I am wanting to replace the 59AB flathead V8 in my 1947 Ford with an 8CM flathead V8 from a 1949 Merc. This was a common swap many years ago and I have the earlier water pumps on the engine and flywheel housing from a truck to connect the 49 engine to the 47 transmission. I do have a couple of questions with regard to the clutch and flywheel. 1) What pressure plate, clutch disc, throw-out bearing, and flywheel do I use? (i.e. 49 pressure plate and flywheel with 47 clutch disc or ?) 2) What pilot bearing is used in the flywheel? My 49 Merc engine is missing its flywheel. I do have the complete flywheel and clutch assembly from a 1950 Ford 8BA. Can the flywheel and clutch from a 1950 Ford 8BA be used on a 49 Merc 8CM engine? (I notice different interchange numbers for these flywheels in my Hollander interchange book.) Thanks for any help and replies.
['48 ford] and ['49 merc / '50 truck] flywheels are different, '48's have a taper on the back side, '49's are flat... also memory says you will need to run the truck water pumps [outward spacing], also some merc motor mounts are different, deeper and need a C shaped lower mount... different frame mounts... to change your ' 49 to the '48 distributor you would need to change the cam [thrust direction and drive gear]. I ran 59AB heads on my 8BA block... had to plug a .330" water port on the right side near the 8BA's distributor's tie down ... memory quit on me...
If engine were complete, the '49-50 Merc would be pretty much bolt in...but here., no flywheel. You need a '49-53 wheel...'49-50 Merc with its B&B clutch will work, Pickup or truck 10" 0r 11" Long will fit perfectly as is too. '49-53 Ford passenger 9 1/2 no, if you find a 10" passenger it will work by usin8 '46-48 PP and disk. '51-53 Merc wheel needs '49-50 pressure plate, rare, to work. All combos need disk with big spline, same as '48 Ford stuff. Any pressure plate must have the big contact circle for its fingers, allee samee on early Ford and the truck/merc ones that fit, all usable combos use the same throwout as '48 Ford. Merc pumps fit WITH and easy to get spacer, better to use truck because easier to find if you need to replace. Merc pan will probably fit, truck has a touch more clearance at steering link if not.
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