I haven't seen a thread on this. If there is one I'm sorry. I have searched Google here etc never seen anyone talk about how many miles they have got out of a flattie. What's everyone's most mileage they have got or seen from a 8ba. Also was it stock if not what's a brief description of the mods.
I rebuilt an 8ba .060 over with stock cam, 3 speed and stock rear end in a 52 ford customline and was quite surprised when i did the math. I was averaging about 50 smiles to the gallon.
Basically stock 8ba in my 52 Mainline, have a Bubba distributer, and a reworked holly 94 carb. Backed by a 3speed OD out of a '53 and the stock rear, running around 18-20 on the highway. But as 29tudor says, the smiles per gallon are way up there!
I had a '51 Ford with a stock rebuild in high school in the '50's; overall, 14 MPG. I have had my current stocker since 1987; overall, 14 MPG.
My dad use to tell me the story of when he borrowed his dad's 50 club coupe to drive down to California from Northern Oregon........said on one stretch he got 24 MPG in overdrive! He was astounded and said he never had a car that would come close to that.
"how many miles they have got out of a flattie..." Is the question about gas mileage ( mpg), or miles before major service ( rings, valves ?) ?
Mild 8BA in my 2250 lb roadster gets 19/20 mpg(US gallon) To 29tudor, At what institute of higher learning did you study math? If in fact, you are getting 50 mpg you have a very valuable formula. I would patent it immediately.
On a 2400 mile round trip to fla, 21-22 mpg 276 ci,9:1cr ported relieved 1.6-1.5 valve 400 Jr. Cam. 3sp with od,halibrand qc,308:1 final dr. 31in rear tire. As long as I stayed at 1800-1900 rpm at 65 mph I was good. 2000 and above it drank. 1/2 quart of oil down 1/2 quart back. It was a happy motor for sure.
FYI folks, 29tudor said Smiles per gallon, not miles. It is an important distinction, and arguably the much more important way to measure the performance of a flathead. I would like to make the age old argument that it doesn't matter one bit what kind of mileage you get. If it is 8 or 28 mpg, drive it, and enjoy it. If you are worried about mileage, drive a fricking Prius and see how many little kids and cute girls wave too you when your cruising down the road.
The mpg would have been my second question haha actually I was curious to lifespan as in miles after rebuild before ya needed to build again I'm making a daily driver and live in a rural area I will be packing on a lot of miles
Keep the oil clean and the cooling system clean and drive it responsibly. You will enjoy many, many miles of service. I've driven 50 dollar smoking, knocking flatheads across the Mojave desert and litterally beat the hell out of them. Never had one quit. Boil over ? Of course. Use anti rust in the cooling system once it's thoroughly clean. Gas mileage? One '50 four door clunker w/overdrive from Denver to L.A -- 21 MPG in 1960.
Guess I should have been more careful when I read 29tudor's post. It would be quite easy to get 50 plus SMILES per gallon when driving a flattie. We do it all the time.
On that note, mine has over 91k on the odometer and never been opened up so far as I can tell, runs great. Last fall I did a "fall color run", turned over 400 miles on a Saturday, never skipped a beat. Basic maintenance does wonders with anything.
Just as with any other engine the whole setup of the vehicle contributes a lot to gas mileage. Also the driving conditions. My daily gets 23/27 on the road and is lucky to get 13 in town. I found out on a road trip to Texas a couple of years ago that great 80 mph speed limit cost 5mpg over running 73/75 in that same daily. for 5 mpg I could let the left lane burners breeze by me and never get insulted. I'm hoping for 20 -25 with my 8BA in my 31 A Vicki with a T-5 behind it running dual 94s on the open highway. I'm not too worried if I do or don't get it though as I'll count smiles per mile when I get on the road with it. As long as I can do those long stretches of the western US that some times have 100+ between any sort of gas station without carrying extra gas strapped to the running board I'm good.
I have been seriously considering the Evans waterless coolant Sent from my SCH-I545 using H.A.M.B. mobile app
When the cars in question were new 100K miles wasn't unheard of for owners who took good care of that flathead, and didn't have a teenage son (like I was), out street racing it at times, and treated it insanely. Today's oil is far better than then, as is oil and air filtration, and there are far better bearing materials and piston/ring technology now. Treated right and driven sanely, well over 100K should be a good probability with modern tech and oils available now But take it from one who drove the Ford V/8 , of the 30s,40s, and 50s, and the flat head 6, plus the 52 &later I-6 OHV. Stock against stock, the I6 OHV was a more efficient, more durable engine and stock for stock faster than the 8BA cars, but the Merc. engines with the 4" crank were stronger in torque influenced contests.
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