Alright my flathead experts. I am looking for a 337 flathead. What should I expect to pay for one? Were they only made from 48-52? Will my 4 SPD transmission behind my current 239 fit and survive behind 337? How hard is it to find parts for this thing? Thank you guys in advance!
Are you talking about the Lincoln 337? Parts are hard to find. But there are vendors out there that have parts. H and H Flatheads has finned aluminum heads and a few different intakes. Pricey. I can't remember who, Sanderson Headers or Reds Headers, who makes headers too. Kanters has all the engine parts, water pumps, bearings, ignition parts. Pertronix makes a unit for the distributor too. You will want to find a Lincoln engine (8EL on the head). These were also in the Ford trucks. I think the F6-F8. The trucks (8EQ) had solid lifters, while the Lincoln had hydraulic lifters. The Lincoln had higher horse power ratings. You will have to either find the bellhousing that mates to that engine (Hard to find, especially for a manual transmission) or there is a place that makes transmission adapters to mate modern automatics to it. They are cool engines but very heavy. I believe the engine with all the components is like 850 pounds. Check out Van Pelts too for more specs.
You must mean the big flathead used in Lincolns from 1949 to 1951 and some big Ford trucks to 1958. They were a unique design all their own, with nothing interchanging with any engine before or after. I should think they would be one of the hardest American engines of the early fifties to get parts for, since they were made in small numbers, they share nothing with any other engine, and have been out of production for 60 years. And they were never popular with hot rodders or anyone else. As for what you can expect to pay, you have to find one first. It might cost $50 it might cost $10000. If you can find someone doing an engine swap on a Lincoln they might sell you their old engine and trans cheap. If you find one in a junk yard by some fluke they would probably charge the same as any old V8. Go to a Lincoln spe******t and get one rebuilt and $10000 might not cover it. There is a reason they weren't swapped into Fords or anything else. They are as big and bulky as a Cadillac V8 and to be fair, produce practically as much HP in stock form as a 49 Caddy. But have almost no potential for a hop up. In that there is almost no speed equipment available. I suppose it could be done for the hell of it but you would be happier with a flathead Merc or Ford, or an OHV V8 would be even better.
I would say so. A nice built 239 based flatty will take you coast to coast if built correctly and taken care of.
Yeah the are I got the wrong numbers, I was just hoping a 337 would be a little better since it is 98 ci bigger than what I have even in stock form. The any engine I get has to be origional or a period correct SWAPO for that era per the wife. Since it is her truck, lol
The 59/AB is what the folks who are driving flatheads are looking for, Dual carb's and the heads can be milled up to 45 thounds. Headers are worthless, because of the design of the exhaust ports. The later Mercury motors have a 4'' stroke and can be fitted to a 59/AB, maybe a different cam.
I have a nice intake for a 337. Had it powder-coated silver, then discovered it will not fit my '49 239!! Duh! If anyone wants it, you can have it for the shipping.
I have driven trucks with the 337 engine. Gutless wonders and burn gas like crazy, worse than a 239, best flathead is a 255 Merc.
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