Technical 59AB Flathead Engine Turns over

Purchased this motor last week, took heads off to discover copper gaskets, Oil pump seen better days, trying to keep cost down, where to from here?
Any ideas what to check, and replace. Heads are clean going to sandblast and paint, Thanks Al.

 

Put the heads back on and do a simple pressure test. If the block will hold pressure, then it is worth doing a complete teardown to do a thorough crack inspection. After you have determined that the block is not cracked (or only has repairable cracks), then you can decide what you want to do with it.

 

Flathead and low cost aren't normally associated together. You might get lucky but my guess is a complete rebuild is in order IF the block is good or repairable. Hope I'm wrong. If not, figure on a complete rebuild being north of 4 grand. At least that is what the 8ba stock rebuild cost a couple of years ago.

 

first clue of a worn out flathead is the end play on the crank. set up a dial indicator and pry the crank back and fourth and see what you got. from memory, 006 to 008 is max. i had one that ran perfect in my test stand, but the end play was 018. couldn't hear a problem on the stand, but that would have knocked like crazy with a load on it. worn out motor

 

So people spend 4-600 for a motor only to find out it could be no good? I will take pan off and check end play on crank. How many motors till you get a good one? I hope this turns out ok, do you always redo pistons and rings?
Thanks for the info !!! Al

 

You are about 60 years too late to be fooling with flatheads and keeping the cost down.
The cost of a magged, pressure checked bare block with fixable or useable cracks can run between 500 and a 1000 bucks. Even so, I had to go through 4 blocks to get a good one last time.

How much you re-do depends on how good an engine you want in the end.

 

I sold my second to last good 8BA block to a local guy who had gone through FIVE engines, all of which turned out to be cracked. I got $800, so the previous poster is about right on his cost estimate. It was two years ago, though.