Hot Rods Replacing SBC with a Flathead ??

I have all the respect in the world for the small Chevy.....in fact I'm a Chevy guy. Got a couple smallblock cores sitting in my shed. Also building an S-10 with an LS3/Tremec TKO 5 speed and my sons 56 Chevy truck with an LY6/4l80. These engines are usually covered and unseen, but I like em.

I think an aluminum headed flathead is an awsome looking engine in an old coupe or sedan. Always liked how they looked. They are not an inexpensive engine to build and do not offer the performance level of most any of the Chevy V8s except maybe a 265/283 thats mostly stock. Put a later model T5 trans behind one and get decent performance and good cruisability/driveability and they should be fun to drive.

I have to admit that I never saw an engine that looked better in an old Hot Rod than a Chrysler Hemi.......just something about those massive heads filling the engine compartment that just always appealed to me. The thing is, they are very heavy and most of them that can be found are of very limited displacement. So now I have kinda mixed feelings about them because I know they are most likely not a 392. But no matter what, I still like how they look.

The Oldsmobile is a pretty decent looking engine and can be made to produce decent power. You can get the later model ones and get a lot of displacement. Again, I like how they look and can be pretty fast.


Pontiac engines look fine, but for some reason they just never got very popular. I don't know why.

Buick engines have a special look about them because of the vertical valve covers. Some people really like that look. Usually everyone puts some finned aluminum valve covers on them. To me, I always thought the head design was counter productive to air flow and horsepower. That said, they can be made to produce very good HP if a later model larger cube version is used.

Cadillac........well the older style 365/390 is getting hard to come by and looking for performance parts for them shows the reality of short supplies and high costs. I had a 365 with 2-4s in my younger days. Right now, just that intake manifold is probably gonna cost $1,000. The nice cast valve covers aren't outrageous but not cheap either. Probably difficult to find any performance parts but with some effort it can be done. BUT.......looking slightly further down the road, a 472/500 Cad can be had pretty cheaply. Many times they have low mileage and can run with a little carb and distributor work. An aluminum intake (Edelbrock) will cost you $500 and used about $300.........while you can pick up a Chevy intake for half that. Carb price about the same and convert to a Pertronix distributor set up for the same price. If you need pistons, you can get cheap ones still or spend more for forged ones. Prices on them seem to be comparable to Chevy. Where you kind of have to bite the bullet is camshaft, rocker arm stuff. No cheap options there. Camshft not too bad but decent rockers are expensive. You can however adapt other roller rockers with a little work. RPM range is somewhat limited (no 6500/7000 rpms)......but you have torq out the ying yang all the way up to 5700 and will probably be traction limited. 500 cu in/475-500 hp easily and more if you want to go for it. And it weighs less than most other engines except the smallblock Chevy. Its about 50 lbs heavier than a smallblock and 50 lbs lighter than a Big Block. A lot going for it and you can pick them up for $500 most of the time.

I don't want to dis any engine out there. The Chevy is an excellent choice and it can be made to look distinctive if the builder puts a little thought into it. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,
but in this case it also has a lot of logic behind it. A builder should build the car that THEY dreamed about.

I do believe that engine choice (even a Chevy) and how its "optioned" determines a lot about its final appearance.

 

The OP wants a flathead. He's considering a flathead in his Model A. In my opinion his car has a strong early to mid-'60s vibe that to me does not mesh with a flathead V8.

To me, a Model A Flathead powered car aka an AV8 ought to be rawer with crusty black paint, generators, 6V, '39 top-shift-top -loader, 16"V8 wires, dual pots, bias-plys, gasoline stains and encrusted in the 1930s.

I'll say it again, if he wants to scratch his flathead itch, his best bet, cheapest bet, is to get a running post war sedan or coupe.
Alas, it's his car he can do what he wants.

That's you opinion but I disagree.

Huh??? I don't see this, especially today. I don't get this neo-hatred for the little Chevy. It's not based in reality.
What I do see since all too often since I'm a Shoebox Ford guy are fellows getting chastised to nauseum for putting a "period perfect" little Chevy into a "period perfect" little Ford.
My Coupe is running a 239.
I've been all into a Y blocks.
I have a soft spot for Stovebolts.
I considered 331 and Hydro for the F1.
It looks like I may help out somebody with a Nailhead.
So....
Again, I don't get this hatred about the Small Chevy.
The bus stop Fonzies from 1989 called, they want their gripe back.

 

A lot of differing opinions and factors to consider for sure. From a purely visual perspective....in my eye:
this version of your A fits a 327

and your earlier version lends itself more to a flathead.

 

Yup, those were the cars that made the magazines and inspired me.

 

Ya know, at my age I don’t care what people think of the clothes I wear, least of my worries is what they’d think of the engine I use.
I’m glad that you are concerned enough about putting something together to please someone else.
And I prefer the think of it as a belly button engine, GM didn’t produce many Japanese SBCs if memory serves.

 

actually @Austin kays just replaced an SBC with a flatty in his coupe. Big flatty out of a fire truck. He is a flathead freak and just chose the biggest bestest one he could find.

 

Original 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 Flathead Ford Mercury Oil Pan 8BA Rear Sump | eBay

he sold 13 of them already at that price?

