I just want to know how reliable these motors are,Ive never had one and dont know anyone who has,,,Keep it or junk it?
The second series 47-51 were damm good engines . They would perform with the V-8s with a lot less issues. Just could not hop up as much as a V-8. Stock or mildly warmed up good solid old engines. The earlier ones are tough to get parts for now days.
I was told by a guy who should know that the last of the flathead sixes actually were down rated by Ford but actually made more power than the V8 of the same years. I also am told they are a damn good engine in their stock form. Hot up I dont know!!!
There are finned heads and multiple carb intakes (edmunds, knudsen, cyclone,evans,wilson, and nicson) but they are very expensive. Heads go for about $800-1000, multi carb intakes are about $500-800. I had the 226 in my Shoebox, great little engine. Its definatley different, you don't see many at car shows. If you want to see a cool example, look up 226Flattie on here. He has a couple very nice 226's.
I have a '51 or '52 Ford N-series tractor converted to flathead 6 power. I use it for mowing. It's got a million or so hours on it and still starts instantly and runs smooth as a watch. The conversion was made by Funk (honest!) and this one included a cast-iron oil pan which serves as an integral frame member.
As in Funk Aircraft out of Kansas, I believe! Someone is re-popping the conversion kits, but not the cast iron oil pan, either for the 8 or 6. You've got a keeper!
I knew this guy who had a 50 ford with the flathead 6, and he delighted in finding V8,s to race, and won a lot of times. As far as i could see it was stock, and it did run good. They were used in a lot of track racers and did well. Also, as one guy said about them, 'They are a 12 port' engine. Inline engines produce, gobs of bottom end torq, which is why they are still used today.
They say in the early days when Henry Ford needed horsepower, torque and reliability he would always fall back on his 6 cylinder engines. This was more a truck thing which was probably close to the mark going by some of the old F series big trucks.
Weren't there more than just several flathead V-8 's put in 8N Ford Tractors back then fine? I know our old 8N with the "hi/standard/lo" stick was a VERY good "chore" and cultivating/hay mowing type jobber, but too small to be used as a real 200 acre plowing field tractor like say a 60/620 Johnny-Pop or 88 Oliver and 400 Farmall and so on and so forth, much less the orange A/C's that I never had a chance to operate way back then. pdq67
nobody chimed in talking them down, kinda refreshing. i figure ANY engine that would put up with almost zero maintenance and still start even in freezing temps or desert conditions has potential, flathead, OHV, four, six, eight cylinders, more.... Henry hated six cylinder engines. he only allowed them to respond to Chevy and Plymouth cutting into his sales of V8's. of course, he would have kept he T right on into the forties and beyond if he could have managed it.
I'll put my vote for the flat six. I have one in my '49 F-2 and it takes a beating. They're just not as sexy as the flat V8.
Henry Ford hated six cylinder engines. He, reluctantly, built the Model K six at the urging of his investors, but it was a failure. Ford didn't build another six until Henry was old and pretty much out of the picture.
I think I read that Holman-Moody had some hot 6's in boats and being a 12 port there is breathing but I think the stroke is on the long side..
These are great motors- the main shortcoming, in my opinion, is the crappy vacuum-advance-only distributors that ford used at the time. You can adapt others to work if you cant find a mallory etc.... Also, look for the ford 254 that came in F6 trucks from 49-53, it has bigger (3.5) bores. Sort of hard to find, but they are out there.... I am currently adapting a t5 overdrive trans to a 226 to complement things like a lightened flywheel, higher compression, mopar distributor, weber carb, etc. I also have plans to either turbo or supercharge a 254 that I have (long term project!) . I encourage you to build this motor, as they are quite reliable, and really cool looking ! fordsix.com is a wealth of information for these and other ford sixes. -James
It seems to me that we know those motors are all about 60 years old. So if you have one that is still running after 60 years, isn't it apparent that it is pretty reliable?
Got one in my 46 truck .It sat for ever! motor was locked up.pulled the head,soaked the engine,new head gasket,spark plugs,and like magic!! runs perfect....
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