Just heard from Tardel... They got 438hp out of the french blocked flathead that they are running for time only this year. Going to be fun to see what this little roadster does with all the improvements that Keith, Vern and the boys have worked out...
A possibly dumb set of questions here, but does this mean the SCTA is now allowing the french block?, or are they making a special allowance for this thing, or am I overthinking this and it has nothing to do with the SCTA? I personally dont see why they dont just make a new class or whatever for the french block, and with the new one from Motor City coming out in the near future, guys are probably gonna want to use that thing as well, seeing as they say they have solved all the little "problems" of the old ones.
But, aren't they hoping to "pitch" SCTA to allow the French flat head ?? There was a discussion last week - started by Mike Bishop - about how they wanted to show that the French engine deserves to be allowed. It had a lot of "YES" and "NO" from different camps.
I thought the French blocks were still Ford? Much like Chevy engines made in Mexico are still Chevy engines? Or are they "based" on Ford blocks of new design? Anyway, thats a very impressive HP rating! I guess there's more to flatheads than I ever thought............. kinda reminds me of the big HP Raptor race engines based on the flathead Briggs 5hp kart engine....
As much money as there is undoubtedly in the motor, I'd be willing to bet that the hour-worked/hp ratio is just as amazing.
My understanding (and I sometimes misunderstand, alot) is the big beef the SCTA has with them is that most of them available today (the warehouse load of the NOS Cosmoline packed blocks) were produced after the cutoff date for vintage power. They have small ports (truck engine) 8BA style heads, with the early partial bell housing cast in. They also have a large governor boss on the driver's side of the bell housing that gets in the way and adds weight, as well as it being plumbed for oil so after you grind the boss off, you have to plug these. I don't run the class myself, so I really don't have a say but I wish them the best of luck.
Stupid question. Why is the engine offset so far to the right? Weight distribution with the driver? Visibility? Seems like that big blower on one side and the driver's head on the other is excess drag.
thanks for the clear up Ryan, im pretty sure thats what you meant, however I needed clarification im too lazy to go reading right now, but I believe one off the beef's with the french flathead was that it could be bored over substantially more than a stocker, I think it was 1/4" over or some goofy number like that, obviously giving it an inherent nature over the old timey ones, which I dont think you can go that far with. Somebody correct me if Im wrong please However, like I mentioned earlier, with this and the new flathead, Motor City is going to manufacture (also capable of 1/4" over) why couldnt the SCTA just make a new class for post-vintage flatheads or something
Thecontroversy is just beginning over the French vs Vintage flatheads. Just wait till that little roadster blasts down the salt and people start to take notice. SCTA will probably be deluged with petitions to either allow or ban it.
Am I an odd duck that looking at that thing is better than checkin out nudie mags? I bet drivin it is better than....well maybe not, but maybe. Deep thoughts for a Wednesday AM.
French fries...not that ridiculous theme I hope. And where do 'glass tanks,stude coupes,T and other roadster bodies fit with type of reasoning? Do those repop banger heads also fall under such a heading? and what about repop banger blocks?. I would hate to see this escalate after reading for years 'bout how it was pretty much run you want,pick a class and go.
What are they running for fuel? Any other power adder beside blower? If (when)they go fast it will not be because of french block,it will be due to their hard work and cunning thinking, nothing is easy with flatstuff.
To me it looks like it gets the driveline to the right of the driver. Maybe that allows for everything to be tucked up inside the car, getting the car as low as possible, but still leaving room for the driver.
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