hi guys...does anybody know how to tell if an old flatty is running vintage speed equipment or repops?...I have an old merc flatty in my 30 coupe..I think the intake and heads are vintage, or so I was told, but how can a guy tell?...its running 3 carbs on an elderbrock intake and heads...no markings on the heads, but a mark of SU 349 on the intake...but I think the repops sport the same mark?couldnt find a pic of the intake..I'll keep looking
well the deal is that I was told this stuff was bolted on when the car was built in 1958...so I'm just trying to verify that incase I sell it, or just in conversations at a show or whatever, I want to make sure I'm getting the facts straight...most everything about the coupe is old and orig to the build, including the old lacquer paint, but I would want to know what was added to the car along the line and what wasnt
Some can be directly distinguished...if you manifold has the forward bracket like original generator bracket, it is original...lack of this place to mount a fan can be a real problem. Not all originals had the bracket, though. Likewise, not all had open heat ports in middle, but if yours has it, again definitely original...and current publications say they work better with the heat there under most cir***stances. As with the manifold, the heads made now are from new tooling and will be distinguishable, but I've never actually looked at a new one and can't tell you what to look for specifically. Be ***ured you can tell. Hmmm...if you can see a piston like that, previous owner might have over-revved the engine...
Brand new heads are totally different looking...different lettering, shallower plug recesses and take a long reach plug. You can spot them a mile away. But in the case of "older" edelbrock heads, or Navarro..who never really quite making them...what is the line of original vs repop? The navarro heads on my 34 I bought brand new a couple years ago. But I was told when I bought them that the same foundry has been using the same molds to make them since the 40's. So are mine repops?
Compliment them on how pretty they look, and when the time is right, ask them if they'd like to get a burger at the drive in this weekend.
Not in Missourah. they use a different aluminum alloy on the newer stuff, less likely to corrode. I hate to mention this but if I wanted to know I would pull the heads and or intake and look for corrosion. I got to chuckle I read the ***le and my brain said "I dated a 4-71 and got blown once"
That won't hide the corrosion. Those old heads get pitted on the head face and around the water p***ages. They are really obvious when you have one in your lap.
Here's a pic of a SU349 I'm running and it's quite old. I've also included a pic of the new version. The difference is easy to see. The contour lines around the intake runners on the new one's are much sharper. Also, the carbs seem to sit a bit higher on the old ones. The SU349 is an 8BA intake...can't really see yours in your pic but I see you are running early heads. Not sure about those.
oh yea..you can see the difference in the polishing of the metal...I would say mine is old..looks exactly like yours, just more oxidized....thanks for that pic!!
Yes, as I mentioned, your heads are for earlier flatheads (24 stud '38 to'48). They had centered hose connections. The 8BA (49-53) had them up front. Your intake is for an 8BA ('49 to'53). Apparently somebody put the earlier heads on your late Merc engine. ..nothing wrong with that if they did the necessary steps.
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