Getting ready to put together my 39 pick up..... Ordered the three speed book from Van Pelt....I have a couple engines and want to rebuild so looking for the best tech manual, build manual.....dont want to waste $ and time on lousy books....what do the experts recommend? Post war 59 series.......thanks, UZ
welcome, can't really go wrong with an old motors manual. southern, mid or northern maine? coastal maine my favorite place to vacation.
If you do not want to waste money, check out what is free. http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/flathead.htm On the same site has a book by JWL. Costs a few buck but good information. Red Hamilton used to have some articles of his on his site, Red's headers. Do not know if they are still there. There were two web sites for Red's Headers. I think old one was .com and new one was .net. Neal ADDITION another source of information is also on the technosite that I listed above. Way down at the bottom, the link to Rumble Seats writings. Good information.
I have Tex Smith's "The Complete Ford Flathead V-8 Engine Manual" by Ron Ceridono, "Ford Flathead V-8 Builder's Handbook" by Frank Oddo, and "Rebuilding the Famous Ford Flathead" by Ron Bishop. All have lots of useful information. I also recently purchased a reprint of California Bill's "Ford Speed Manual" (1952 edition) in which he claims that the Ford V-8 "is here to stay in racing at least another quarter of a century." Very entertaining reading, plus some of the old tricks used back in the day.
what ArkieHotRods said - have those also....but not sure of how the rest of your drive line is...Vern Tardell has some trannie - steering books also...
If its a pre37 block, you may be looking at money for inserts and worse if its been bored out. If it a late 38 your better off. Now are you building for speed, for movement, for cheese... . Dont be afraid of reading, however pointless. Its cheap.
I am nearing the completion of a 59A build and have several favourite books. Nostalgia Rebuilding And Modifying The Ford Flathead by Ron Holleran (explains the basics VERY well) How To Build Flathead Horsepower by Greg McNicholl (great and extremely detailed section following build of a nice 59A street motor) The JWL book is very well written and researched Lastly a fun read is FullRace Flathead by Jerry Hagens if you can find a copy. I read as much as I could relevant and irrelevant to my engine and found that opinions still vary and your own your own with a majority of the decisions involved.
No, i have three 59 series to play with, one is a runner, the others are condition unknown..... This is what I was looking for...thanks a heap... Btw, I am in Mid Coast Maine, boothbay harbor area......
x2 on Ron Halloran's Nostalgia, best book on the market IMHO and Rebuilding the famous Ford Flathead by Ron Bishop, 2 good books Keep em Flat..........
One of the nicest things you can do for a 59A block is to pick up a crank and set of rods from an 8BA. This gets better bearings in the mix.
There is two books from Mike Davidson i would also recomend, plus a book that don't have been released yet, "Howe to build the ultimate Flathead" by our own B&S! On the serious side, look up some of Bored&stroked's threads! No one of the books i have read so far is perfect for me, put after you have read them all, make your own conclution. Thats the interesting part with the Flahead, so meny diffrent ideas on such a simple engine! ..................................... Taildragger&fenderless
Stuff to look at: Ron Holleran's book "Nostalgia" noted above...that's the desert island book: It has specs, rebuild info, souping info, and good stuff on what works and doesn't in one package. Pictures are the weak point. JWL...Engineer, experienced racer, machinest, very smart, owns a dyno (inherited from Ron!) and flowbench...what more do you want?? 1937-48 Ford overhaul book, cheap and available from repro parts places, lots of good stuff. Rumbleseat's book, old and experienced rodder, online FREEEEEEEE!! http://www.flatheadv8.org/rumblest/intro.htm scroll down to bottom and start clicking! Find someone with Hot Rod Mag for 1956...copy Don Francisco's rebuild, 3 parts April-May-June, and there's an Ardun how to in July! 59 and its immediate '39-42 Merc ancestors are best blocks for rods, and the good floater bearings are the best for an engine to be run hard, though more expensive than the 8BA stuff. They can be used with the late crank nicely, allowing the extra stroke with the good rods! 8BA types are entirely OK, probably nearly mandatory if building a custom and allowing a slightly larger range of late trans choices than 59 since they can accept GM automatics. This is extremely useful for all, a HAMB product,: http://www.flatheadv8.org/bishop/porting1.htm ...there may be more to that one someday soon...!!! Two early books in reprint...the California Bill one noted above and another by Roger Huntington, both circa 1952.
I do not understand this thinking. The floating bearings are the better bearings. It makes no sense to me to throw out a good and presumably original rotating ***embly then spend your weekend or what ever spare time you have chasing down and purchasing parts or perhaps even another engine just to "save" a few dollars or because it's "easier" The floating bearings where only a telephone call away and not as atrociously expensive as people whom have never purchased a set preach.
Look at what Bruce said above. It also may have some to do with personal preference. The floating bearings are shared by two rods and float both in the rod and on the crank if I understand correctly. I like the later hard shell bearing each supporting one rod and the other options Bruce mentioned.
Someone earlier made mention of "Rumble Seat" and his postings here on the early days of the HAMB. It was ***led "Rumbleseat's Wisdom -- the Reflections and Insights of Paul Garrigan Pertaining to the Ford Flathead V-8" It was more than 100 pages of invaluable information, posted by a true expert. And to prove his point, he chronicled his 2,000 mile trip in a flattie-powered `34 roadster throughout the western United States. Find it -- read it -- save it. umble seat" and his writings on the flattie. He was a very, very big player on the early HAMB. Use "search" to locate his wisdom. He actually posted over 100 pages of spec's, technical information, and details on every aspect of old-school hot rods from engines and clutches, to electrical and cooling systems. It was called "R
Whenever I'm getting into something new, I try to read everything I can find and talk to people til they send me away... Btw, this motor is goin into a 39 pick up I just picked up.......i like the look you got goin with yours.....very cool
The address of the flathead site has changed recently. I believe it is now : flatheadsRus.com Lots of Knowlwdge over there. Personally, I have found Joe Abbin's books (they're not only about only blown flatheads) and George McNichols books are excellent.
The Jalopy Journal
