i'm getting rid of some more flathead stuff now, and i need a bit of help to know exactly what i have. what should i be looking for on flathead blocks to know what era they are? the 49 and newer has a bellhousing that bolts right on, correct? i will post pictures if needed, but i wasn't gonna do that until i run the cl***ified ads this weekend. thank you. tred.
Hello Tred- if you can make out the stamping on the top of the block, that will tell you the month and year that the engine was built...the stamping is on the back right corner of the top of the block, just next to the intake manifold, if you are looking at the back of the motor...here is a website that is very helpful in making out the codes that are stamped...good luck-Darren http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_specs-85to100mid.htm
just send it all to me....im not picky i'll take it all theres a ton of small differences...mainly...21 stud is till late 38 24 stud from very late 38-53...(ive seen a 24 stud 81A motor recently?) 49-53 the entire bellhousing bolts on before that the top half is part of the block fords and mercs are the same bore after WWII but before WWII fords were smaller bore theres ALOT more to type...pictures and bore measurements would be best i think or like i said...i'll just take it all off your hands good luck zach
'49-up have unbolting bell, only meaningful distinction is between blocks with and without hard seats, and of course any containing Merc cranks. Most are dated, but dates aren't of any real use. Most earlies you encounter will be 24 studders with "59" on bell, the 3 3/16 bore '46-48 and universal replacement and hotrod retrofit motor. 24 studs with no marking on bell or 21 studs need considerable explication based on details. If you have any, describe what you see and I'll ask any questions needed to ID. I'll help haul away the s**** too...
I think I have a 41 or 42 99A block with the keystone-shaped water p***ages. Is that year/block anything special?
I think you may be limited in bore size. Fel-Pro makes a head gasket for these that limits your bore size to 3.290"
I haven't gotten into tearing it down yet, but I heard racers preferred 99A blocks for some reason. I heard they also had high nickel content (?) I'd think you could modify another 24-bolt gasket to get the bore size up.
The 99A has verydamnthick cylinder walls and was the common choice for dragsters and such. They are generally apparently happy at 3 7/16, where most blocks are getting scary. The keystone headgasket is obsolete and should not be used--engines with prewar heads should have heads redrilled in center p***ages and use the late ('46-8) gasket, prewar engines with postwar heads (which would include nearly all aftermarket heads) would use the late gasket with nothing altered. So, the short answer is that your 99 is a dangerous piece of junk; PM me your address and I'll drop by to haul it to the dump for you. Bruce
I ran across this while trying to find identification information on one of my flathead blocks. Maybe someone can help.
Bruce, Felpro still makes the keystone head gaskets, the part number is 7548-B. The engine in my roadster is a 40 Merc 99A block, with Edelbrock heads, and these Felpro gaskets.
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