I have searched but not found anything with this casting number. A friend of mine just bought a 39 standard coupe and this is the motor that is in it. It has 59AB heads and obviously this motor had to have been put in at a later date than 1939
I see "A2174 4". I know everyone says there is no rhyme nor reason to flathead casting numbers, but given how American manufacturing has worked for the last couple of hundred years, this really can't be the case. Given the amount of information in the Ford Archives, I would have to think that it's in there somewhere.
If there is no 59 it was made prior to the redesign in 1945. Might be a wartime block, or even earlier. The heads were added by somebody after the factory. Look at the oil pan rails and see if there are two small bumps on each side. These would be for clearance of the core hole plugs that are in the machined face, under the gasket. I think they stopped using these in 1940, so if they are present it's a 1940 or older block.
This is the prevailing attitude and it will get us nowhere. Maybe us flathead guys should figure a way to get the NCRS nerds in on this. I was a member of that organization from the early 80's on, and given the lack of documentation from the General, they were able to reconstruct an amazing amount of this type of information on their own.
Absolutely the truth, tubman; hopefully someone will be able to decipher these some day! But for now, what does it matter? I see LOTS of posts on lots of social media asking about all the numbers on flatheads as if they were sbc's... All I've ever been concerned with is it a V-60, early (21 & 24 stud) or late flathead. Being an anorak about casting numbers is something I don't have time for.
It could be a 59A 221 cu. in. engine. Those were available from late '38 thru '42. Check the rod journal size on the crankshaft. The 221 has 2" journals. The 59AB is larger diameter. Don't forget to figure in any undersize from regrinding. As mentioned the 59A usually has the "freeze" plugs in the pan rail. Not all, though. I ran across one that didn't. If it's a stock 59A engine the original bore size is 3 1/16" and most have steel sleeves. The 59AB factory bore is 3 3/16". 59AB heads need to have the valve head clearance enlarged to work on a 59A (or vicey versy). If it's The AB series you can put an 8BA crank and rods in it. Bearings are more easily obtained and cheaper, too. There should be numbers stamped on the edge of the heads. Pay no attention to those. Ford used the same number for many years.
I completely agree with you on this point. I don't take my Corvette to shows or meets anymore either. BTW, what's an "anorak"? EDIT : Just "Googled" it (which I should have done before I made my comment). I guess being an anorak about slang in other nationalities is not that uncommon.
There's actually an easy way to determine if the block is pre war or the latter 59 era. If you look at the area at the front block surface just above the front timing cover there's an easy to see the visual difference between the two eras of the 24 stud blocks. A pre war block will have a defined flat ledge in this area you can easily place a pencil on this surface. of the block. The latter 59 era blocks have a sharper radius to the front cover in this area there's no flat ledge for a pencil to sit on. The 8BA -1949 and latter blocks also have this sharper radius identical to the 59 era blocks. Ronnieroadster
What are you talking about? Your response is filled with a bunch of misinformation. There is no such thing as a 59A built before 1945. The 59 designates it was designed in 1945. And, the pan rail freeze plugs were only used until about 1940. Yes, a few 59 marked blocks were made postwar as replacements for the prewar engines, and they were 221's, but they didn't have tin sleeves. My Dad has an NOS one of these blocks, as clean as the day it left the foundry. Kinda useless for the firebreathing engine he was wanting to build though as it couldn't be bored enough.
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