When do YOU consider a flathead block useless??

cracks in the stud holes to water jackets?

cracks from the valves to the cylinder??

busted from frozen water?

cracks in the main journals?

split down a cylinder from freezing (can it be sleeved)


I guess I don't want to look back 20 years from now and say, "If I had known they made/developed that, I wouldn't have hauled all of those flathead blocks to the s**** yard!

But, man, I have some that I really want out of my way!

Do you keep some for display engines

EDIT: I've taken one to the s**** yard....I was at a car show talking to an old fella that was a friend of a friend (hot rodder) and he said, "Yeah, I've got an old flathead engine you can have." Cool! I'll be out.....well, it had been sitting on the side of a creek bank (litterally) since the 265 Chevy came out. There wasn't a single thing worth saving. I still feel guilty...

 

Depends on how much money you want to spend on it. Web and rail cracks are hopeless. I've got one out behind the shop thats going for s****. It's so bad it's not worth my time. Early babbit engines are worthless to the hotrodder but a restorer may want it.
I've got a boat anchor right now that I'm using to mock up a test stand

 

Any of the above. It is sad though, throwing one away

 

What about if its been sitting with the heads off in an garden for 40 years or so?

 

Q. When do YOU consider a flathead block useless??

A . From the minute it left the factory.

 

We have never worried about those cracks. I there a reason to worry??

If it is otherwise good, these can be pinned and sleeved.

How busted? Split pan rails are pretty common and can be repaired

OK, that would be junk and we have thrown these in the s**** bin.

Probably junk also.

My 2c's.

Neal

 

Re: When do YOU consider a flathead block useless??

For many it was about 1955

 

I agree with NealinCA, some blocks are worth saving and I have seen some with 2-3 sleeves, some cracks can be fixed....some iof it depends on what kind of flathead your are going to build......from stock to blown, there is a lot of difference on the amount of stress that will be created. Something to think about.

 

have it hot tanked, find you a piece of tempered gl*** and make a table out of it.

 

if it was a 409 car block it might be worth it, if it had the right #'s

 

I'd fill the valve lifter chamber with dirt and plant flowers in it.

 

When you can find a good one that costs less to buy than fixing the bad one.

 

When the crank goes out through the pan, they are generally beyond repair.

 

SAVE SAVE SAVE!!! LOL There will be a day coming when we all wished we had saved more of them than we did....

 

Even being a die hard flathead guy, I thought that was a good one!

 

When do YOU consider a flathead block useless??

When the boat floats away....

 

I have an 8BA block that has one crack in the seat area....goes all the way down into the seat were I cannot even see. So it cannot be pinned. If anyone wants it, come and get it

 

I have a couple of bad ones, but I'm saving them in the hope that Hilary will be elected president and will be able to push through that socialized machinest care program.

 

WOW-ZEE-WOW-ZEE-WOW!!!! Damn, that's harsh... too bad they all can't be Ford 144 6'ers eh Chaz?

 

Anyone want a free one that could be repaired? It's here, come and get it.

 

In 1955 a small block was expensive, and the flatheads were cheap and getting cheaper. Now it is the other way around. But watch out, because the original small block will soon be out of production. Start putting them away for future use! It will be the most traditional engine of all time.

 

"the original small block will soon be out of production. Start putting them away for future "

I think it has been fully out of production as an original vehicle part for years, but is fully available as an aftermarket part from current production controlled by GM and by many aftermarket sources...
GM makes several completely different versions (I think outsourced now?) and the aftermarket makes lots--you could probably find 20 different blocks for the things still being made. Since this is all driven by the hobbiest market, not OEM needs, it is pretty safe to say SBC's will be available til demand drops dead.
When the flathead went out of production, there were huge available supplies of new and rebuilt units, declining demand, and no aftermarket suppliers sophisticated enough to make the block had there been demand...
but now, demand is back, original supplies are largely gone, and it smells like there will be a couple of aftermarket blocks coming along soon...for millionaires.

 

So...........how long did it take to get that one "unstuck"? Would that happen to be an organically lightened crankshaft I spy?

Glad both of my 8BAs are in a bit better shape than that

Tim D.

 

so I guess selling a running one with the radiator for $200.00 is a gift.

 

From the day it was made. I'm going to use Subaru WRX mills for all projects. Old cars and old technology are so yesterday.

 

Billetproof goes and Kirk turns to the evils of "Newness" TVs next hot rod reality show......... Boyd Kirkington??

A useless Flattie?? Didnt know there was such a thing!

 

When your machinist makes you pick up the one you just dropped off because he cant find all the cracks. Im tearing down my second flathead now to see if I can have better luck next time.

 

[QUOTE Boyd Kirkington??
QUOTE]

Oh my god. I hurt all over from that one.....Not worse that that loud banging noise from the bottom end of my 36 though. :-(

 

I was out with my buddy fishing one day and when he went to pull up his boat anchor and there was an old flathead attached to it. I'll be durned if the thing wasn't still running. We knew it had been down there since the late 40's because it had a little br*** rebuild tag on it......

"They don't call 'em flyin' flathead for nothin'!

 

Cracked from 'here' to 'here'. You should see the water pump! We keep it around just in case.