Projects Randy Bowyer Mercury Flathead

Well this sucks. Not as advertised. I hope the seller is cool about what he sold you and does the right thing. Like it has been said on here many, many times - if it aint running, it's just parts, pay accordingly.

 

The heads may be salvageable. They look pretty clean and may not have been resurfaced yet. When you install a set of heads on an engine, they should be individually fitted to the engine. The first thing you should do is check the clearance between the piston top using foils balls (my choice) or clay. You may find that it s .060"-.080". If so, you want to mill the heads to obtain a nominal .045-'050", maybe even a little less. This should clean up most of the porosity. The last couple of used heads I used needed .025"-.040" removed to bring them close to optimal squish. Of course, there will be some cleanup to make sure there is adequate clearance over the complete head. Before you write the heads off completely, check the existing clearance; you may be surprised.

 

Those pumps look like truck 8ba, the Merc pump castings are different.

 

Thanks guys.
I couldn't get a reading on the compression tester so I decided to open the driver side.
Block looks good but the head not so much.
I sent a message to the seller and I'll be posting the messages.
Now,I'm not bitching,I knew I was taking a big risk but sometimes education is expensive.
I'm trying to get your experienced point of view to deal with this.

I sent Mike Herman from H&H a message and most likely will take it to him to take a look at it and to set me up with a usable engine. It seems like the seller is going to let me eat the extra cost.

 

"Like New"? Looks like some shit let go in more than one cylinder looking at the combustion chambers.

 

Seems the seller didn’t make any explicit claims, but implied them via his FILs reputation and the other engine which he sold. Interesting. Made it clear that it was up to the buyer on how to proceed.
Sold my boat last year. Made no explicit claims, and now guy is suing me. Lawyer friend says I’ll win as it was sold “as is”. Will take 2 yrs to get to small claims court.

 

reply
囟
个 1949-1953 Ford Mercury Flathead Hot Rod Rebuilt V-8 Engine Like
New OBO - $6,500 (Scottsdale)
The above advertisement is simply not true.

 

Yeah, the headline of the ad says rebuilt and like new. A lie.

 

Thinking his “expert” who looked at pictures you sent was simply a buddy half into a case of beer. Expert=ex(has been): spurt(drip under pressure)

 

I withdraw my opinion that the heads may be usable. Maybe the passenger side, but the drivers side would need considerable work and would still be questionable.

Too bad; I collect "singles", and have a good passenger head.

 

iwanaflattie,
Statements "There doesn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary", ...."main caps were a little over torqued. So I backed those off a little and everything rotated fine" are in the "You've got to be kidding me" category!
If this son-in-law seller really wants to "honor" his FIL he should do the honorable matter by cancelling this farce of a sale and return the money paid, then advertise this "engine" correctly as an improperly assembled with questionable condition flathead Ford.
Sorry you got bit, and hope things will turn out better. You have now hopefully learned more about judging the value of a flathead before you purchase.

 

End of the day, I am sorry you have to go through this. I suggest, as others, you push for all money back. Too many crooked people, or at least ill-informed folks. Can’t see why fellas can’t simply advertise “ not sure of condition”.

 

Without machine shop receipts specifying the work done, and receipts for parts purchased, it’s just a core motor. Even if the motor had been run on a test stand, it wouldn’t look as worn out and dirty as the photos show. Those heads look like a variety of small steel fragments have made an impact in their previous life. I suspect someone (may or may not have been daddy) slapped together a core motor with whatever leftover parts and wall art that they had lying around and called it done. Very disappointing to see the attempt to present this thing as a rebuilt motor….. think they knew better and caught an unsuspecting buyer with the tempting price. If the engine had been properly built and setup with fresh bolt on parts as shown, it would have cost closer to $10,000. From their responses to your concerns, I’d say that they have no interest in making this right. Document everything and prepare yourself for a day in court.

 

Oh wow. I was expecting this.
Overpriced mismatch of parts. I’d deliver that thing to the buyer and demand my money. I’m sorry to hear your first experience with flatheads turned out like this.
Bottom line. Not a new rebuild as advertised.