Technical Thinking about designing an 8BA block.

I keep reading something about the best old hemi blocks had a higher nickel content, so would something like that be an ingredient in the ideal flathead block?

 

Awesome. How high could a flathead be revved reliably without the 3 mains being an issue? Never had one but want one. Say an average ported block with an Isky 88 or 400jr, Edelbrock heads, and 3 Strombergs. 4500? 5000? 5500? Really no clue.

 

Here are my thoughts:

I'm thinking that you really only have two types of buyers for a new 8BA type block.
1 - buyer is scared of any old block and is willing to pay **X for new block regardless of any true benefits. Price and customer feedback will dictate this market.
2 - buyer wants the most performance possible with a flathead Ford motor for **X dollars. The more cubic inches possible with common after-market parts the better. Price, cubic inch bragging g rights, and dyno reports will dictate this market.

Either buyer will require factory locations for ports, cylinders, main bearings, water pumps, and fasteners. Valve guides and lifters need to be readily available parts. Lifters need to work with common flathead cams. This leaves the upgrades to deck thickness, port wall thickness, main web thickness, and valve seat diameter.

I doubt you want to change the valve guide design much since doing so would make valve train ***embly much more difficult. I think you would want to retain the large diameter removable valve guides.

Since no vintage racing sanctioning organization will allow your new block to compete against old iron you have no racing market.

Also, unlike the Model A market, there are enough differences in flathead Ford V8 blocks to eliminate most of the restoration market. A restorer can probably find a rebuildable 8BA style block for a 49-53 Ford or Mercury for way less than you can produce yours. A restorer with a 32-48 vehicle will look for a more correct appearing block which you won't offer. If you modified the exterior to offer other block types your market would expand slightly, but probably not enough to justify costs. Back in the 1980s you might have been able to profitably make reproduction 1932 blocks, but that market is gone now.

I really do hope you make a new flathead block but I doubt I would ever purchase one.