Technical Questions about a hot rod flathead

In the mid '60s I had a '51 woody with a flathead. It was .040 over with a "3/4" Clay Smith cam, Fenton headers, Mallory dual point, with the two piece cap. It was dual life with four lobes and each set of points fed 4 cylinders. It had an Edlebrock 4 bbl manifold. I don't remember what the carb was except that it was an AFB. It was the one and only 4bbl flathead I ever ran and I loved it. Frankly I was tired of screwing with multiple carb linkage and matching and tuning carbs. I probably wasn't too good at it. The heads were shaved stock heads. I was working part time in a Montgomery Wards auto shop, committing to college about 75 miles a day with weekend surfing trips as often as I could go. This was my only car year round. It had a three speed with overdrive and a 4:11 rear end. It drove as well as any car I've ever owned old or new, a bit slower than some. Highway speed was fine and it did the Santa Cruz mountains as well a most other folks and better than some. I should never have let it go. Not a lite car. It had heavy duty shocks and over load booster springs on the rear.
I have never been left along the side of the road with a points distributer. I have been stranded several times with HEI until I started carrying a spare module. When it works HEI is great but a street driven flathead runs fine with points. It was still 6v too with an 8v battery.

 

Mallory is in......need to finish the wiring

 

i learned the pain of multi carbs with a '59 volvo i had ages ago; i get the carbs in synch and after a couple blocks they'd need it again. i put a 390 holley on my flattie and it's no problems. the edelbrock 500 is too much carb. actually the 390 is, too, but it works. the 4 bbl flathead intakes were designed for the old wcfb, but they are expensive now. i think what most guys have against the 4bbl is that it doesn't look "period correct."

 

Well, if this dizzy change does not fix my problem, I may be ordering a 390 Holley. I've heard your story over and over!
This car is not a daily driver but this time of year I would be driving it to the office daily.

 

Mallory Unilite install complete. I set it up with the lighted advance springs to try to get all of the timing advance in as early as possible.
Runs much better. No more popping on acceleration. I need to readjust the mixtures, but it just might be ok. I’ll drive it tomorrow morning.....we’ll see.

 

What is the black plate or sheet under the carbs?

Dave

 

Carb insulators. Suppose to shield/insulate them from heat. These are from The Carb Shop.

 

Dizzy fixed it. The Joe Hunt May need a coil. I’ve seen where guys have used an external coil.....not sure. Anyway got the new plug wire ends on and mounted the coil, finished the wiring and drove it. Mucho bueno! For the first time since I’ve owned it the carbs adjusted easily. It idles like a sewing machine and runs out extremely well. Transition to the “other four barrels” is seamless.
Thanks for y’all’s help.
Oh yeah.....KEEPING THE TRES 97s
Here’s a couple of pics.

 

Great news, glad you got it sorted. Love the car and flathead.

 

I’d say no, stick with the Stromberg’s. I have a late Merc flattie in the 49 coupe with an Isky headers and a Holley 390 on an Offy and I don’t like it. My 39 has an 8BA with Merc crank and unknown cam with stock intake and carb and it runs way better than the Holley carbureted car. I’ve acquired all the parts to swap in an Offy 2x2 new 97’s from the far side of the pond as soon as I have time it’s going in. Find your local Stromberg guru and you’ll be pleased.



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He is

 

Super nice '40--congrats.

 

That is one beautiful car, nose to tail. Glad you got it running well, using the Snap On timing light with adjustable advance will allow you to adjust the timing in accurate small incruments.
Interesting battery, what is it?

 

Thank you.
I have an old Snapon with the advance but the advance part doesn't work any longer. I also have a Innovate digital with advance but need to study it.
It's a gel cell but not sure the brand. I'll check for you

 

Have a 276 , Tremec 5 speed in a 39 tudor. Whilst the 3 X 2's look fantastic I decided to go 4 barrel, started with Edelbrock replaced with Holley 470 cfm. I just wanted a reliable driver and its not on display, probably would have gone with the 3 X 2's if it still had original drive train. JCB