flathead or sbc 350? which do you prefer?

iam building a 39 ford hot rod truck and cant decide which i will be more happy with.

 

Flathead is way more cooler, but a SBC would be more economical if you are going to drive it long distances.

 

Expand your horizons....there are a lot of different engines out there.

 

Real hot rods don't have valve covers.

 

Let me start some real ****. There is absolutly no better engine to use in a hot rod than a SBC 350ci. More reasons then I have time to list right now. Starting with even a mildy hopped up SBC will beat the **** out of any flathead. They are cheaper in every aspect. The cool factor of flatheads goes way down every day you drive one as it overheats breaks something and cost you time money and loss of coolness. Just the facts guy. They (flatheads) are tiny bearinged, groouchy if hopped up pos's that have been well over stated even in their own less than dynamic performance. I'm 72 and owend a whole bunch of them from stock to 4:71 blown. They ****.

 

Trying to get that post count up to the next level eh?

Lets see the current engine count at the mr48chev car shed is.

8BA flathead
41-42 Flathead out of a windmachine
223 Ford Six flathead
254 Ford Six flathead
350 sbc x3
331 Desoto Hemi
292 Chev Six
396 66 Chev big block x2

And a few that I don't count
No real favorites as each has it's calling and use and in the right vehicle they all can be fun.

 

This thread AGAIN??? How can anyone but you tell you what will make you happy? Hell, I want your car to use a cast iron powerglide and a dana 60, no suspension and milk crate seats. And a VW 36 horse engine.

 

What the hell are you talking about?

 

Sbc, but I am a cheap ******* that doesn't really care as long as it runs.

 

Flathead stands alone. You should be comparing the small block Chevy with other ohv V8 engines of the same era. List your build objectives and priorities, and take it from there.

Bob

 

Show your individuality the same as everybody else, put a small block Chevy in it!

 

its your car, do what you like. but since you asked, i vote flathead.

 

Nuttin' like the sound of a Flathead coming down the road!!!!!

 

I like the SBC on a driver.

It just freakin' works good.

End of story....

 

I hate sbc 350 because most every car that has ever been rodded has one.

I want to see something unique and different.

That being said, if you are looking for something that will be easy to fix, economical to build, run and be reliable then go with the sbc.

If however you want something unique then......wait a tick, the flathead is gaining in popularity also.

Why not find something else altogether????

How about a 289, or maybe a nailhead (I know they are starting to get overdone) or a straight 8 or 6, or, or, or?

Do you have both just laying around? If not are you limited by your budget or worst yet your imagination?

Your ride, your choice!

 

I would love to get my hands on a flat head for my next build. The sound and the look you just cant beat...

 

I Like SBF 302 F.I. with A.O.D. trans. Modern performance and nothing to be ashamed of

 

I've heard all the **** about Flatheads..........but any motor when not maintained or set up correctly can:
a) run hot
b) be hard to start
c) have reliability problems.

Do your research and see how cool they are.

 

Any thing but a SBC

 

Flathead, wanna fight about it.......

 

I can't believe I clicked on this thread...I'm going to get something to eat!

 

What an interesting bunch of answers...opinions. I guess my preference between a flathead and an SBC is kinda given away with my ID. But, there is a place and time for OHV engines. Since you asked for an opinion, here's mine.
The SBC has become the bread and ****er engine for almost every rod built in the last many decades. Very common. Nothing wrong with these engines. Road raced 'em for years...Trans-Am and IMSA. Open the hood and I expect to see an SBC. More likely than not, loaded down with mailorder billet stuff. But, for me (Note: FOR ME) I like something more than the ultra common. My 39, with hood open, draws a bigger crowd than most others. I hear compliments from oldtimers and questions from the younger crowd. It's a pleasure to drive and hear. Reliable? Yes. Many, many miles....no issues. Economical to operate? I average about 22 MPG. Do I pop the clutch? No. I'm too old...uh, mature for that. Economical to rebuild? A bit more maybe than others, but I can afford that every 75,000 or more miles. That takes MANY years. Especially, when this isn't my daily driver.
I will admit that my chopped 29 A coupe is getting a 289HP with a C4. Remember the age remark? Plus a small ****pit.
I have a lot of good flatheads. Would I pop one into the A? Yup. I might just do it someday with the C4 behind it.
Remember, opinions are like **** orifices. Everybody has one. Get one of your own.

 

Flatheads ,no doubt are way ahead when choosing just for the cool factor.small Block Chevrolet done right is a great economical cruise engine,that you can find parts for at any parts store..So if you are going to drive it every where,the SBC would make more sense.Just don't overlook a small block Ford or Mopar. IMHO.

 

those two motors are like night and day..and a chevy would be my last choice of any mill

 

Depends on what your going to do with it.....

Drive it a lot? I would be going SBC with fuel injection.....

Mostly mall crawler? And you don't mind the work....flathead.

The difference of opinions is a lot like the manual vs automatic 4x4 crowd.....

Each has advantages....but at the end of the day it all comes down to what you want to look at when you walk out to it....

 

Nailhead.

 

funny,got the new street rodder mag in the mail today(hey! my niece was selling magazine subscriptions at her school and they didnt offer *******!) and the editorial talks about the ironic hate of SBC's...

i have no problem with them ,infact i love them, so easy to build,parts are easy to find and usually cheap,along with GOOD transmissions that actually bolt right up! so many sizes to choose from too,,

,,,but with that said,,i am running a 59a flattie in my 33 5 winder... ..i coulda saved my self a few thousand dollars easily and had my coupe on the road by now,but ....


...i wouldnt change it if i had to do it all over again!

all that aside, it all boils down to the ride, a full fendered full hooded hotrod/custom, i WOULD NOT think twice about putting a SBC in it,my coupe(no hood) will proudly show off the flathead,,,if i get to build the next car i have planned in my head( a 32 fenderless full hooded roadster) will more than liklley have a SBC....

 

you should just buy my buddies' 39 on cars-online.com, harris mn.....

 

Strictly for economic reasons I prefer the sbc. A reliable flat head costs a lot to build,most builders won`t even give a warrantee of any kind.

 

I don't give a **** how many you owned .. You don't know wtf your talking about