40 Ford What Motor???

I don't rememeber, damn-it.
I LIKE EM ALL THOUGH.

 

I voted on the Chevy.

 

Keep the flathead, sell off the 283 and install a 5 speed to make it more road friendly.

Down the road you will regret going with the 283. Even if it is more reliable, has more power, cheaper, and much easier to get parts for. Damn, think I just talked myself into switching my vote.

Seriously, keep the flathead.

Glad you made it back ok from the Roundup. Even happier you got it on the road in time and drove it.

 

Wilcap sells everything you need ... http://www.wilcap.com/chevy.html#307efm



1 ) engine to transmission adapter
2 ) 168 tooth SBC flywheel
3 ) 1950 Mercury pressure plate
4 ) pilot bearing for the chevy crankshaft to ford input shaft
5 ) 55/57 Chevy 3 bolt starter

You need a Hurst style front motor plate and a set of 55/56 Chevy exhaust manifolds.

On my 40, I could drive it at 65/70 MPH ... all day with the SBC 283. I had a 3.78 gear and a 29.5 tall tire. There is a 3.54 and 3.25 gear available for the original stock 40 rear end.

.

 

Awesome thanks for the link!

 

You know what I would pick.

 

Speedway has these front motor mounts

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Small-Block-Chevy-to-1928-48-Ford-Front-Motor-Mount,3270.html

 

put the 283 in it and sell the flattie to someone with a open hood car

 

throw that boat anchor in the corner and run that killer 283

 

I am going with a 283 in my 40. I did not have all the original drive line so I was never tempted to go all original. The more I read here, the more i realize how little I know about this stuff. I keep pushing on, though.
check out my album for pics of my car

 

Your 40 looks solid! 283 is sounding better every day. I am still supprised how close this poll is!!

 

You can get a 3 bolt Chevy starter ... from most any decent parts house ( for a early 60's Chevy V8 pickup )



There is a Wilcap adapter on that dreaded auction site ( Fleabay ) for 50 dollars.



Speedway has the special pilot bushing

55/57 Chevrolet car exhaust manifolds work great in a 40 Ford ...

 

I have friends running flatheads and it seems to me that there are always problems with them. Don't get me wrong, I had a 40 Coupe with a 48 Merc flathead in it and it ran well . But then that was in the late 1960s and I was in highschool and din't really go far with it. I have friends now running flatheads and they seem to always be having problems. I'm running a 350 SBC in my 48 coupe . I just turn the key and go. Stay with the 283.

 

Thanks Deuce Roadster!

 

I vote for the 283, although EVERY used 283 I've ever seen was purported to be a 'Vette one! Nothing more traditional or period corrrect for your '40 than a warmed over 283, Corvette heritage or not, and you can look for the perfect 8BA while you drive the car.

When you find one, paint it up pretty, detail it with vintage speed parts and put in on a nice stand beside the car in the garage.

I loved the photos of your trip, BTW!

Brian

 

can't you just block off 2 of the radiator hose openings on your flathead radiator, and run it with the 283?

my vote is for the 283...you can use the stock drivetrain and buzz the little motor at 3000rpm all day long with no problems. my .02

also, call jason at hot rod garage...he has all the part numbers you'll need to convert it over.

 

Thanks Brian, they are traditional thats for sure, and flatheads do look pretty on a stand

Thanks Larry, I am leaning heavily toward the 283 fairly easy install and easy to keep on the road, yea plus the RPM thing!

I called HRG the other dayu and they never called me back

 

I like them both but vote for the 283--had a 40 sedan with all stock running gear with a 283 2 bbl with the wilcap stuff--very sweet on the road and no issues--used 55 exhaust manifolds as someone stated--fit well. Guy that bought it drove it from here to SanJose 75-80 mph (faster than I drove it)--it was then torn apart and is the maroon 40 sedan that was in the GNRS show this past year-now running a 900HP twin turbo small block of some sort.

 

Flathead, if not that, then how about a Ford engine instead of the dependable small block chevy that everyone and their cousin seems to have. Have a Ford, use a Ford.........JMO !
The older I get the more this makes sense to me. I had a '40 Ford ragtop, and just had to have a Olds. I had a '32 Ford Pickup, and just had to have a Chevy. Now I have two Chevy's and they both have Chevy engines, one a small block, and the other a 216 inline .....................but both are Chevy's.
firstnomad

 

Flathead, T5 and rear gears. Your car is a gem and the only way I would switch the motors is if your flathead was broken. Check the block, if you're good, tighten it up and ride!

I put a T5 behind mine and woooah, what a different experience. Ive often thought of building a 302 for my car, so I know where you're at. My opinion? Don't put the sbc in there.

 

.......Go with the flathead.....they are so cool and get a lot of looks.....anybody can go with a chevy motor.....

 

My vote is for the Flattie. You will feel better when you open the hood on cruise night.

I have not had ANY problems with my rebuilt 8ba in 8000 miles

 

Guys, if money was no object I would build a Merc flathead and never look back!
Unfortunetly, Money does figure in. I need to do the quickest, cheapest, and easiest fix now and and the 283 is ready to go in. My plan now is to rebuild the flathead when budget allows and take the 283 out at that time and do a T5 as well.
Believe me I love the look and sound of the flatheads and that is what I want. Just don't want to rip my car apart for a long period of time to rebuild the current motor and not be able to drive the car.
But a Flathead will ultimatly be back in the car!

Oh, and my 283 is not out of a Corvette it was in a Belaire, just has a Corvette intake!

 

Boy o boy, Chevrolet has a lock on this........

 

Quick, cheap, easy... Damn. I won't say another word.

 

Wow! Almost dead on 50/50 on this poll! The opinions are close and the pro 283 arguments are more compelling. I will try the 283 using the stock driveline for a while and slowly build the Flathead that I can't afford to build now. It WILL have a Flathead back in it sometime in the next few years.

Thanks to all for their votes and opinions!

 

Flatty build... I have just over $3,000 in my 8BA block, with center outlet Offy heads, 2x2 Offy intake, 4" crank, .060 , Isky , et al. That's around the same as some crate motors, so go ahead and do a flatmotor. All my "internals" , as well as the electronic "crab" distributor came from Speedway, and a local machine shop did the block prep. 4T

 

The reason it is cheap, quick, and easy is cause it is built and on the stand in the garage! if you read all my posts you will see what my mind set is on this

 

I still wish you would keep the flathead but totally understand why you are installing the 283.
Sometimes you just have to work with what you have.
Either way, just don't keep it off the road too long. Sounds like you had a good trip to the round up in it.

 

sell the 283,put a ford in a ford, 289,,,,302