Flatheads: Whats the most HP you've seen/heard?

How much HP can someone realistically squeeze out of an old Ford flat head?

Is 400 HP a fairytale? I was told by a guy today he built a 400 HP flathead "back in the day"

Is this possible or could you even get more. Im not talkin nos or turbos. Just hotrod it up a bunch, lotsa carbs, big cam, headers and ported, maybe race fuel(???) Trying to keep it period correct to when this guy said he built it?

 

400 is a fairy tale.

200-220 HP is about all yer gonna see outta a 296 inch flatmotor with flatheads; you can see more out of an OHV conversion or more with a hilborn setup - but not much more than 300HP with a bunch of trick stuff. Even then - it ain't gonna live long; a 3 main bearing motor doesn't like being twisted hard with that much power on tap...

 

When my little 239 is done it should fart out about 145hp

I belive the original So-Cal coupe had 460hp. It had a ARDUN equipped Flathead with a Potvin blower and 4 deuces.

-Dean

 

280 with the blower on.

 

i knew a guy 15 years ago that had a 52 or 53 ford convertable. he said he was getting 250. it had edelbrock heads, three pot intake, headers, big cam, ect. he acted like 250 was a big deal.

 

I believe you could get 400 HP from a flathead. You would have to somehow get it into orbit around the earth. Upon reentry, friction would generate immense amounts of heat in the form of BTUs. When these BTUs are converted into HP it would greatly exceed 400.

In other words, the guy who told you that he got 400HP out of a flathead back in the day, is a poser.

 

(Baron-Williams lakester #71) has gone 206 mph, at el mirage
It’s a Ford flathead with a B & M blower that puts out 400 horsepower. sure it didnt live long though,either way i dont think Tony Baron is a poser.

 

I found a reference online to the current landspeed record holder using a flathead. Claims of 700hp, but the site didn't disclose the engine size or mods, just that it was flathead powered. Street Rodder did a buildup with a 255ci, 400jr Isky cam, dual carbs, ported, etc... they got a cool 185hp....

Flatman

 

I don't think he is a poser either, but his accomplishment was not "back in the day."

 

Flathead Jack's twin engine dragster just might be a contender! 400 HP each? Ya think? We'll have to ask him.

pigpen

 

BAaaahahahahahaahhaaahaha

Oh come on we all heard the drunk that had that old flathead that could run down the strip in 7 seconds, and dynoed back in 58 at 415 hp...

umm did they even have dynos then...

 

Yeah, but was that 415 at the rear wheels?

 

Yates-Newmire pulled 435 hp out of a 371 GMC blown 248'' Ford on 50% in 1955...story in April '55 R&C
302

 

Probably around 180 to 200 without mortgaging the farm. Them old flatmotors ain't for racin' anyway, their for grinnin'!

 

Flatfire.com - 653hp - 300mph

 

Down here in NZ....we got one that pulls 650hp......heres the link http://www.fullspeed.to/flathead I think its the quickest out side of the states....if not the quickest .....if anybody can a KIWI can

 

Dave Tatom's 296-cid motor in his XF/BSTR made some pulls of just over 400 hp on Walt Austin's dyno. In addition to his decades of flatmotor building experience lavished in the major areas of the lump, Dave runs a super-efficient Whipple blower and a very trick exhaust system. Most-respectable numbers for a gas motor.

Vern Tardel's 286-cid XF/BFMR motor recorded pulls of 441 hp at the rear wheels on Flowmaster's chassis dyno. This was on alcohol, no pop added. In addition to his own expertise, Vern trades on the five-plus decades of race-winning, record-setting flathead-building of his mentor, Ed Binggeli to produce these numbers.

These are verifiable, documented real-world numbers. No computer modeling and no dis-remembered achievements from the way-back were employed.

 

I don't recall what HP this guy from Canada said he was running, but I do remember he said he ran 156.5 mph on the salt in the roadster. One thing I know for sure, it was the sweetest, baddest sounding flatty I've ever heard!

 

what about the millenium flathead? It was vortec centrifugally supercharged, injected, had the exhaust out of the top of the block. I seem to remember it making 450hp, it went into the millenium full streamliner, which crashed.

