I found a 1952 Ford pickup for sale today, the guy said that the flathead was from a different car/truck, how do I tell the difference or does it matter. Sorry for the ?'s but I am a Studebaker guy and I know very little about flatheads. The truck is a driver with new brakes, and rebuilt radiator. Some cab rust, but the rest is in decent shape. I'll post some pics after I get it home.
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/bboogaar/engine.htm http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_model_IDchart.htm http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_drawings_engines.htm try these
pm me and i'll send you a some files of a copied article on how to identify different year flateheads......
Just make sure it isn't powered by one of these. The're **** for power, but strong in the odor department. Sorry, couldn't resist.
A friend explained the pencil test for Ford V8 flattie I D at one time. Just above the timing gear cover area there is a step in the casting. If a pencil is layed there and it doesn't roll off, it is a 49 - 53 block. If it rolls off it is an earlier block. I could have this b*** akwards (lesdyxia); maybe someone can add to this I D explanation. This is not another fish story!
Now thats something even I will check out.. We have about 30 or so flattys here, and I have never heard of that.... Gonna go check that out.... Lain
The pencil test is to distinguish prewar from '46-48 earlies... The '49-53 type is easy to spot because of removable bellhousing. If interested in '49-53 types, as here...IMHO, there are no block casting differences that are meaningful to rodders. Real visible external differences all involve the heads, carbs, etc. that rodders are going to change anyhow... only differences I see for practical purposes are existence of hardened valve seats--they turn up with 0, 8, and 16 of those...and Merc or Ford crank. Source of engine has become irrelevant to either of these, as VERY few flatheads are still in their original ch***is and equipped as original. Merc cranks are now distributed throughout the population, sometimes by random distribution of engines, sometimes by choice at rebuild time, and are as likely to be in a non-Merc as a Merc... Valve seats were slowly discontinued over the years but kept in trucks, now again are randomly found due to parts swapping by rebuilders, engines purchased long ago as running junkyard replacements, etc. Valve seats desireable both for durability and easy rebuild... So all this stuff is fully interchangeable, and the only think that matters is what is actually in there when you take off the heads and look. Your truck motor could just as easily be a Merc as a truck underneath...or vice versa.
Pencil test...a 91 or 99 engine has a crve in the casting transition from manifold surface to front cover surface that forms a little shelf capable of supporting a pencil. A 59 has a ramp that slopes down continuously with no place to park your pencil at all. I think 8BA is like 59, but not sure...but since the bellhousing isn't part of the block, it would be pretty hard to confuse with an early. From 1939 through 1953, there are very few flathead bits that can't be swapped one way or another.
what about putting the pencil in the glovebox? less chance of it falling off when you go over a bump, and it wont get greasy.
Revhead gave the best list of reference sites for identifying the flat head you have. Like he said; try these ...
The one on the right is a "wet" lakes model. They run in the area where the lake was dry 50 years ago, but is now under water. The other two are of the more streamlined version, whereas they prefer the old 'show and shine' sections of the cars bedded down in the bottoms of rivers. Either version is of a somewhat desirable nature. The biggest problems with them, however, is the size and useless shape of the heads.
Numbers are Ford designations for different years and sizes of engine, used in flathead slang to ID type of equipment, as in "I need a cam like this but on a 21A Blank" or "That will need an 8BA type front cover." The numbers are also part number prefixes indicating year of intro and type of engine...so if you see a connecting rod at a fleamarket or sticking out of the grond right below your motor, you can read 91A forged on the side and immediately know whatizzit and what it fits. Know your prefixes, rule the fleamarket...
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