Dad wanted a newer car and offered me the ol family Dodge which had a newly rebuilt engine. I got it up to 95 and nobody believed me! I swear it was still pullin when I backed off. Years later I got to thinkin I was wrong about that speed but Yes they would cruise at 70 I do recall that when I had to drive [when Dad had a few drinks, I was 15]. was around 1955 or 56. I,m into inliners have a couple of 39 Buicks,a 39 Chevy, and a 32 Ford project car. My view if it had an inline I would want to use an inline, but maybe a modern one.

 

I'll second that. ^^^^

 

Which is cooler flathead six or OHV V8?
Both.

 

You know you want this :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dskutHwOy7U

 

Sure does sound pretty!

 

the great thing about the car hobby is do it the way you want. they all have thier cool factors and they all suck when the break my choice would be a early sbc only cause i like them

 

Flattie. I agree about getting the 3 speed OD too. Double cool combo.

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App and a big box of purple crayons suitably made before 1964 so as to NOT be OT!