Was wanting to find out if anybody here is using this flathead water pump conversion kit from cornhusker?It uses a water pump from a 348-409 chevy and is mounted to an adaptor to the stock water pump location. Seems like a good idea and I would think this setup might cool a little better.
First I have heard of it but looks promising to me and looks like it eliminates a lower hose and radiator connection..
This conversion has been available for years. It is a shame that it uses an obsolete water pump though.
This is gunna come across as a bit offensive, but WHY would anyone want to run a Flattie if they are going to junk it up with modern stuff? Run a 350 then, I'll even admit they are MORE reliable and get better power, otherwise if you want an old motor accept it's quirks and it's traditional look. Millions of people drove flatheads daily over 75 years, and many still do. If put togather traditional and maintained proper they will work good, just like anyother motor
Water pump is not obsolete you can get them still they run about $150. This was just a thought I seen this and thought it would be interesting have not read anything posted about this setup yet. I take no offence to what you say about the whole modern deal but what would be the difference in doing the conversion on the flathead as opposed to people doing the conversion on the early hemi engines.It is the same right? There also a kit for the hemi that uses a chevy water pump and people do not seem to see that as a problem.
I am new to this form. I bought a Cornhuskers’s water pump conversion to a 409 pump. It did not come with the instructions. I have emailed Cornhuskers 4 times and called them twice. No luck. Does anyone have the instructions that they could email me? Thanks Rick
The difference between this conversion and using a Chevy water pump on a hemi is that Ford pumps are readily available and hemi pumps are not. I run a conversion on the hemi in my race car because both the housing AND the (small block) water pump itself are aluminum, and with a hemi, every bit of weight you can save helps. My problem with the 348/409 conversion is that the flathead was designed from the start as two separate cooling systems. This is not the case with the early hemi. Merging them may not result in an efficient system. Then there is the problem of modifying the system to go from 2 bottom hoses to one. (There are still two hoses on top.) I'll also bet that 348/409 water pumps are higher on the extinction list that flathead pumps. Small block pumps and even big block pumps will still be around longer than any of the others. Given all the information, I'd stay away from the conversion. "Skip" Haney will appreciate it, too,
Thanks for the Atta Boy Tubman. The 348/409 pumps are easy to find and cost about the same as a good SBC pump. My kit works very well on the Flathead, Fit is perfect, and it does a really good job of cooling. Next time you choose to demean a product know what your talking about. I make a few other products maybe you'd like to run them in the ground also. With the support of guys like you I wonder how I survived in the hot rod business for over 40 years?
@tubman You are not correct on cooling , If you want you can actually separate the block water p***ages from the head and cool Independently no water threw deck & Head on Heads . There is a build thread on here Hemi , was Milk shaking oil & water , I recommended Separate the heads from the block , independent cooling So head gasket would not leak , The builder went different solution to solid heads . I have afew Walker & B-Ws Chevy specific then Ford specific Rad's . So I became smarter I now use a Flat Head Rad , when not using all inlet's / outlet's I just cap off . I mix & match many engine combos & have done a Jap engine. If want to do a Experiment take & calibrate 8 water temp gauges install 4 per side , You will see all different readings , @ least first gen GM's & sure Hemi the same , Then the trick is to balance all the temps Block ,head, cyliders , This why one of benefits of SB2 was able to do.
Forgot this tidbit of information. My inspiration for this conversion came from none other than Speedy Bill Smith. I was in his office one day in about 1992-3 and he showed me a picture of his 40 Ford Flathead powered roundy round car and it's F H motor. He told me when the 348 came out in 58 he realized that it would be an excellent replacement pump for the back then troublesome dual FH pumps. He hand made his front motor plates out of steel. I went back to my shop and made some patterns and band sawed the first ones out of steel and designed them as a direct replacement which sat on the stock motor mount location. I took them to a friend and he converted everything to a CNC program. Other reason they sold good is at the time I had the best combination air-alternator bracket.
@Ktylon32, I would like to apologize for my post. especially the last sentence which was wrong and unnecessary. I have the utmost respect for you and your contributions to this hobby, including the many excellent items you have provided. I have no empirical knowledge of the relative availability of aftermarket water pumps, so I had no business commenting on that aspect. I am sure that there are hundreds if not thousands of successful installations of your unit out there, that contradict my personal concern over the basic concept. The fundamental problem I have with it is that it is not "of the era". While one of them may very well be on the next AMBR winner, nothing like it was available or even thought of back in the era the H.A.M.B. is concerned with. I am older than most here, and "was there", so I am more concerned with "period correctness" than most. Again, I am sorry that my obsession with the past may have shed a negative light on you and your many accomplishments. It was unintended and certainly undeserved.
Thanks. When you refer to Era Of The HAMB the original concept was conceived in 1958 by Speedy Bill Smith (Speedway Motors) That's about as HAMB as you can get. 100's not 1000's. I turning 81 and lived the HAMB era. Have a nice day.
Its a Bling part but served / fixed a issue. My self not that old but grew up around people that lived out sticks , you did what ever you could to survive each day. Look p*** present to 60, 70 years ago , things not easy to get . sleeping one eye open one eye shut living , wake up first thing in morning Tend to you , live stock , maintenance on living , having gun in arm reach , head on swivel ,water , cloths , food Sun down , hoping a candle a match a luxury , eAble to read , likely bible , ect I am around 40 air mile south of Capital In 70's another 30 air mile to west family Electricity was a luxury,, I am in mid 50's I know what its like to wash close on wash board , go get 5 to 10 gallons of water pump it , or out river then boil real dirt floor, County store / trading post , For me I kind of seen lived county ,small towns. Myself I refuse to use self check out , only gas or placing a order on line. Sears & Roadblock , you place a order if you where lucky to read or knew or had $$ to place a order wait 6 month to get order , You made what ever . I am thank full I have a little mechanical skills access to more tools , I would like to have / know more about casting , 5-6 c n c & other tools not for $ making completely but personal use mess with ideals , I would like to be 100% self dependent , but not possible
While some of you Poo Poo the conversion until his death I supplied them to Art Morrison for his some of his Ardun builds and currently to Don Ferguson for some of his Ardun builds. These are $50K plus engines that are using the conversion. There must be a reason?
My babbling Point is Think out side box I have used/ made a water pump like this & adapted to sbc hung off side of the block To fit my needs , Engineering hack / used what I could things I have done before almost endless film , I do not care or need to take a pic of entire life, I just think before it was made it was a thought, work or not
The Jalopy Journal
