I'm thinking about getting some early aluminum heads for my late model flathead motor. It's a '51 merc motor where the water necks are towards the front. I have two questions? First- I know that the water thermostats bolt onto the heads, but on a early model head where the water outlet is in the middle, there's no place to do that, do early heads not require thermostats? Second- I know you have to plug a few wholes to get early heads to work on a later model motor, are there any positives (besides the early look) or any negatives you have found in using these on your motor? any help or opinions will be highly appreciated! thanks, CAB
Pfffttt. I thought you were going to put an injected vette motor, ifs, tweed interior, and a 101 color painjob on that car?? Whats this flathead nonsense?? hahaha. put a hemi in your A *hint hint* *cough cough*
The thermostats just sit on top of the water necks. Might be a good idea to put an extra clamp on the hose at the same level of the T-stat to keep it from wandering up the hose. Only real benefit to the early head is better looks.
Use early gaskets--these come in two flavors, get the ones with only round holes in center area--no trapezoids! Plug the holes at front with I think 1/4" pipe plugs... Ford used thermostats from about 1934 on. Hoses are supposed to have a ledge inside to hold stats to top of head, but many repros lack these, so put on an eaxtra clamp as recommended. Late heads are for CUSTOMS.
I just did this; the result is in a couple of recent threads you may find by looking up posts under my screename. There are a pair of holes in the deck which have to be tapped out to accept a 3/8" NPT pipe plug. I used a flush mount brass hex plug and ground off the excess B4 sending it off to the machine shop for decking. The finished result is virtually undetectable by anyone other than an inveterate flattie phreak. You can see the area plugged between the front top two bolts in the pic below:
Thanks guys for all your expertise and answering my questions! It's my first time dealing with a flathead motor so excuse my ignornace best wishes, CAB ps. Scotty this if for the '35, not the "you know what"
Wheeew! Thanks flatoz for saving my bacon too. Bruce doesn't like the thought of FRONT outlets - says they're for Customs - but he has to give us guys with blowers a break!!
Bruce, Does a flat head engine run cooler with later model heads on later model motors since the water necks are towards the front and the cintrifcal(sp?) force cools the water from the front of the engine to the back? Since the water necks are are in the middle of the head on earlier heads, is there any difference noticed in running temps between motors early and late? thanks in advance!
I don't think there is a HUGE difference in cooling from 1949 to 1948, but Ford obviously re-designed it for some reason...and not to make it worse! Saw the heads you want to get, they look good. Let me know if you get them(grab some gaskets too), and we can get them on there.
Two different paths...two different updates... 24 stud history: Prewar 99 and 81's had huge central trapezoidal holes in decks, and apparently (some intellectual archaeology and guesswork here) end cylinders got less water than middle...too much went straight up and out the center. 59 block (actually, maybe the 1942 wartime revision, but dunno) got smaller central holes, different gaskets to throttle flow through middle. This forced more wawa to ends of block, where it came up, reversed through the head, and exited at the middle. Early engines are supposed to get late gaskets and some head mods to approximate 59A pattern when overhauled... '49 type engines force most water the whole length of the block, then up and all the way forward to exit. I'm not sure why this would actually change things much--I kinda suspect it was a secondary change because Ford had a reason to move the pipes forward (perhaps the planned roots blower option scheduled for 1954, huh?). All these systems work fine--if you are overheating, it ain't because you need the other heads. Early (59) heads should use the gaskets used for 59's, as there's no reason to send all the water aft...heads really become the controlling factor on where the water goes, as the 59 head and gasket holes will throttle those big gaps in the 8BA block.
Don't wanna steal the thread but on the subject of heads... What are the opinions of new heads (Offy, Edlebrock, etc) versus an original (old) set of... oh I don't know... say Eddie Meyer heads for instance? I have heard / read that new heads have better castings, higher quality material and tighter tolerances to aid in performance and heat disipation. All points seem to make good sense but man, a set of Eddie Meyer heads would sure look good on that 26 Tudor sittin in my.... ummm I mean, in somebodys garage. So, new versus old? Opinions and experiences please. Thanks, Dave
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