Hot Rods Best breathing flathead 6

Yunick was known for getting around some very rough ports when porting was not allowed by simply painting the inside of the ports- slightly smaller but smooth

 

He also made the Hudson engines run backwards in order to load the left wheel for improved traction.

 

I guess the jury is still out.

 

I dont get all the hate for flathead sixes, or that they are a waste of $$ to build vs a flathead V8. Let's look at the numbers:
Stock 1948 Ford V8 239 .417 HP/CI 6.8cr, 100hp
1953 Ford V8 239 .459HP/CI 7.2cr, 110hp
1953 Mercury 255 .489 HP/CI 7.2cr, 125hp
1948 Plymouth Six 217 .436Hp/CI 6.6cr, 95hp
1957 Dodge Six 230 .6HP/CI 8.0cr, 138hp
1953 Chrysler 265 .45HP/CI 7.0cr, 119hp
1956 Hudson Hornet 308 .535HP/Ci 7.5cr, 165hp

Sure the V8 when given 8-1 cr and some carbs picks up a good gain, but how many actually drive around with 200+HP? Not many, without a blower. The Sixes also respond to the same mods.
Also, most of the sixes don't crack and overheat like the Ford V8, and have real oil systems, not BS rod dippers (chevy six)

So looking at the facts, most sixes are a better hot rod choice than ford's popular, but poorly thought out eight.
And finally, they are all a waste of $$ if you want power, because a stock junkyard $300 truck LS will beat the pants off of all but the baddest of the bunch. But who cares? LS motors are for people who let their moms dress them, and wear socks with sandals.

 

I remember a road test in a 1950 Mechanics Illustrated that compared a new six cylinder Ford with a V8, and the six outran the V8 car up to 80 mph.

 

Lots of old timers will tell you the 50 Ford flat 6 sixes would outrun the V8s off the line and up through the gears.

 

The 226 cu in Ford Flathead 6 had more torque than the Flathead V8. I think low end torque outperforms higher rpm HP.....at least in initial acceleration.

Ray

 

1948-51 Ford Six 226ci .42HP/CI 6.8cr, 95hp
A near tie, per CI, with the '48 Ford V8

 

Here's a Ford-6 in 1951. Ran 111 MPH at El Mirage. Pretty good for a street roadster . . .

 

Looks like a Knudsen intake. They specialized in Ford six speed equipment.

 

Not that this is really important,, "Gray was based in Detroit. Many fishing boats, lobsterboats, tugs and pleasure craft used Gray engines. These boats usually fell between 12 and 32 feet. Many of their engines were marinized automotive engines from Hercules, Studebaker, Pontiac, Continental, American Motors or General Motors Diesel Division" I realize boat stuff is OT but I learned sumpthin here today ... I won't feel bad if this is deleated. Mitch

 

Just checked back in. Thanks for the information and responses. Still poki g around at the idea of a flathead 6. Been sidetracked lately, but hoping to get back on the Whatever project and continue collecting parts for Son of Whatever, and the engine choice could be a decisive factor in the direction I take it.

Another question for Ford 6 knowledgeable people: does the bellhousing bolt to the same transmissions and adapters that the V-8 flatheads bolt to? I see that it uses a bolt on housing more like the 8ba blocks. This could make it easy to use an S10 T5 behind one.

 

Yes the six can use the same transmission as the v8 with the correct intermediate bell.

 

My 1st car was a 50 Ford inline 6. Started smoking bad, so had an "old timer" rebuild it. Mild mill on the head. Originnal overdrive trans. I beat V8 flatties with it & the last gut I knew who owned it, got trophys at a local strip.

 

They were very heavy and more of an industrial engine they limited its rpm for a very good reason. Thousands were in 30-40’s boats for pleasure and fishing. They were very stout.
We removed one once that was over 400” and replaced it with Chrysler Crown FH 265” 6 cylinder for economy in a 28’ pleasure cabin cruiser. It too was an excellent engine .
GMC’s and Chev 6’s are POS with 7 port heads even tho I race them and love them to death. 300” Ford 6 was probably the best one ever when you considered how many million miles UPS vans put on them.

 

Dave,
Depending on what your needs/wants are, in terms of physical size, c.i., & possible total power avail, ooopps - let's not forget available speed parts, the Stude Champion 6 could be a lot of fun. Available in 169"(two different crank journal sizes iirc), w/a stroker crank for 185", & an ohv setup. Lots of parts interchangeability. Tough little mills, take to supercharging well. Parts aren't hard to find to rebuild them, has a small hard-core following.
Marcus...

 

@moose's Plymouth 6 powered Model A

 

My Dodge flattie was built to run in the later Carrera Panamericana, in a '48 Dodge coupe. It ran in 3 of the events, and was very respectable. I arranged for the owner to obtain an Aussie Holden Charger 6 from Ak Miller. Not sure if he ever finished the critter. This six went to a friend, who died years later, and I ended up with the mill. I don't know what the cam is, and haven't had it apart to check. The head is a Tattersfield, and the intake is an early Edmunds script with big Chrysler carbs. The headers and side covers are Phillips Performance. It runs an electronic ignition, and a 4-speed from a Hemi.... If I had something to put it in, I'd rebuild and run the puppy...

 

Don't forget the Jeep sixbangers - there's a ton of potential in them.

 

Yup, flatheads, & F-heads...
Then Aluminum OHC w/hemi chambers, roller rockers, etc. Kaisers' six(military-type available for civvies). Head essentially bolted onto a kaiser flattie6 - which, iirc, was a continental mill. ?Come to think of it, this's the best-breathing flattie6 pkg. Hey, it just morphed a little, less than an Ardun...
& home-made ohv's if you're desperate...
Marcus...

 

Best breathing flathead six is one thing. But to find speed equipment for those off beats is another.

 

Hey, you've got the start to a dyno in that 2nd picture. Get some monster resistors and the appropriate switchgear, or if it's a dc generator, a dc motor coupled with an ac motor, to ma a mg set, and viola, you've got a dyno...

Or a lot of light bulbs. Oh well just saying...

Anyway, lots of choices available. Now do I go that path, or???

More research required.

 

Interesting! Nice amalgam of parts. Those exhaust manifolds look nice

 

My 218 runs pretty decent, I do have a 1951 239 that is not far from being a runner.
I keep thinking, some day I will swap in that 239 .... gain 5 hp ... WHOO HOO \o/!!!