History Flathead V8 in old farm equipment

I have been on the look out for a flathead - I have a lead... A flathead in an old hay bale machine - I asked a lot of questions and he knew nothing about it - the equipment is being scrapped so I will go check it out with the intention of rescuing the flathead from the scrap heap. I was told it ran 1 year ago and has been in the barn since.

My Question - Any ideas what that may be hidden away in that barn?
We will go up on Saturday to check it out - I will have cash in my pocket...

 

There was a discussion on the "Ford Barn" about a week ago on this very subject. The consensus was that flathead FORD V8 engines were not used in production by anyone. The baler probably has a flathead in it, but dollars to donuts it's a Chrysler Corp or Continental 6. If it is a Ford, it's probably a four. One of the posters there said that while Chrysler Corp was willing to sell the engines on a "consignment" basis (the farm equipment manufacturer did not have to pay the for the engine until the piece of equipment was sold), Ford wasn't. Ole' Henry was too cheap (or smart) to fall for that one!

If you find it is a flathead V8, post back here; there is some interest in this kind of information.

 

How long is the hay-baling season ? Off season it probably had a long snooze so maybe not to many hours on the clock compared to miles on a car.

 

Chances are quite high that it's a Wisconsin air-cooled 2 cylinder, or possibly a V4. I spent a lot of hours on the hay wagon behind a Wisconsin powered New Holland baler, all pulled around the field by a Farmall Super H. Even if it's not the Ford V8 you're hoping for, the Wisconsin engine would be worth hauling home and putting it on the market. They're stone solid powerplants, and a lot of people want them just to collect.

 

Well let me see two '55 Corvettes and one '57. A couple of 40 ford coupes and a deuce Vicky.

Something to think about, that flatty probably run right up against the governor every time it was run and no doubt for 12 hour plus stretches. It ought to be loose as a goose. That could be a good thing, you should be able to get in it and hammer the hell out of it right from the start. Or it could be worn enough that you stab the throttle and it comes apart.

Just something to think about.

 

My dad had a Gleaner Baldwin combine in the early 50's that had a B or C 4 cylinder powering it. It ran the combine but it was pulled by a tractor and had another man on a platform running a big wheel that moved the header up and down. Don't remember seeing a V8.

 

Around the central valley they used to power the orchard wind machines with gasoline motors, I have seen 2 Ford Flatheads V8s personally that were salvaged and were for sale. Problem is they had set in the cold freezing winter air for decades and as we all know it's a crap shoot on the damage so I passed.

 

i agree with ebbsspeed, probably a Wisconsin V-4....but check it out, who knows

when i was a kid about 13 i pulled a Wisconsin V-4 from a combine for a failed go-kart project

 

Lots of implements used different car motors over the years. I had Lincoln portable welder that had a ford flathead 6 in it for a while. I have seen tractors with Flathead v 8s in them over the years too. The deal is that when they are working they are working and when they are not they are not.

I would not be afraid of one but I never buy any used motor with the idea that is doesn't need work and if it doesn't need work I am pleasantly surprised.

Edit damn it I read that and I didn't even understand what I was trying to say.

 

Thank you for the info - I figure its worth a 2 hour trip to check it out. We will have tools and a hoist to pull it if its worth pulling. I will take pictures to post next week.

Its on property purchased by a local brewery so if nothing else we will come back with a few cases of beer.

 

Flathead Ford V8's may not have been factory sponsored in implement applications, but they HAVE been used in them. I've seen stories of flatheads in everything from storm sirens to water pumps. And KR Wilson also made some equipment power plants with Ford flattys.

 

Lots of good info so far.....by all means make the trip......and be prepared to look around when you get there. There may well have been a "1932 Ford Farm Recycling Program" in play at the farm years ago.....heres how it works. Old totally rusty 1932 Ford has served the family for generations.......pull the totally rusty body off.......drag it with a tractor to the ravine and dump it in to stop erosion........next pull the engine, trans and radiator to re-power the baler........next use the chassis/rear end/front axle to build a hay wagon to pull behind the baler using oak sawed at the neighbors sawmill !! I have vintage front axles, wide five wheels and rear axles which have ALL been salvaged from homemade junk farm wagons at farm sales.

I have seen lots of farm re-powers but I have never seen a Ford flathead used on a baler or hardly any water-cooled auto engines......they really would be a tough swap with radiator etc.

The Wisconsin air-cooled engines were widely used and very trustworthy......except if you ever shut one off on a hot July/August day to go to the house for a great farm lunch......they would NEVER re-start when hot......veterans always let them idle during a quick break. Back in 1999, I sold a vintage rail frame midget race car that had a Wisconsin V4 transplanted into it.....what a beast !
What you may actually find when you get there is actually a grain combine which is much bigger than a baler and were more often powered by automotive type engines with radiators.

Have fun

 

I have two Flathead V8s from surplus U.S. airforce street sweepers. These V8s were mounted in the tray of old Willys jeeps with a hand clutch & driveline turning the big brooms . Clocks show 50 & 80 hours use. . I should dig up the old pics i have.

 

subscribed

 

I have even seen an old style (unsafe) tree chipper powered by a flathead. A repower for sure.

 

Funk Bros in KA [Dorothy state] made kits to put a Ford v8 or 6L into a Ford 8N [i think] Tractors in the early 50's...Mainly for more power out the PTO for running Combines ect that were towed..Exuberance put through the drive train of the tractor usually resulting in breakage..Bet the farm kids liked those conversions!!

 

Some old asphalt mixing machines had Ford flatheads in them from the gitgo. Most places quit using
them in the '70's.

 

subscribed

 

I will take photos - and let you all know what I find... I will look all over that place - they are cleaning it out and stuff is just getting scrapped.... I will rescue anything I can.

GTC

 

This is what I have now - modified stock engine - new high compression head, distributor and centrifugal advance, Stromburg 97, Scalded Dog intake, and a bunch of other things done over the last year and a half on that engine... I was considering keeping the 4 banger and get all the HP I can out of it... but always thought about getting a Flathead in there - I want to stay traditional.

We will see where this goes.

 

Went up to check out the engine and found a complete 8BA flathead.

Gave him $300 and going back tomorrow to pull it out.

 

Well done, I would like to check out every lead I hear about but of course can't, glad to see you got something you wanted.

 

Well I'll be darned! Did you get the manufacturer of the baler? Does the engine installation look like it came from the factory that way? Congratulations on getting it.

 

Well we went out on Sunday and pulled the engine - 1949 8BA complete. The engine turned, it took us about two hours to get it out - we had to cut away some sheet metal, bracing and part of a roll cage to get at it. Apparently this came from the factory in this fork lift. The manufacturer is GERLINGER its an "industrial fork lift truck" we found an ad online for a used one with the same engine. I pulled the data plate so I have all the info. Here are a few pictures.

 

Got it home and got it part way apart, pulled the heads, the carb and intake, bell housing and the exhaust manifolds. The water pumps are next - soaking the bolts inside the water intake with PB Blaster so they don't break off. Have some small cracks that we will have to deal with.

 

Did you grab the radiator? It's probably got a little extra capacity in the way of tanks or rows of core.

 

Great score!

 

The cracks between the bolt hole and the water hole don't need fixing, but cracks that go above or below those holes, between the valves and cylinders, do need fixing.

 

awesome find! kind of a shame about the forklift though. Looked like something worth saving to me.