Hot Rods Replacing SBC with a Flathead ??

I have always loved the Ford Flathead and I won’t be happy until I have one. I’m looking to replace the current 327 SBC with a cool 8BA in my 29 Tudor. Looking for thoughts and opinions .

 

My hero. Don’t limit yourself to just an 8ba. 38 thru 48 engines are actually a little bit easier to install.
Be prepared to invest 5000 in a well built flathead.

 

I thought it was for sale?

 

Was but off the market for now

 

Coolness is inversely proportional to performance.

 

I went the other way. Merc Flathead cracked so I went with 283.

 

Why do you want to go slower?

 

Careful, that kind of logic will have LS motors in everything.

 

I did the same with a Rocket, out with the bellybutton

 

I wish we were closer, i want to go the other way.

 

Once you find a crack free one, it’s a piece of cake!

 

Ol' "Stormin Norman" pulled the SBF out of his chopped 'n' channeled '30 American Austin, replaced it with a '53 Ford 8BA and '39 box. It was more difficult goin' flathead than if he were to have gone the 'other way'.

 

Wear it out man

 

Because it’s bad ass! I’ve wanted to build one and I will one of these days. Bought one and it sat around. Sold it. I’ll get another. Even if I just run it on a stand. I too have a SBC in a Tudor. I don’t drive it fast anyway.

 

Nuthin has the mojo and sound of a flathead....

 

LS motors in everything?
Blasphemy That kind of thing would totally send the cool meter into permanent retirement.
I’m not sure there’s a cool meter that measures in negative numbers.

 

Never was a fan of the flat head A stock 49 ford v8 and a 144 cu inch Falcon both had the same 1/4 mile times.

 

You must be out 'yo got dam mind!

 

I see on Pinkee's Instagram page he's building a roadster that will go either way. SBC or FH.

 

Does that mean it will run on Bud Light???

 

6 cylinder falcon engines= unoiled Singer sewing machines.
The only better sounding engine than flathead is a hemi. And absolutely nothing looks better than a dressed flathead.

 

Do your own thing. Who you gonna please with that thing ? Answer...... Me !

 

Now that’s funny!!! Hope he doesn’t have “tranny” trouble!

 

It’s good to see this is happening more often. Gut your early Ford from the orange blob and make it a real hot rod. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

 

Why do you want to replace something that is eazy to get parts for...Any parts house in America will have Chevy parts....You will be dealing with something that is prone to overheating and won't perform like that smallblock....I am not a Chevy guy but would rather have that than a flatmotor...I always had nothing but problems with flatheads....

 

A well built flat head with a proper cooling system will run just as cool as any other motor. Mine is bored out an 1/8" and it runs at 170 degrees all the time. If I had that small block Chevy in my car I'd be real tempted to leave it alone. There will be a lot of work to put the flat head in there where the Chevy was plus you are used to driving the Chevy, which will out perform the flat head. I got to admit the flatty is cooler but it's performance is just so so. I didn't build mine because it would be a screamer, I built it because it is cool and that is what was done back in the day with Model A's.

 

Don't sell the chevy motor quite yet.

 

Or...build a blown flattie and have cool and performance.

 

Yep it’s been said here already, Flatheads are not cheap, and don’t perform well unless you put a blower or even a Turbo But that sound from the Flattie and all the finned hotrod goodies can not be beat! Below is my Flathead going into a 1920 Buick on a Model A chassis.

 

Do yourself a favor and read up the threads on how crap those aircleaners are for performance. (Yeah everyone buys them... that's part of the problem)