My '49 Ford - Engine is 'junk' - tranny slips - what to do?

So I'm new here, and some folks might know I've been having some trouble with my 49 Ford. It has a Flathead in it-might be a merc block w/ merc crank, merc heads, and 8ba intake... or a ford block with merc heads, etc.

Either way, I took it to a flathead expert here in the midwest and he didn't have any good news for me. Engine sounds sloppy, is running on 4 cylinders, loose valves, needs to be rebuilt. It will probably run me slightly north of twenty bills.

The transmission is also slipping a whole lot, and I'm sure I can find the gears I need to fix it (I believe it's a merc or ford-o-matic mated to this thing). But I have to wonder at this point if I get the flathead rebuilt, would I be better off trying to put in a C4. And has anybody ever done this in a 49 around here? I would love to know what I might be in for.

Alternatively, I'm also wondering if a rebuild is something I could do with some guidance from somebody who has done it a few times before. This would be my first teardown and build up. I'm not ashamed to say I have no real idea what I'm doing--but I learn fast

So any suggestions on what I should do with this flattie would be great. And if you want some more info, please ask. I'm located around Madison, WI if there is anybody local who might be willing to guide a young guy through such an endeavor.

Thanks,

-Scott

 

Small block Chevy with TH350 trans!

It's the bucks-down way to "fix it"...has been for decades now.

You can built it cooler than that, of course...but you'd have a hard time doing it cheaper!

It sure ain't MY personal first choice, but it's a tried and true formula!

 

I'm really looking for a solution that involves a flathead of some sort. I can't imagine putting a chevy into this car. I want it to be as much a ford as it can.

Thanks for the advice, though

-Scott

 

i agree with hack. you might even want to go with a 700 r4 trans for the over drive.


once you tear down the flat head it becomes the old while your at it.

pawn the flat head and trans off on ebay and spend the 2 g's on a good combo.

for under 3 grand you can put together a good sbc and trans have a drive shaft made and mmaybe even a new radiator.

 

dude...forget that sbc...go witha 302 c-4 combo out of something. Hell you can probably get one out of a yard, with the radiator for under 600.

btw you can get a c4 adapter kit for 200 dollars to mate to the flattie.

tok

 

I gotts back Tokyo on this and I'm not ford guy. But you can get a complete running 5.0 equipped car for under $1k and tranplant the drivetrain and crush what's left over....
I'm tired of SBCs......

 

IF you have a second car to drive.........fix the flattie

<font color="red"> Nothing sounds like or looks as cool as a Flattie.</font> <font color="blue"> But a Chevy is easier. Parts, know how...the whole deal.</font>

I have never owned a running flathead. I had a 53 Merc with a load of pieces all set up to put in my Deuce but decided that the SBC was the way to go (20 years ago)........Now I have friends who drive their Flathead powered cars wherever they want to go.

The late model change would be easier, but the Flathead more rewarding IMHO.

 

i think flat heads are cool but dollars for donuts the sbc wins by a mile. if it was an open hood car it would be a tough call but in this case go sbc

 

Methinks that Fat Hack should take some of his own advice. He is *** deep in a project that just screams for an engine transplant that wasnn't conceived somewhere in outer space.

Frank

 

[ QUOTE ]
Methinks that Fat Hack should take some of his own advice. He is *** deep in a project that just screams for an engine transplant that wasnn't conceived somewhere in outer space.

Frank

[/ QUOTE ]

I was being largely sarcastic, with yet a touch of bittersweet reckoning, Frank!

I do agree that this 49 Ford should stay motored by Henry...but I hate to see a good car bogged down in the midst of something made more complicated than it need be...

..."Do as I say, not as I do", if you will!

Alas, the Dark Side is not for all...too easy to lose one's self in the shadows...

...best to run towards the light along the road most traveled!

(Did I sound even REMOTELY convincing there??? )

PUT A DAMN RANGER 3.0 V6 IN IT!!!!

 

I am having the same problem. 49' ford with 51' merc flathead that is on its last leg along with the three on the tree. I am tossing and turning on the rebuild of the current flathead .. probably run into more problems once its torndown. If I don't rebuild I will go with the 302/C4 combo. I think you should keep it FORD!

Steve

 

PUT A DAMN RANGER 3.0 V6 IN IT!!!!



[/ QUOTE ]
Hack, your aways thinkin' about the smaller engines! A 4.0 Exploder mill would make it a bunch faster!!! The sick thing is, I would give that some consideration, just before installing the '63 HP383 Dodge that I keep walking around on my garage floor. Then I'd go lookin' for a model A project or a fellow HAMBer to make use of the flattie.
The 5.0 is not a tough install in the '49. Offy or some one may even have mounts for it. Do those late engines have the same mounting pads on the block as the 289? The parts used to be cheap for such conversions. Even J.C. Whitney carried the parts!

 

Ha Ha...the 4.0 Ranger V6 makes more power, but it's an oil leaking grenade...a 3.0 will outlive six 4.0s...even if it moves out a little slower!!!

Can't bust 'em!

 

If I can do it, you can.... I'm just a stupid girl.

 

I think you small block chevy guys and small block ford guys have a point... and its well taken...

BUT.

I feel... that takeing the flathead out of my 49 ford would be like ripping out its SOUL.

Soul has alot to do with why I love my car so much.

