got a problem, a good one- flathead or early hemi?

gathering parts for my A v8 project. so far I have 30 A rolling ch***ie. 42 spindles,juice brakes and banjo rear. 53 ford flathead stripped ready to go to machine shop. thee speed manual side shift trans.two holley 94s. Now the problem, picked up a complete desoto hemi running drive train with 4 speed I couldnt p*** up. what would be cooler for traditional hot rod build, hemi or flatty. Im gona keep both engines but up in the air on what to mock up in A frame. I like problems like this!

 

hemi

 

I'd go with the flathead.

 

could put hemi in my 40 chysler royal but would be tight fit

 

I say use the Hemi.

 

When I built my '27 Highboy roadster, I had a 59L flathead and a Gift Chrysler 354.

I built the roadster with both. Flathead could be removed and Chrysler replaced in about an hour...Multiple plug did the wire harness, and the Chrysler had a Horne 4-jugger, (flathead had an Edelbrock 4-jugger) both engines had 2 radiator hoses, and Chrysler had a pair of M/T valve covers, with the M/T milled off and fins added. Looked like a giant flathead!)
Everybody thought I had 2 Highboys.

 

leaning that way (hemi)

 

the hemi will brake the bango

 

Flatheads are cool too, but the hemi will be faster and to me at least, faster is cooler!

 

Here are a couple threads you may be interested in.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=163873
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=601745

 

Flathead, Love the look

 

That banjo will be screaming if you put the hemi in front of it. unless you can switch the rear end i would stay with flathead. also depends on the look your going for

 

Put a 'Yeah, I got a hemi" sticker on your bumper, if you go hemi...

 

this hemi is pretty mild, but point is well taken. I do love the look of the banjo. I love the look of the flathead and hemi, thats why this will be tough choice. I see alot of real nice flattys in rods at shows and they are cool, I have only seen 1 or 2 early hemi rods in person and they are ***s. I see a lot of rats with hemis thats seems odd, mabe they are going for the contrast of rusty junk and a somewhat exotic looking hemi.

 

would the banjo hemi combo really be an issue? I would have to guess that hemi is maybe 200 hp tops and car will mainly be a cruiser

 

you gotta realize that the banjo was made for a stock flathead pushing 100 horses. it might survive but ive been told that unless it is a COMPLETELY stock hemi (talking 331 or 354) then it will be trouble.

 

Early 276 were as low as 160 hp and late 341s went to 325.

 

Slightly veering from the OP's post, but I have a question. I thought an AV8 implied a flathead, can you still call it an AV8 with a hemi? I guess it would still be an A with a V8......

 

Flathead ..

 

Hemi!

 

If the budget is an issue you might want to price both builds to help decide.
Other than that, they are both very cool and make it a completely different car.

I think the flathead would be a cooler rod myself.
Bonus of using the flathead is that the Hemi sitting in the garage is going to be a good engine choice for a wider variety of cars.
After the AV8 is done, you can start shopping for another car!

 

Get a mouse motor, problem solved.

 

It's all in how you drive it.

 

I'd go with the Desoto just for it's rarity. Put a low gear in it and use the banjo.

 

flatty

 

Both make a good looking motor in a open hood car the choice is yours we all know but you all hate to amit a sbc would be the best chioce more power good looking motor and you get to piss off all the want to be,s

 

I know the SB chev is an all time great mill but Im afraid I might jump into someone elses rod by mistake and drive away.

 

I like the way you think!

 

The hemi for sure! The extra money spent will be worth it for the eye-candy effect.

 

Prior to my trip with the "bones" to the salt I would have opted for an ohv. But traveling some 5000mi +/- in the flathead powered "buckboard" (40 panel) I gained a whole new respect for those venerable faltties! I would opt for the flathead! It will be a blast!