Hello everybody, I just picked up another old flathead. This one is the old style 24 stud motor. It has the water ports in the top center of each head. It's like the 59A style. One of the heads, maybe both, can't remember has the letter "T" raised casted onto it, no number though. Haven't checked bore or stroke yet. That's pretty much it on the heads. The number "K641" is cast into the top of the integrated bellhousing. Any help that anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
The "T" head is most likely an 81T, a prewar 221 truck part. IF the head is on its original engine, it is most likely a 221, but I believe (can't find the Merc parts book) this head was also used on 239 early Mercs--p***enger only, not the 239 trucks. Also, it is always worth repeating that most flathead parts fit most flatheads, people interchange stuff, and after 6 or 7 decades most engines have been traded in on rebuilts made of mixed parts--SO, none of this means squat until you pull the heads and start measuring and looking at forging numbers and such.
Yeah, I understand that, I think I'll have to start looking at bore sizes, and see if I can't find a better number on the block. Thanks for the info... Question, is there a good book out there on Id'ing flatheads, as this isn't the first time I've needed help. Might be nice to have a reference on hand...
Try here: http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_home.htm There's a whole section on identification...
Hey Stressed Out- Relax, help is on the way... If you have access to the flat deck surface under the intake manifold, look at the p***enger side back corner (right rear). There may be a few numbers stamped on top of the block in that area. Beats me what some of the numbers are, but you should see a set of larger letters and numbers. The format is letter (month), number (1-2 digits, day of month) and letter (year) Here's your secret decoder (you must swear to secrecy and never divulge the code, everyone else please avert your eyes) M = 0 G = 1 B = 2 L = 3 A = 4 C = 5 K = 6 H = 7 T = 8 R = 9 S = 10 E = 11 F = 12 For example, I have an 8BA with the code 'T 7 M', which means this baby was born November 7, 1950. ****, I can't sell that block cause my birthday is November 8! But I digress... As far as I know, this should work on most '59' block-type and 8ba types. Works for all of mine except that GD 21 studder that nearly killed me to strip down. My condolences, flatheads are addictive!
In Tennessee, we use the Gregorian calendar, and '8' actually = November, not August. OK, my bad - 8 does = August, I just can't read my own friggin' stuff. Sorry if you were confused as is my normal state . They told me my mind would be the second thing to go, can't remember the first.
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