SBC vs Flathead

Hello evryone. Here's my situation, I recently purchased a 1950 Mercury 2dr. The engine is complete but not running. Should I rebuild the flathead or go with another crate engine? I'm not trying to be cheap, I just want to get the best bang for my bucks. Thanks for your advise.

 

sbc= cheap, flathead= $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ if i had deep pockets i would do a flathead! but you cant go wrong with a sbc, or ford. whatever you like.

 

Please don't put a small block in it....to me you pull the flatty you ruin the car

 

pull the flattie build it for an open wheeled hot rod. dump a small block in the merc for cruisin. best of both worlds.

 

" I just want to get the best bang for my bucks." Sounds like chevy talk.

 

Flathead all the way. Traditional,reliable,a friggin work horse of an engine.And most of all it ain't a small block. Ford engines In a ford and bow ties are for dinner suits

 

It's a no brainer..... Small block!
Save that flattie for a Model A or a Deuce...

 

That Merc needs a better heartbeat so drop in that mouse motor!

 

Why go Chevy on the 350. An Olds 350R or 400 would be dead nuts reliable and good ones aren't that hard to find. Or a 425 out of a 77/79 Cad.

I had a 350R in the 51 Merc that I had for 32 years for a number of years and lots of miles including one trip to Texas and Bonneville in 1989. It usually pulled around 18 miles or more per gallon on road trips.

 

I love flatheads. I have three of them. But the truth is, they've been yanking flatheads and putting in SBCs since '55. Pure fact. Traditional as it gets.

 

Why is it that you can't consider anything but a bellybutton Chebbie for a swap? If you're going to consider bastardizing a nice car like that with a boring Chebbie engine, why not just sell it to someone who'll appreciate it, and just get a Chebbie car?

 

you must be rich? can you buy me a flathead? not that im cheap, just broke cause work is slow!

 

All depends on your pockets, but build what your gonna be happy with the most though.....

 

Putting a sbc in your merc will only de-value the car and make it less interesting.

I love how people buy nice old cars and then want to make a bunch of changes but they all have to be cheap. Working/building old cars is not cheap.

 

Probably wants to do it like real hot rodders did it back in the late '50s.

 

Depends on what you want to do with the car. Do you want to jump in and drive to Salina or Austin for the weekend, or do you want to drive it around Barstow all the time? I drove mine for three years carting around water pumps, wheel bearings, etc...because the local NAPA doesn't carry the usual things that fail on a road trip for a 50-51 Merc...but they do carry SBC fuel pumps, etc..I like to hit the road with my car and be able to repair it when the inevitable happens. Flat Motors are probably the coolest thing to look at under a Merc hood, but when it overheats at every stoplight, no matter what you do (in my case aluminum heads, new radiator, new water pumps, 6 volt fan and shroud...)you get tired of being cool for cool's sake...But I drive the crap out of mine... To each his own.

 

Have you priced flathead parts/rebuilding? In this economy?

 

Wasn't that the "back bone" of hot rodding?

 

yep!

 

"Affordable" and "cheap" are not the same. I did a lot of research a while back when I got my flathead(s). There is also a strong chance the flathead block is cracked and not rebuildable; sometimes you have to go through a half dozen or more cores to find a good one. It's hard to even spot the cracks, sometimes they show up after the engine is assembled. Flatheads are bad ass if you have a shitload of cash and don't mind less than 200 H.P. on the street. An Olds Rocket, Nailhead, or early Caddy OHV V8 would also be a good choice, but still cost $$$$. SBC is traditional and affordable. Don't put in a smogger 305 with EFI. A 283 or 327 done right with three deuces, finned aluminum valve covers, etc., what's not to like? Plus it will have way more power.

 

Nope, not cheap.

Just excited to get the Merc on the road. I've been wanting one ever since I was 8 years old now 31 years later I finally have one. The oldest car I've had was my 64 SS Impala. I really want to do this car right. Just wanted to get other opinions from others who have more experience on the subject.

 

Thanks, that's some good advice

 

Look in the old car mags from the late 50s early 60s, you'll see WAY more OHV V8s than flatheads. Keep the flathead for a later project, hopefully a lightweight roadster with no hood so you can show it off!

 

I want to drive it and show it off. From San Diego to Vegas and to where ever I can.

Availability of parts is something I've been considering.

 

do this call, h&h flatheads and ask what it will cost to get the motor done right! after you hear what it cost i bet you wont go that route. its expensive! and if i had the money i would take it to mike at h&h, they do them right! but if cost is an issue get something you can afford, and drive the hell out of it!

i have a sbc in my shoebox and i love it!

 

I love flatheads but at the same time I want to get in and drive anywhere. I like turning a wrench but I don't like doing it all the time. SBC all the way reliable and cheaper

 

Flathead parts are available. Just expensive as Hell, as is an experienced flathead rebuilder. Remember, they haven't made these engines in over fifty years, fewer and fewer engine rebuilders know how to do them right. It's easy to spend five grand on a stock rebuild, just to make 85 H.P.? Maybe $7K-$10K to make 175 H.P. SBC=350-400 H.P. for around $3-$4K, way less if you know the right people/have a good parts stash.

 

Those are some good options, thanks

 

I've seen his site. The shop is about 2 hours away from me, I go that way alot so I was gonna stop by and check it out.

 

Max Sr. Max Jr. and Mike are good guys! and they know what the hell they are doing! they will give you a shop tour and show you how its done right!