Looking for a reliable engine to put in my 36 5 window. Not considering a Chevy small block. I'd like a flathead but costs are an issue. I have a FH in my 31 roadster open hooded. I was thinking a 451 Cleveland for the 36. I'm using the car for my business so I need reliability & a good bad ass hot rod engine. What do you think. The car will weigh about 4k. Suggestions? Thanks!
A Cleveland would be a tight fit. Not impossible, but very tight. You'd have to cut the firewall and possibly blister the hood sides at the front Orrin without sides. An early 80's 302 HO would be a nice fit and keep it below 3500 lbs if you didn't load it up with AC and other options. Flattie' aren't for the faint of wallet, but I just can't help myself.
Faint of the wallet is well put. You don't want to know what the FH for the 31 put me back!! It's awesome though & well worth it now that it's done... Good points on the Cleveland. Too tight. I'll check out the 302. Appreciate it.
Dare I say sbc? Can be made cheap, reliable, bad ass, easy to work on & parts found everywhere. I personally don't like belly button sbc (not traditional or unique), but if it was daily driver business/shop car & needed reliability for $ & closed hood, probably can't get any more bang for the buck.
A Cleveland will fit in a 36 engine bay without having to run blisters or remove the side covers. But you will need to recess the firewall back 2". If you want to use it everyday and it runs a standard x member and firewall, put a SBC/TH350 in it using Chassis engineering bolt in mounts, heaps less fucking around and more power for less money.
i know you don't want to hear this ...but other than another Flathead , the easiest motor to swap in is a SBC. no need to modify any crossmembers , no need to modify the firewall. it practically bolts in with mostly existing holes after you remove the center saddle from the X-member
Ok considering a SBC, for reliability it's the best choice. One side of me is looking at it traditionally & the other side is asking, what would a hot rod builder today put in that car? A builder from the 40's or 50's would put in the most bang for the buck, as they did in that era, it just happened to be a hot rodded FH. Today, with more options available; it's the CSB. I'd just never hear the end of it from my FH friends, but they aren't paying my mortgage
sbc early 327-like a stockish 300HP-fits well, looks nice and is reliable-good for many miles with minimal issues use CE parts.
If it was mine, it'd get a small block chevy and it damn sure wouldn't weigh 4000 lbs! Unless I was driving 2 fat chicks around and 2 more in the rumble seat with a full tank 'o gas.
^^^ True that. I ALMOST bought a J2 from a guy here on the HAMB for my '34. Luckily, priced trans adaptors, the missing bits (pulleys, brackets, harmonic balancer, flywheel etc) before I pulled the trigger. "Traditionalists" here love to ridicule small blocks, but the traditional swap in the 50's would have been a 265 or 283 because they fit, readily available, are light and powerful. A 350 can easily be dressed as a 265. That's what's going in the '34. Not that the J2 won't be a great motor, but you'll be spending some $$.
Flynbrian---you beat me to it. In 1956, when the 265 hit the yards, folks were dumpin' built flatties like they had leprosy. 1956 is pretty damn traditional IMHO. ( was there)
Small blocs are every bit a trad as a flattie in a late hot rod. I am a small bock guy as I am sure everyone knows. The 302 ford is a reliable engine, and I would certainly consider a 351 Cleveland if I had one in good shape, we like Clevelands in this house. If you are looking for reliable and are not afraid to think outside the box a small MOPAR is a good choice as well. you can snag a late 360 cheap enough, they come from the factory with plasma moly rings and seldom need to be bored for an overhaul just a scuff and ring and you are golden. Lots of choices for reliable out there just choose your poison.
Add the right balancer, pulleys, shorty water pump, manifolds (or headers), and TA-DA! It's a 283... Needs freshening up, but than can be done for cheap. Again, this is the lump that's going in my '34.
I've had several flathead powered cars and have never been satisfied with the performance. olscrounger X2 on using an SBC. Way cheaper and they fit just fine.
just did a 40 with a 65 327 and a turbo 350--looks right-has orig 340HP manifold and painted 327 valve covers-runs crisp and fit like it should. Has a Crane split duration cam and 2000 stall-very sweet driver and sounds a little snotty too. 3rd one with this setup