I want a flathead, am I crazy??

I've made my decision.

It will be a Flathead.

Now what tranny to use?

The build:
'30 Model A Coupe
Flathead
'36 rear banjo, someday quickchange
'32 frame
'56 steering box
'40's steelies

Tranny? I'm waffeling over that right now.

 

lol well sbc are great and reliable but being differant is what makes the world go round flatties are real cool and can be reliable a friend of mine on here has a metallic orange a coupe with a flattie he built that is very reliable remember they ran them thing for years before chevy came out with the small block which are getting boring to look at also i have been riding flat head harlys for years mite be slow but i will get there with class and will enjoy the ride more cool flat heads

 

T5 - completely changes the flathead

 

I am in the process of rebuilding a '53 Merc. Flatty and can't wait. Yeah I know the SBC is more powerful, but no where as cool looking. I don't need speeding tickets and want the old skool look. It's getting among other things...a truck oil pan with full flow, new pistons & rings, Isky 77 cam, Offy regular dual intake, Alt/gen, MSD dist., new water pumps, a bore job, and two new 94's. Keeping old heads ans they look better to me than aluminum. And yes it ha the 4" Merc crank. It will not cost more than $3k to rebuild.

 

4 banger.

 

Its your wallet,might as well have a kid.

 

crazy has nothing to do with it........patience and doe$$$$$$$$$$$$$ has everything to do with it.. I got out of street rods and into the shoebox ford because the world has way too many sbc/sbf running around. I have a "built" flatty with air conditioning and c-4 and it goes just fine.....I have never had anyone look at it a say "oh shit, it's a flatty" they say, wow... that's neat........that's what it's about..........if ya want one, do one...

 

I just generally don't like the look of a SBC in a model a.

I've generally grown tired of looking at all SBCs in hot rods actually.

 

I have had several model A's, one had a flathead (stock). For my purposes then, 1959, it was fast, but at that time most builders were drooling over the chevy V8 and for good reason, even stock and in a coupe or roadster, it would crap all over a flathead powered anything. I have had an Olds powered early Merc and a hemi powered early Ford, even left stock they would beat any street legal built flathead. And now I'm finally gonna get my Chevy powered model A. I'm building a full fendered 1928/29. I really don't care if anybody wants to look under the hood. SBC Jack Lakewood, CA

 

I believe there are a lot of "crazy" people here.

 

I have built a few cars with SBC, and BBC engines, big deal. So has everyone else. Flatheads are totally cool, do you really need 500 hp in a hot rod? To me, it's all about keeping the tradition alive, not trying to break the land sound barrier.
There is something absoultely amazing about the sound and feel of a flatty dumping into Smittys...
Just my .02c
Lance

 

Picked up a '36 flatty for FREE. Now I gotta find a project to put around it!

 

Yes, This is sarcasm. I don't have one flathead powered car. I have two.

 

I LOVE the rumble of a flathead! Just one of those engines you cant mistake!

 

They arent real fast. Pipes make a lot of noise. Get lousy mileage. Don't like hoods. leak oil. always smell blowby. Wind and wildlife crap in your face all the time. kinda like a Harley Davidson. maybe they will catch on someday. But my girlfriends likem, & so do I

 

Real hot rods don't have valve covers.

 

I never owned a flatty, but I did get to drive a few .Something about the 6 volt starter whirling over in slow motion. then she pops and idels real low...

 

39 top loader.Go all the way!!!Why put a modern tranny in it .Its a hot rod right???

 

This dude's thread is like 2 years old. What did he go with?? Hopefully it was the flathead.

 

I would like an update also

 

Hm good question I just let my 37 running flatty and all suspension and drive line go .

 

Awesome quote!

 

a reply to gearheadbill: flatheads are forever! ifand dude if you want more horsepower then buy some bolt ons do be like any1 else sbc is not the way to go
its for people with no imagination!

 

Ive never worked on one before,this is the one i built over the summer and it runs great.I put the best stuff I could in her.A very satisfying project.
OH yea dont put it on the stand like this make a fixture for mounting where the exhaust headers bolt up.

 

best advice you have got was from "gearheadbill", and this is my project.
too many water pumps, and not enough main bearings!

 

a fella once said that the only gauge you need on a flathead is a vacuum gauge because flatheads suck. i think he's doing 20 to life right now!

 

I know it's already been said but if you can build any engine, you can build a flathead. And if you're patient, you can find a good one to build. I found a running one for 300 bucks when I built my roadster. Went through it, bought used speed parts off of here and was in it cheaper than im currenly in a mild sbf. The world needs more running flattys.

 

This.

And like FatErnie said, a T5 completely changes a flathead.

 

Anyone can build a sbc . They are cheap cookie cutter motors. Build a sweet sounding flathead and go cruising. After all its not about the speed or muscle ITS ABOUT THE BUILD. If you're buliding a street car where are u gonna use that much power? And if you wanna go fast build a SBF and go to the track a waste some Chevys

 

I'm a small block chev guy, but I have a flat head in my 29 Ford roadster. People love it where ever I go with it.There is no sound like a flat head.