CAR: 36 Ford Coupe, 8BA w/4" crank, 3 5/16 bore, EAB heads, Schneider 260 cam, T-5 w/3.78 first gear, 3.73 rearend and 29" tires. This is for a street driven car. Just wondering what I should use, the stock flywheel, have it lightened or get just get an aluminum one.
Were it me, I'd just run the stock flywheel. As cute as aluminum flywheels are, you don't see them when they're installed and, unless you plan on racing it at the strip, I doubt that you'd see a big advantage to running one.
Aluminium dflywheels add to a gain in horsepower however loose torque - they are a serious race car bit of equipment hoever for street applications a stock flywheel lightened a bit is a great adavantage - lets the motor rev a bit freer and still maintains that "grunt' YOU NEED low down to pull away from the lights or from a standing start. We used to work on a flywheel weight of 33 - 27 kgs - sorry you may have to convert that into lbs for your part of the world
Aluminum flywheel brings the flathead to life. I have one in a Model A and I would never go back to the stock one. Throttle response is better and can make the shifts faster/smoother, don't have to wait for the rpm's to drop. I also have a '35 that is mostly stock. Wish I had a lighter flywheel in that one. Pretty doggy. Neal
Re: Aluminum flywheels The lighter the flywheel the faster the engine will accelerate or slow down and the clutch will problably have to be slipped more in order to prevent the engine from stalling. A lighter flywheel should be used in a vehicle that is being used to accelerate and decelerate frequently. Note: If you use an aluminum flywheel on the street make certain it has a steel or bronze friction surface as without this friction surface the flywheel will wear excessively fast. For normal street driving the stock flywheel is satisfactory but a bit on the heavy side (approx 32 lbs) and it can be machined down to approx 23 lbs and this is what I recommend.
I like aluminum, even in fairly heavy cars like my '48...it gives noticeably quicker reaponse, as does moving down in pressure plate size. Only detriments are silly minor...you may have to very slightly pick up engine speed when releasing clutch from a stop. Phooey.
I have a 14lb Weber aluminum flywheel with a Weber street Long type cover and 10½" street disc behind a mild '41 99A in a '32 roadster. This is the only car I've ever driven with an aluminum flywheel, and it isn't a problem. It takes just a bit more finesse to make a smooth start (4.11 rear, tall tires), but it shifts quick at 3000 rpm (stock '39 trans). I have a Mitchell OD which drops the rear ratio to about 3.00:1. It is still no trouble to make a smooth start in OD as this is a light car. A heavy flywheel allowed you to motor around in high gear at low speeds, and made starts very easy, but the aluminum wheel makes the flathead feel really snappy - it revs right now. Weber has replaceable steel inserts, and the ring gear is bolted to the flywheel. So far it's been fine.
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