Hey All, I'm new at buildling cars and engines, so have mercy. I found a 49AB that was pretty rusty but not cracked so now I'm cleaning it up and getting it ready to go get the rust taken off. I've listened to a lot of different engines and ridden in a lot of different hotrods but I've never heard anything better than a flathead that was in a '34 w/ straight pipes...that's really what got me into wanting to build a car..the sound of that engine. What are the things that effect the engine sound & rhythm? The crankshaft, the exhaust, what else? Is there a certain standard configuration? Low and guttural is what I like...and I have no idea how to achieve that. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers, George Claremont, CA
block off the heat risers with penneys and it will make it crackle and growl. make sure it's an 82 or older penny or use small freeze plugs.
Bronze headers and a copper exhaust Your a loose crankshaft will add to the noise but generally only once
I like the cast iron headers, fentons, and they make a sound difference. Don't know about the pennies, never really tried that. A good ignition system helps too.
If you want the classic flathead sound use 1 3/4" tail pipes. None of the flatheads that I put exhaust on sounded quite right. I always used 2" pipe usually with the reproduction Smittys because I stocked it and it was 14 Ga. I was not pleased with my own flat motor sound. I had a customer with a box stock 51 Merc insist on 1 3/4" pipe exactly like his first Merc 30 years prior. BINGO. The same Smittys but the sound was completely different. I suppose it is the velocity of the smaller tubing that changes the sound. I never would have known if the customer had not insisted.
Bore it, stroke it ( 3 5/16 bore, 4 1/8 stroke), put a Potvin 3/8, L100 or Isky 400 jr, run a tight piston to head clearance (get the compression up), if you have a light car - run an aluminum flywheel . . . and have some fun! Now . . . if you really want some fun, put a blower on it --- once you've had one of those, you'll always go back . . .
I'm having a little problem with the 49AB. Should be 59AB, 8BA, 8RT, 8CM or other. Where are the water outlets on the heads and where is the dizzy; front by crank or at an angle on passenger side front? There may be several things that help with the flatty sound; offset cylinder bores to crank centerline, siameased exhaust ports on both sides in the middle, offset cam.
No you're right, it's an 8BA...sorry. Writing in a daze last night, don't ask why. Thanks for the advice and also getting made fun of I'm glad to have found like-minded people.
That's gotta be true...come to think of it every flathead that has had that "sound" has had weirdly narrow tail pipes.
No, I deserve it...but thanks for the mercy. What I really need is someone to hang out and talk with that's in the Orange County, CA or Pomona, CA area. Anyone know a shop that is open on weekends and doesn't mind someone hanging out and asking questions? I'll actually wear deodorant. George
I don't know their hours, but checkout H&H Flatheads . . . talk to Mike. They're big into flatheads and are busy building them while most are talking about it. I grew up in Los Angeles and was heavy into the flathead scene in the 70's - 80's . . . now I'm in Columbus Ohio and starting to get plugged into the local scene once again. You'll find plenty of flathead and traditional folks in Socal.
Shim stock. That's what my buddy said...shim stock. He said their old speed secret was to loosen the middle intake bolts and slide a piece of brass shim material under the gasket to block off the heat riser and tighten the bolts. He said when the local cops raised hell with him, he'd pull the shim stock out and have the constable check it to ensure it was repaired. Of course it was reinstalled before sunset. I thought that was cool and went to look and my engine. My block letter Edelbrock intake came with no heat riser passages in the intake. Shim stock or pennies would be no improvement.
I have a block letter Edelbrock super dual set up for removable plugs...from some unclear writing in a '49 catalog, I think this is stock Edelbrock. Basically top of riser area is milled flat for separate plates to cover the top, and center bolt bosses are long enough to be part of this flat area. Removing the two bolts on each side would allow lids to come off so pieces of round stack could be dropped in or removed to block a vertical part of the riser.
Run Straight open headers with two foot of pipe and attach one of these on the end. Every Flathead will sound good with these guaranteed. http://www.speedwaymotors.com/SHORTY-MUFFLER,3568.html
The one I have is cast with tall risers for the middle bolts, cast integral with the rise for the actual crossover. Milling makes all of that one flat surface with top of a vertial passage open...mine is missing whatever closed the lid, but just 1/4" aluminum would do fine. The vertical passage is round so just a slug of metal about an inch long would nicely close it to the horizontal passage. I don't remember what the old catalog actually says, but it murkily discusses a feature there, so this may be original and not a clever modification. Mine is a super with spread carb locations. I don't know why the bolt holes would have been raised if not to expedite this plugging.
Blocking the crossover in the manifold greatly affects sound...the manifold I am discussing allows blocking/unblocking quickly, allowing adjustment for racing/traffic court/ cold weather with little work. Plus you get to spend those two pennies on more speed equipment.
Thanks for all the input everyone...the H.A.M.B. members rock. Time to get greasy...and find some pennies. George
The pennies avaliable today will blow/burn out in an hour. Go to a hardware store or NAPA and buy two 3/4 inch steel plugs. These won't burn out. Just tap them into the heat riser hole until they are flush with the surface of the block. When you need to remove them, just tap them down into the exhaust port and they will everntually find their way out the tail pipe.
Ok,I want my (STOCK 59 ab) to sound good too, already got the fenton headers to install, so I need to run 1 3/4" straight pipe's, and block off the heat riser's to the intake with 3/4" freeze plugs, right? I'm in the southeast so we don't have that much cold weather ,just incase that make's a difference with the heat riser block off. Anymore imput before I give it a try?
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