1946 Ford pickup Flathead 6 or Chevy 350??

I have a dilema.. My original flat 6 runs perfect but the granny 4 speed bites!! I wanted some opinions on putting a t-5 behind the flatty or
dropping in a 89 Chevy 350 with a B&M 144 blower and a muncie 4speed..
I dont know what to do ??? Please help!!!!!!!!!!! I thought it would be cool
to keep a Ford in a Ford but we shall see......Thanks

 

Ask yourself this. "What do I want the truck to do?"

You can't decide on an engine choice without first knowing what you want out of the old truck.

The T-5 will make it a cruiser, it won't make it any faster. You'll find that with the flatty you won't be using 5th gear when you are hauling very often. You just won't have the torque to pull it loaded with the taller gear.

That said the Raven ran a 235 with a 5 gear in his AD truck for years. He is very patient. We used to try and use my V-8 truck if we had to make a long haul it got better milage and pulled a heavier load. He now runs a small block in his and he is way happier with it.

There will be some down sides to the blown chebby also. There was a blown Ford small block '47 around here for a while maybe its still around somewhere. he had to move the radiator to the bed because the blower drive took up all that room. You'll need more radiator than it came with stock because blower motors run hotter as a rule. You won't be able to beat it in cool factor, and you'll be able to call it a hot rod. Something that would be stretching it to do with the 6 cylinder.

 

Thanks porkn******. I want this truck to go out of town to the local shows and meets in the socal area.If its too much trouble with the blower I guess i
can sell it and use the money for whitewalls!!!!!!!

 

A T-5 will improve the drivability of the six and you will stand out in a crowd,I put a T-5 behind the 235 in my 37 Chevy p/u along with a modern rear end and its a totally different truck and really enjoy driving it now. I will never put a V8 in the 37 as it does not need it.

 

Throw a tape in it I think the Ford is longer than the Chebby. But for easy to do and cruising the 5 gear is your best bet. I think you need to convert to open drive. But that is no hill for a stepper.

 

How about a mildly built Ford 300 six with a five speed? Cheap to put together if you shop wisely, keeps a Ford in a Ford. Very likeable engine, easy to live with.

 

I usually don't advocate the chevy in a ford thing but in this case I would use the supercharged 350 and go have fun with it. If you subtract the blower from the equation then I would lean more towards just replacing the ****** behind the six and running with that. Whatever you decide, you have a really cool truck.

 

hector, you should just sell that old beater and get a newer truck!

 

That's apples and oranges only you know what you want and expect from the truck.

 

Thanks 55dude I'll sell and get an older truck ha!! HA!!
i DID SELL IT AND I bought it right back....Something about Fords....

 

Your right automotive stud but I like to get ideas from like minds...

 

Naw, dump the little 144 idea, get big, think BBC, 8-71, m***ive carbs...that's what I'd do if my ****** ****ed.

 

<8 flathead.

 

damm dude that was close, i thought that desert heat had overheated you! cool you were able to buy it back.

 

Yes Dueces That was number 1 on my list-v8 flatty,but the price range leaves me out..Im a budget builder.. wife,kids,dogs..Not much left for my old truck.. Well I sold the blower and bought some coker whitewalls (look at my avatar)... I am going to stick with the 6 for now.I bought a 39 ford trans thinking it would go im my truck but no luck...So the trucks stuck in the garage untill i come up with something....

 

you can re gear the back or sell the open axle and go with a newer rear with freeway friendly gears.

 

my vote is keep the six and go t5 with an 8.8 rear end! can get appropriate geared 88 with limited slip at the U-Pick for around $100. budget build, and all FORD

 

THanks oldtimer..do they make gear sets for my truck? Any suggestions on rear end to swap..

 

Now that sounds like a plan Nummie.. Just need to unload some parts to buy what I need..I got a 1966 muncie 4 speed ,327 with camel hump heads and a 89 chevy motor...now maybe I can get enough out of these parts to get some Ford parts!!!!!

 

they sell new 3.54 gears for the banjos but they're pricey, you could maybe score a used unit. i'm not sure on the rear end width for a new one but if you stay with ford truck 9" you'll be able to keep the same bolt pattern (and gears go down to 2.75). i know the 9" from ford trucks up to '72 (i think) was a bolt in to my '54 f100 (slight shock and u-bolt mods). if yours is a 1/2 ton them you'll be able to sell the open drive rear pretty easy.

 

why not put the 144 blower on the flat 6?

perfect forced induction motors as they are already low comp, and dont deal with exhaust ports cracking like V8 flatheads do.

Dont do a 350. I have one in my coupe and i keep the hood down for a reason.

 

Im trying to upload a photo of my rearend ,but its says failed..My rear is not a banjo its open drive..Is that original for my truck

 

Dynaflash 8 I sold it for some coker whitewalls!!!!

 

the ford flathead 6 is sposed to be a good runner, I remember a guy that had a 50 ford 2dr and used to beat the V8,s. a little taller rear gear would be good. I like the 300 6 also, its strong very dependable and still an inline. 350 chevy ? borrrring.

 

hmmm not to up on the 40's ford trucks. it's still open drive so you can find a replacement, it's 5 lug right?

also try here:
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum42/

 

Leave the rear alone for now, put the T-5 in it. I think you will find with the OD T-5 the stock rear gear will be very close to what you want. The 6 won't have enough power to pull OD in anything lower than 3.90 or so. Forget the late model stuff with the low 3's.