Tokyo's Merc is 100000 times cooler because he took the initive and toiled useing the hamb resources to stick by his old flatty and rebuilt it in our garage in college... litterally donating his blood for money to make ends meet.

I think its alot like they read in scripture... the easy path is not always the right path.

Depends on how much you give a **** about your cars heritage.

I tend to think the flathead is a work of art... pulling it would be like ripping up a pic***o... ya dig?

 

PS... since im in the midwest, and most likely you'll dump the flatty and go overhead... please call me to pick up yer left over junk. I'll glue it together and make it RULE.

 

Scott, now that everybody (well almost) has tried to talk you out of rebuilding the flathead and doing a transplant; go to the TECH section here on the HAMB and read "Building a Flathead,.. tips and tricks."

If you still feel that a transplant is the way to go; then I wish you luck, no matter which engine/****** you go for.

 

I've a y block and would trade for your flatty.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Small block Chevy with TH350 trans!

It's the bucks-down way to "fix it"...has been for decades now.

You can built it cooler than that, of course...but you'd have a hard time doing it cheaper!

It sure ain't MY personal first choice, but it's a tried and true formula!


"Baliff, whack his peepee"




[/ QUOTE ]

 

Look around for a good used one. There are guys that ain't into flattys yanking them. I got my 49 that way. I pick it up next week for 5 bills.

 

[ QUOTE ]
If I can do it, you can.... I'm just a stupid girl.

[/ QUOTE ]


Gracie, no one on this site that values his manhood would be foolish enough to call you a "stupid girl"

 

this is whats in my shoe...
alot ****in cooler than a small block chevy...

you could get all this **** pretty cheap if you buy it here and there like I did. I will also add that ford clutch disks are cheap, buy a book and put one in yourself.

the problems your describeing are only as big as you make them. 139 bu** for a new pressure plate and clutch disk will go a long ways.

 

Sweet motor.

After a lot of tossing and turning last night and today, I think I'm committed to keeping a flattie inside my Shoebox.

So the question comes, can I do it myself? I have a very reliable guy who can do the work for me, but it's going to cost. But if I'm going to go ahead and spend all that money I would like to come out of it with some sort of more unique engine when it's done. Any suggestions on that?

Also, has anybody here ever done a c4 swap on a flathead before?

Thanks so much for all of the input. Worst case is I might go for the 5.0 + ****** swap, but I would hate to do it. I'd rather drudge through the flathead rebuild myself over 6 months.

I'll definitely take a look at the rebuilding a flathead section of the tech forum. Thanks a lot!

-Scott

 

if you want to pull the flattie...and put in a 302 C4 and drive it while rebuild the true engine.. that way you get the best of both worlds..then when the flatties done pull the 302 and sell it to recoupe the initial cost and then some.. just an idea..

tok

 

I'm in Evansville WI.
Just rebuilt the flat 6 in my '55 Ply.
Helped with the Tokyo Merc too, so I've been in a Ford/Merc block before. I usually have way to much free time on my hands. Where around Madison are you?

-Jeff

 

Fathack, my wifes 4.0 in her 92 Explorer has 321,000 miles on the ****** . I can't ***** about that,lol. later plmczy

 

Hey,

My $0.02 worth.

Buy another running flathead. Over here you can buy a running flathead for anywhere between $500-$1000. Not nessisarily rebuilt, but a decent running motor. Why dont you do that and even if it only lasts a couple of years, you'll have that time to rebuild a killer motor to pop in later.

Trans - alot of people are doing the T5 transplant. Good box I hear. Here in Oz we use the Supra or Celica 5spd box and those who have made the change swear by it. Good first gear to smoke the tyres and get moving with an over dirve 5th for highway cruising.

Anyway, I say stick with the flatmotor.

Danny

 

[ QUOTE ]
So the question comes, can I do it myself?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure you can, get a couple of books on building flatheads. Some of the machine work will need to be farmed out, but with a bit of care and patience, you can do your own ***embly.

[ QUOTE ]
...to come out of it with some sort of more unique engine when it's done. Any suggestions on that?

[/ QUOTE ]

Read the piece in the HAMB TECH and you will get some ideas.

[ QUOTE ]
Also, has anybody here ever done a C4 swap on a flathead before?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've done three and the final results work great.

[ QUOTE ]
I'll definitely take a look at the rebuilding a flathead section of the tech forum. Thanks a lot!

-Scott

[/ QUOTE ]

It covers a lot of ground, I even joked that it might make a good reference book!

 

One word for you - Fordillac

If you do go with the flatty though, make sure you get a OD trans. I had one of the "orion" case 3spd + OD in my 49 behind my 51 Merc 255. Made it more user friendly. Stuff a Cad, Olds or Hemi in there!!!! BTW - Your car probably has a later set up as I don't think the automatics came out until 50-51??

Brock

 

Okay everybody. I think I know what I'm going to do. I am going to have a flathead built for the car--a drop in replacement for what I have, and then I will just return my core to the builder.

So now I have another question. Heads. Why exactly would I want to put Offenhauser or Edelbrock aluminum heads on this motor, aside from looks.

And a previous poster said he did a few C4+flathead conversions. I'm not worried about getting a C4 to mate with my flathead, I'm worried about getting it to fit into my 49. Also, what other ****** options are out there?

Thanks

-Scott