Drop the flathead, I'm going with early small block Ford

Ok, I've been burned enough trying to find a decient late flathead block. I've decided to go with a '62 or '63 221 (hard to find) or 260 in my Model A pickup.
Has anyone tried running CV motorcycle carbs on a V8? I think that would really look cool.

 

Out of curiosity, why go with a 221 or 260? Why not a 289 or 302 and use early parts on it - extremely hard to tell the difference from the engine compartment...

 

I think you will be disappointed, I recommend building a mild 289 get your truck running and keep hunting for a good flatty to put in it someday. Post a hey can you guys help me find plea on the Ford Barn, if you are serious it will come.

 

Huge mistake....if u want a flathead get a flathead....I have a couple good 8ba and 8rt blocks laying around....I'd be willing to ship to you....nothing beats a flathead....I like the 59ab personally

 

I've DD both the 221 and the 260 in my '63 Merc Meteor and my '64 Fairlane 500 S/W in the early '70's to the mid '80's and they will do you fine!

But all that said, I would go with something like a '69 or so 2-barrel 302 engine here just because it's more modern, but still the same size.

Heck, if I was to really do this, I would B&S a 302 out to 347"s and go!

And as always, jmho.

pdq67 and my 496 BBC.

PS., I DD my '64 Fairlane S/W up into the mid '80's for like 10+ years or more and to this day, I miss it!

 

I chose to go with the 221 if I can find one because this is for my wife, we want to keep the old banjo differential, and leave it as stock looking outside as possible, she likes that Beverly Hillbilly look, so there will be only as much body work as is necessary to make it safe. Not looking for horsepower, just good sound. We are going to make the engine compartment and interior nice. I also like the 221 because it's a little different looking than the later small blocks, and most people don't even know Ford made such an engine, good conversation piece.
I'm also thinking about running 4 (or more) CV motorcycle carbs and wonder if anyone knows of this being done.

 

Ok, so I found a 63 289, though I couldn't really tell what it was till I got it home, those early SBFs all look pretty much alike. This one has a Edelbrock torquer intake manifold with a Carter AFB on it. It's a '65 Buick OEM carb. I can't find a kit for it, anyone have a source?
Thanks

 

Try this: www.allcarbs.com

 

Thanks for the link, but I can't find one there either. I just browsed their carb kits and they only have on for a marine carb and for the edelbrocks which would fit the 9000 series Carters.

 

drop the small block ford and go back to the flathead

 

If you wanna drop the flathead i would go with a 302. But, my top choice would still be a flathead.

 

I pulled the flat head and put in a 5L. Loved the flatty had all the Edelbrock goody's heads intake polished, chrome 97's. The guys I hang with travel the east cost, And I need a driver. If I needed a water pump and was in up state ny it would take days to get one. 302 parts are everywhere. The flat head sits in my garage I wont sell it I have had it for 44 years.

 

I have a nice roadster with a SBC. I built the car 100% and I'm not happy with it because it has the SBC. I'm a Ford man but if I'm going to go to the trouble to change the motor it won't be a SBF because the are almost the same except the Ford is longer and any thing stock won't run with a SBC. If I could find the right chassis my roadster would be rebuilt with a flathead

 

How have you been burned? Did you purchase a bad motor? How bad is it, some things can be fixed on the old blocks dpending on what and where it is.

Red Ram Hemi

 

First block was full of cracks, and had been sleeved, although the sleeves don't bother me, the second was a 'good block' , never bored, but three cylinders had sat full of water for a lot of years, the piting was way to deep to bore. I'm not inclined to put $600 into machine work for a bare block.

 

My dad had a 260 in his A in the 1960's. Running a 271 horse 289 cam and dual quads. It can be done and be nice. That said, he pulled the 260 and put a flathead back in it in the early 90's, putting it back to the way it was before he put the 260 in.

 

You can get flathead water pumps at NAPA and Carquest - usually in an afternoon if you're in a decent sized city. Stock ignition parts are readily available at NAPA as well.

I drove an unknown flathead 1500 miles cross country through west Texas and eastern New Mexico. I daily drive flathead stuff. Like anything else, get it tuned right and maintain it, and they're as reliable as the next engine.

What a load of bunk...the myths persist.

 

I like the idea of the 221 , but m/c cv's will be a lot of work ....
Keeping in mind your wife likes the jalopy look , and for reliability and ease of tuning a single two barrel will work just fine ...

 

That's why u never buy a flathead that's not free and smooth to turn over by hand....I've never bought one that wasn't running or free and I always pull heads intake and pans to inspect...if you can hear it run even better...

 

seems like allot of people are anti flattys these days, ive never had one nor been inside one but ive been around allot of them and damn i just love em. im trying to sell my 2nd gen van so i can buy a 46 sedan with a flatty, man i want it cant wait. i understand that sbc and sbf parts are all over but come on man does the world really need 1 more freakin sweet old ford with a sbc in it? i know i will get flamed over that but thats just my opinion and come on you know im right.
whitey

 

Don't let your mistakes in purchasing taint your opinion of Flatheads. They are great torquey motors.



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Hey i'm about two hours south of ya on I-5.. If you wanna come get them I have a 1962 260ci block, heads, and a couple of intake mani's..

 

Funny how the "build it your way" crowd evaporates into thin air every time the subject of flatheads comes up...

 

keep in mind the 63 289 has a small 5 bolt bolt pattern for the trans. You can not interchange the trans with a 6 bolt 65 and newer tranny. I'm in the same boat and am running a cruse o matic in my 34 truck. If you lucky you can find a early c-4. There isn't much for performance parts for the early auto's. Or if your a lucky dog you can run a 4 or 5sp.

 

Hey Ernie! Dont give the ol' timer all the new secrets!! Im trying to catch him at a week moment for that flatty!!

 

Hang in there! The flatties are out there,I too bought a cracked one that I couldnt fix.I rebuilt the one in my ford and drove it a couple weeks ago and it was worth the trouble.Im sure someone here can help out.
Id sleeve that block, you'll have it forever.

 

not that people just give up so easily on flatheads before they do the research into them...everyone thinks flatheads are this mysterious engine that are prone to so many problems and everything else but those of us who have them love them and swear by them...if you do the proper inspection and what not then you should have no problems...i just hate to see the flatheads get pulled or people running scared because of all the hype by so called "experts" that have never owned one....no i realize im probably going to get chewed out for saying that but look at our fearless leader Ryan....he drives a flatheaddaily and cant get enough of it

 

I'll always like flatheads, ain't nothin' that sounds better or looks better. This was going to be a low dollar project as I've got a '70 442 and a '41 Dodge WFA-32 I'm already supporting. I'll let my wife run the 289 for a couple of years, and maybe then put the flatty in. For now I'm going to put the flathead together, paint it and display it in my shop.

 

Slick Willy= I have my wife convinced the flatty is worth $5,000 So even after I drop dead it will stay in my garage.