 

what is going on in the bottom photo? I cant see a water pump or a block off plate?? but on the otherside it has a water outlet plumbed. was the car in for some work and this is removed? or does it run like this? would be interested to know.

cheers.

 

Almost forgot this one as well from NZ.....the Hogan/Martin/Rea XF/BFR.....in 2003 they ran 187mph at Bonneville which was a record for the class.....I dont think they have been back.....there goal was to go 200...dont know what the HP of the motor was ....but it would have been up there.....I think another project for Hogan has got in the way of a return to the salt......but im sure they will be back .....as they have a goal to achive

 

Yep - they ran 187 to claim the record - with only 6 cylinders! The thing hydrauliced on the start line and somehow burst into life at the last minute. They are planning to be back at the Salt in 2006 - with a spare engine.

I crew on this car and can confirm the numbers. Best has been an 8.2@159mph on the 1/4. Consistantly runs in the 8.4 region - all on alky only. The block has more cracks than a girl's school to risk nitro.

Would be keen to see info about Flathead Dragsters Stateside and what numbers they are running....

Noddy

 

27.8hp from a 4 banger!!

oh sorry wrong thread............

Outback

 

Yeah Outback.... now we're talking!

 

dude,

thats at the rear wheels tho

 

Mine made 118 hp at the wheels. Stock heads, dual 94's on a Fenton, mystery cam, adjustable lifters, .042 jets, 1 1/2 zoomies, 5 speed, banjo w/4:10 gears.
Now it has Offy heads and alot more experience with tuning I know it makes more....quite a bit more.

 

look at the dizzy on both. One old style the other,later model mag.
Andy

 

A 276 I built 4 years ago pulled 195 with a trick intake. It is now a happy driver around Ohio in the 26T coupe. Probably very little loss in hp with the Offy 4v intake and a 600 Edelbrock that the new owner put on it.

Joe Abbin has been pulling 315 from a Roadrunner ( Joe IS Roadrunner) blown 276 the past few weeks. He is refining things and plans to write an article. Thanks to Flat Ernie for the details.

 

More info as to 286's post on Joe Abbin dyno test he posted.

A couple of days ago I received an e-mail from a guy in Canada that’s installing a Joe Abbin blower kit on his flatty. He traded some flatty blocks with Joe to get the blower.

Attached to his e-mail was some dyno info that Joe had faxed to him on a motor he’s built called “Killer.”

This motor is 276 cu.in. 8BA relieved block about .030” in the rear of the valve area. It includes Offy .425 stock aluminum heads and a Isky 400 Jr. cam. The heads were cc’d and out of the box were a pretty consistant at 63 cc’s. After some clean-up over the valve area they cc’d at about 65. Final compression ratio was 8.2:1. The crank is a Merc 4” turned .020/.020.

There were a minimum of 3 pulls made on all dyno tests.

The first tests were unblown and utilized a 2-carb intake with I believe 97 carbs. Results were 199 HP @ 5,100 rpm.

The second tests were with a 3-carb intake, no other changes made. Results were 217 HP @ 5,100 rpm.

The third tests were with a Weiand 174 blower and 4 barrell Holley 600 carb. Results were 315 HP @ 5,100 rpm. A printout of the test is attached as well as a pic of the motor on the dyno. Notice how flat the torque curve appears between 2500 and 5200 rpm (top line on the sheet.) Boost pressure was between 3-1/2# to about 6#. One test yesterday showed a HP rate of 330.

For most of the tests Joe found that the best timing was 21 degrees advanced total. HP losses were seen at timing above that and according to Joe the drop off of HP really drops the further the timing is advanced. On one test at 31 degrees they had to stop the test cause they felt they were going to hurt the motor.

A HP rate of 400 in 1958 seems highly suspect to me. (They musta used a “Seat of the pants” dyno.)

According to Joe the 174 blower produces 174 cuin/rev. He says a 3-71 produces around 208 cuin/rev.

 

Wasn't there an article about 3 or 4 years ago in Rod and Custom about a 276 flatty that pulled 275 hp? It was a simple twin jug basic flatty that was dynoed at 275hp at the fly wheel.... or am I just high and can't remember shit?

Geno