Featured History Is the flathead making a comeback?

.......I so feel your pain. We must be Bruthas'...LOL.

 

Around this part of the country, I would say that they are not making a comeback. Not enough people with lots of money to build a flathead.

 

When the clouds block out the sun, it’s still out there
so as for the ford flathead v8, it may have been overshadowed by other engines but it has always been there.
In/out of style? The answer is the flathead is the definition of style

 

I think in the last 10 years the flathead has become more popular because price of them and parts have gone up and gotten harder to find. I personally wish everyone would preach and believe these old myths about them and stick with their SBC and the trendy LS engines. That way V8 flatheads and parts for them would become worthless. Then I could buy all the rare speed equipment and hard to find blocks I could ever want. The flathead is a very reliable engine, most guys who talk down on them have had very little personal real experience with them. My uncle and aunt Drove their 50-ford shoe box all over this country of ours and used it for the daily in between all these trips. Due to today's highway speeds the fact is the old 3 spd has got to go as you will kill a flathead engine trying to maintain today's speeds. The T5 5spd is a flathead fords best friend and will breathe new life into a flathead ford. I personally love the ford V8 flathead. I personally own over 35 of them and at this point in my life I do not plan to ever run any other engine in any of my builds.

 

Flatheads have been " in " ever since Bud Bryan installed that flathead in the Rod & Custom magazine 1929 highboy project car. That was back in the late 1970's. Flatheads have been gaining popularity from then until now. The flathead has never been more popular than it is today.

 

Maybe for thee but not for me….never owned one even tho I was a teenager in the 50’s and certainly have no intention at 81. Many friends still have them and I am genuinely happy for them..

 

By the time I was into cars, the flathead era was pretty much gone. A few inline flathead 6s were still around, but that Ford flathead V8? The only one's I knew about were steam gushers, they were lucky to make it across town during the summer.
The flathead inline 6 motors were slow, low power slugs, only suitable for low power or slow applications, like fork trucks or farm equipment.

Not being a Ford guy, a flathead V8 only means trouble to me, I don't ever see myself owning anything a flathead V 8 would belong in, so I don't need to pay much attention to anything flathead V8 related. I do own a couple of Mopars that originally came with flathead in line 6 cylinder motors, neither vehicle came with a running version of that flathead 6, and neither will ever live here with one in them. I did own a running Mopar inline flathead 6 once, I was thrilled to unload it to the guy that was willing to hand me $75 for it.

Is the flathead (any flathead) making a comeback? Only to those that are excited by that prospect and want to see it happen. Some people just like to see old things come back into style, it makes the hoard of stuff they have kept for years become more valuable.

 

And that is me! I love the V8 I have but what I am looking for...longing for, is a flathead, straight 8. Packard, Buick...I want to buy a runner, preferably with the transmission, tins, manifolds and bracketry. Hell...frame, cowl and grille too. Anyone hording some pre 30's Buick goodies? And not you reading this on the east coast in your jammies! I need a Westie to respond. You can't transport over the Rockies this time of year. How about a complete project pre-30 Buick? I'm your huckleberry.

Hell, they're out of date, not as cool as SBC, not fast, too heavy, not desirable, too expensive to work on, not dependable, can't buy parts at NAPA... I'm willing to take it off your hands. I'm doing you a favor here! PM me.

 

It's like asking a Harley guy what appeal is.

'If you have to ask, you won't understand the answer".

 

Flatheads Have been making a comeback for about 30 years now. And for many good reasons. I appreciate your enthusiasm for them. It is surprising to me though, that you just found out about them. I guess that means that they don't get enough exposure in the modern world.

 

so true. back in the 80's my buddy had a Sportster then stepped up to $12,000.00 worth of FXR SP while I rode my $2500.00 1984 Ninja 900 and had 5 times the fun than he did. if I were going to spend 12 G's to go slow I'd have bought a Knuckle or Panhead.

 

Still Love The Flathead After 60 Years...

 

Is the flathead making a comeback? I think it may be more popular than 20 years ago ... maybe, just maybe. I've had a few and am happy I have the one I do today. Fun, easy to drive in a '50 Ford Tudor.

Interesting tid-bit. Over coffee this morning I was talking to a friend that is toying with the idea of putting one in an off topic Pont. Fiero. I won't dwell on it here but it does show that Idea of a flathead as a possible alternative to the original power plant is still alive and well 94 years after it was first introduced. Truly the stuff hotrods are made of.

 

Making a comeback? Possibly, but not for me. I spent more money trying to find a good flathead block than I spent on the entire engine, trans and rear end that I ended up using in my latest project. Love the flatties, but kind of lost interest in them after shelling out good money for six different engines...all cracked.
I try not to think about the dual carb '58 Imperial 392 and trans I had originally intended to use...was stolen before I could get it home. Wish I had some of that money back

 

Bud started that project in the late 60's, completed in early 70's...

 

They've always been popular with me, there's always been one around for the last 75 years. Have a couple of good ones dis***embled in the shop now...

 

Just bought one in October, wanted something a little more "tricked out" for my 48 coupe that has a later flathead in it but hasn't run for a couple decades. The most I've ever spent buying a engine but wouldn't surprise me if less than half what previous owner had invested (estate sale). Came with Offy dual carb intake with 2 chromed 97's also. My son bought the coupe it's in.