= its a rich mans game.

end

ooh, does the starter plat bolt to the bit on the back 'do you 'need' it?
is the oil pick up tube for /\ pan specific to the rear bowl over a centre bowled 3 ribber


ahh has to be... and its baffled..
'pah'!


oh p.s does the above vehicle happen to already have a t5 manual transmission
muncie pattern.
flathead adaptor for chevy fork
take rad and grille off
remove engine
bolt on flathead to t5 bell house
bolt on half bell
bolt on 8ba
bolt in flatty to 32 frame rail engine mounts
bolt on lakester headers
buy new flatty for 32 radiator
.
transfer tripple carburettors
transfer 12 volt dynalternator

 

It now has a 5 speed transmission from an S10

 

the stock s10 clutch at 14 splines is 9.5'' or 241mm?
if so the pressure plate will fit a late model 8ba flywheel, 6 at 60 degree's
you can buy the flathead adaptors with a chevy fork, does the pivot ball and fork from the s10 fit the flathead adaptor?
the later car 8ba's have a central oil pan bowl which will hit the drag link i favor.
also, i reckon because you have a 28/9 body on b rails, you will gain 1.5'' from cowl to grille shell over a stock 32 at 32 inches, you will be 33.5, so you might squeeze the later twin belt 8ba set up in there and use the stock fan and upright dizzy.
though you will ahve to switch the pulleys onto truck pumps.
is the sbc on flat biscuit mounts?

or the short answer is,
is it possible that the car can be fitted with either engine.
considering you will or may not have to do any driveshaft lengthening, clutch pedal fabracobbling, clutch alteration, wireing , exhaust work if going lakestyle,
hmmm

 

I like the headers on the blue 32. Are they Sanderson? I need a set for the new 32 I am building. I strech the wheelbase. My old 32 has 3.5" longer wheelbase than stock. old 32 has a flathead with 3.5" longer wheelbase.

 

Sorry, but I don't know who made them. There is a thread on here devoted to the old Cad engines or maybe someone else will recognize them.

 

I have always loved the Ford Flathead and I won’t be happy until I have one
The above statement says it all. No doubt the Chevy small block is cheaper, and easier, but, is that what it's all about? We only go around once, so, do what pleases you. Then again, I admit to being biased.....

 

i read an oil bath actually takes less power than those cheapy air cleaners.

 

they usually ran caddy motors, olds rocket engines, and Y blocks, the 1955 265 was a dog, didnt even have an oil filter.
there may have been small block chevies swapped in in the 50s, but i rarely see them that are 100% era correct.

 

A lot of flatheads don't have oil filters, either; does that make them dogs as well?. Guys started swapping in 265s as soon as they could find (and afford) them. Within a year of their release, HRM had two articles on hopping them up, and the race was on.

 

To me the reason I think people are over the sbc is that it's just a default use engine. Many fit it because it's just the easiest cheapest functional option. It just seams they run out of effort or imagination when it comes to the power train. The other reason is the attitude "you have to have a sbc if you want to drive" . That just reflects ignorance.

 

Seems to me that the opithat upset people the most is one that's opposite to popular opinion. If people don't care why does my humble opinion generate so much response. My guess is people don't like someone not liking an aspect of their car. Or they wouldn't feel the need to respond.

 

You just don't know when to pull the pin, do you? It almost seems as if all you want to do is stir shit.
No one has an issue with the fact that you prefer other engine options to the small block chev. Many share that stance with you. The problem comes with the way you put that opinion across. Why do you need to criticise what others choose to do??? With comments like the one quoted below, no wonder you are starting to attract some aggressive attention. Stop being a dick.......

And, by the way, what the fuck is an "opithat"????

 

Because you are rude.

 

No worries, Google doesn’t know either…

 

Keep guessing, you'll figure it out. Dammit, gotta scrape my shoe again...

 

My flathead is a dog, lol. I love my flathead, but as soon as anyone starts talking about power and performance, I have no idea why they'd choose a flathead. I understand they can be blown and put out some decent performance, but if performance is what ur after, unless it's an era correct drag car or something, I'd probably choose a different power plant than a flathead. I did see a super cool cracker jack race boat with a flathead in it this week that tempted my wallet!

I don't have any hate for a mouse at all. I do try and keep Fords in Fords and gm in gm tho. Not to impugn anyone else's choices....

 

Zackly right..........I wear lots of "old" clothes too, especially dirty ones that can suffer the abuse of grinding,sanding,welding,crawling,pressure washing and painting and come back again and again for more abuse. I think it makes me look nostalgic......

 

There is nothing like a great thread...and this is nothing like a great thread. But it is none the less entertaining.

Is it possible the OP just doesn't like this car? I have seen buddies change tires and wheels, redress the engine, change the exhaust, add stripes or flames, we have seen guys wrap their cars and keep changing the appearance. I don't think the OP should waste the money on a flathead for this car. Send this one down the road and build what you really want. A strong, flathead powered, period hot rod, from the ground up.

If I am mistaken OP, my sincerest apologies. My mom always told me to not judge a book by its cover. Of course, Hugh Hefner taught me different. Sorry mom.

 

Well said!

 

Now THAT'S an understatement!!!

 

Hello,
are you going to see even more 'street rods' with sbc's
transitioning into the flat head?

 

Your car, do what you want with it, but I like it with the chrome wheels & small block. I'm not a flathead guy by any strech, I do like the looks of a dressed flathead, also like a well dressed Buick nailhead. That being said, about a month ago I commited to buy a friends flathead that was rebuild about 10 years ago. He is loosing his storeage space, he asked me if I wanted it. Sure I said, since then my cousin decided to not put a flathead in his 32, so now I will have to but a car for it. By the way whats a rebuilt flathead worth?

 

A "default use engine "? You mean the same way that flatheads were until the new crop of OHV V8s blew them out of the water?