So my coworker is working on his 52 ford f1... He has the flatty out and is going back with a 302... Anyways, he told me I could have the flatty if I would do something with it... Im a sucker for free stuff... So... Whats some cool stuff you can do with a flatty? Say a 2k dollar budget... And is this motor even worth doing anything with? Its an 8BA...
Oh boy. The last time someone gave me a free engine I decided to get a car to wrap around it. The car I found came with two engines of its own. Long story short, the first engine didn't even get used. Now I still have to get a car to wrap around the first engine..... I guess you'd call it the snowball effect.
Having built a handfull of flatties, you MIGHT be able to rebuild a stock engine for $2000, but you can't build a BUILT flatty for that unless you have a stash of go-fast parts. MHO.
Grab it! Find the right car to stuff it in... My latest flattie came from a 52 COE field truck. A pig in a poke it was! Tore it down and the block checks out fine. Picked up a 34 frame and collecting parts for a new build now...
I just built an 8ba with Offy heads, 2 deuce intake, Schneider cam & lifters, new carbs and all new accessories. I bought all new parts and had it balanced so it will hopefully out live me. I was a little surprised at the total cost. I ended up with over $7,000 in the engine and everything to get it running. Don't tell my wife... I also had a 51 two door sedan with a completely stock 8ba that had a lot more power than I expected. I bought the whole car for $2,000. I guess it all depends on what direction you want go with it. And before you bust my cherries about my avatar, that is the engine I speak of. That picture was taken the day I got it home from the machine shop. I bought the heads after it was assembled.
I don't want to hi jack the thread, but what does it cost to build a street flathead V8? 7G is a lot of money, where's it go parts , machine work?
Yes. I don't mean to sound like smart ass. It all depends on how good of a flathead you begin with, how much machine work is necessary and how much you plan to modify it. Also how much of the work can/will you be doing yourself.
it all depends on the block(what condition) and what you want it to put out just like any other engine build. its more likely with a flathead you will need to look at more then one some cracks are repairable(mostly in the head area) and some are not
If you have to ask . . . then I'd suggest to not build a flathead. In all seriousness, if you started from scratch and wanted a stroker motor with all the cool stuff - at least $7500. Most well known shops will tell you north of $10K. These are not cookie cutter motors - takes a lot of time and screwing around by folks who know what they're doing. But - it is a very simple motor - actually a great one to learn on and plenty of folks on the HAMB will help out a newbie (myself included). Part of the job is having a realistic and clear objective --> if you want somebody to build you a turn-key stocker that makes 100+ HP, cool . . . will be a 1/3 or less of what it will cost for a 276 stroker motor that is street ported, has all the cool heads, manifolds, carbs, etc on it. If you post what your objectives are - then many of us can help steer you the right way, suggest parts, talk about performance combinations, etc.. One you build a flatty - you'll love it an be hooked for life! Get the engine . . . and put a "car around it" - you'll be happy you did! B&S
Get the engine . . . and put a "car around it" - you'll be happy you did! Plus there is no more satisfaction than building it yourself and being a coupla thousand miles away from home in something you know every bolt nut and weld on and crusin to the sound of the flattie purring..... its music I say!!!! But remember its not a 1000 plus hp ground pounder but it will get ya there and back and besides it makes Henry smile................
I'm just curious, I've built SBCs before, so do know about some stuff including the satisfaction of building your own engine. There was a thread here, ( which I can't find now) about best sounding engine, and there was a flathead roadster or coupe idling in someone's drive, and it just sounded great. Got me to thinking... This sounds mighty good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLFTO0Bx9-E
My $.02 Tradition and Flatties Flattys are a state of mind. They make no practical sense. By 1949 they were a has-been engine. the Cads,Olds, and 2 yrs later Chrysler all beat it by far. This said if you can think of yourself as a teenager from the late 40's or early 50's with a small budget, you can run any flatty thats running reasonably well with 2 carbs, headders, and maybe even a set of heads for $2000 if you shop and do the work yourself. You get an engine that sounds great, looks cool, impresses your friends, and you can still drive it. The thing is you don't have to spend the big bucks to have big fun. If this is your first flatty don't go crazy unless you have a car worthy of a "full-race" flatty. Just my $.02 Ps My flatty sat under a bench for 30 years. then was put together stock with just new bearings, rings, and a simple valve grind. It has been running fine for 10 years and about 40,000 miles. And when I drive it's still 1952 and I'm still 18 yrs old! Get it!
Now I like that - I'd take it even further . . . "You Have to be OCD to build flatheads!". Some sort of weird obsessive compulive disease gets a hold of your fricking brain (and your wallet) and just takes over. It really can't be cured once you "feed the beast" with it's first flathead. You're screwed after that. There is one flathead disease that is WORSE -- putting a blower on one. Once you do that, you've just doubled down on the sickness . . . and it costs TWICE as much to treat a now totally incurable disease. It really makes no sense that I'm spending my whole damn weekend, porting, polishing, relieving a 1942 flathead block - in hopes of 'creeping up' on 200 HP. A sickness I tell yah . . . a sickness . . . B&S
Flatheads can be rebuilt and dressed up for a modest budget, about the same as any other engine. It will look and sound cool and get you down the interstate at modern speeds. People will stop and stare at cruises and shows. The big money only comes in when you're striving to increase horsepower, usually to a level that you're never really going to use. After all, how many guys are you actually going to race? To me, it just doesn't make sense to spend $7K-$11K to get 200HP out of a 100HP engine and then just cruise it around like most guys do.
At this point if you have the $$ its better to buy a car with a built-up flatty already in it or a built engine you can hear run 'cause you will usually be way ahead of the guy who already spent twice what it's worth already! For just fun-running on the back roads at 50-60, with big and little bias plys and fair brakes 100-115 hp flatheads are all you need! Remember it's a state of mind and in '52 there were no interstates! Or car shows for that matter! Drive the wheels off!
I think an Ardun head flathead is one of the prettiest engines out there. but then it is no longer an flathead.................
remember Duntov moved on to the small block chevy---as for sound a flathead 4 banger is hard to beat...
Ha! I've been playing with flaheads for years and never thought of that! I really must be getting old!
Mike is spot on. A flathead is by and far the most money you will ever spend to get 200 Hp. But most of us who have experience with them would argue that it is worth of penny, no matter what you end up doing with it. And since we are taking about Ardun's and other ways to spend cubic dollars on an extremely outdated engine design, How about a Potvin style blower setup with twin plug heads...
Summwersshow: If you built your flatty as stock as possible on the inside ( except for adjustable lifters) and then add a few dress up goodies (a little at a time, over time) for show and dependability, like an electronic ignition, you can build a very affordable engine. Once you decide to build a "race horse" flatty, the price goes up. For example,this is a stock 239 cubic incher. The last 2 photos shos the same engine "before" adding the pretty stuff.. That engine got me from WI to FL in 1972 and is still in the car. It's my view that a nice sounding flatty makes the price worthwhile.
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