Hi guys and gals - newbie here from Placerville, CA with dillusions of grandeur. I'll be building a "traditional" non-billet flattie-powered lakes modified over the next few years with a banjo rearend, buggie springs and a T-5 trans (obviously, the trans isn't traditional, but it won't show). So far, I've only collected a couple of late Merc flatheads, a pair of '48 front spindles, F1 front brakes and a Model A rearend (complete with spring, torque tube, mechanical brakes & bones). All of these items were purchased on eBay for very little cost (I'm a cheap SOB!). I just beheaded the 2 engines and was pleasantly surprised to find that both at least APPEAR to be virtually crack-free (only a couple of small cracks between head-bolt holes and their adjacent water-jacket holes) - BUT, mag & pressure-tests still await. Unfortunately, one of 'em will need a sleeve where standing water apparently etched deeply into one side of the #4 cyl wall. Both motors had a few pistons with "lifted" top ring lands - but, other than LOTS of sludge, they look pretty decent overall, with only a 10/10 cleanup needed on the cranks. I'm a 40+ year veteran ASE-certified auto mechanic and avid drag-racing enthusiast (competed in NHRA "Super Gas" for a few years) - but, I'm totally new to flatheads and vintage hot rods. Sooooo................I hope to pick the brains of you experts for quite some time and, PERHAPS, I can contribute with my extensive automotive background. I was also technical editor at Hot Rod Magazine for a couple of years during the "Gray Baskerville era", circa '73-'74. C'ya - RAY
THANX for the quick welcome, Dave. At this point, all I have are the two motors and a few suspension parts - I doubt that you'd be interested in seeing the disassembled/sludgy flatties and a rusty Model A rearend, LOL. I'll post some pix when I have something worthwhile to see. C'ya - RAY
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