everyone run a hemi...they are the best motors ever made....run run run go buy hemi's....no one wants a slow little old expensive flathead send all that flathead junk to me i will dispose of it properly
i just sold my '55 331 with the tranny. im sure that motor & trans weigh more than a roadster body on a rolling chassis. not sure where i stand with either the flathead or the hemi but then again, ford never brought the flathead back & isnt putting it in any cars today. id prefer something totally whacked out like a multicarbed blown straight 8 or a turbo slant 6. i really dig the look of the 413 with the crazy cross rams on it too. im kinda partial to wierd ass motors.
I would go flathead and just work it out, there both cool anyway and it's a very tough decision, like it was already said the Desoto's are tougher for any speed parts, the 55 331 is an excellent choice for a hemi if you go that route, if not build yourself a nice 284 cubed flatty. If you stay with the Flatty do yourself a favor and restrain from wathcing Jimmy's video as it will put you in definite Hemi mood everytime......just ask my firewall that was cut to accommodate the hemi heads that I had to reweld up after watching the video several times.
If that's a Ford vehicle, why not keep it heart and soul Ford. There are so few left. Do the Flatty but help it out with a T5 5-spd. You won't be sorry. BTW there was a comment on the weight disparity between the two engine choices and I'd like to say that I'll bet there is a bit more than 150 lb difference when you factor stuff like aluminium heads, intakes,bellhousings, water pumps, flywheels and transmissions. All of this helps to cover the performance gap, not only in a straight line but also in cornering and stopping as well. One more interesting thing about weight is, how much can be taken out of a Flathead block. I have one that is .125 over and is ground all over to make it look pretty. I did a real careful and thorough port and polish job on her too. What I'm getting at is the block alone lost what feels like a ton of weight in the process. I wish I would have measured the difference (maybe 30 lbs.) but I did not. I'll bet if one so desired the Flathead could become a relative "flyweight" for a small cost and a little elbow grease.
Jeesh, I don't know... with 331 builders going for a billion dollars on ebay (someone remembers that thread right?!)
Definitely hemi they make a statement. I add a few pics of 392 for inspiration. Also with the water pump adapter you can run a bbc water pump and save a lot of weight over the original pump and housing. good luck!
I think it has to do with the style of the car your building mainly. But if I have to vote I'll say flathead.
Hot hemi heads sells.... custom grind cams, better pistons, valley covers, valve covers, front motor mounts and adapters to run the sbc water pump, multi carb intakes, flowed heads, etc for the Desoto...Just because Napa doesn't have it, shouldn't keep ya from building it..Lots of old racers ran Desoto hemis in their cars....EVILT
You got yours sorted out, right? Are we going to see you make a pass at the Day of the Drags this year? I know your coupe sounded killer the last time I heard it run.
Don't get me wrong Blue Oval guys, i was raised under the FoMoCo banner, and currently spend my weekends up with Vern Tardel working with the stuff. But i think im leaning to the Hemi, not just from a power stand point (thats a VERY nice bonus), but i'm young and will have the rest of my life to build a traditional Ford with a flatty 3 speed in it that i can cruize with.
I'd give ya one if i had one, project's still in the planning, making space, making money stages. Sorry. Could you post some more pics of your pick up 34hemipu?
Shoot fire, just put a blown flathead in it, like I'm doing that way you can be broke, and slow(but with good company)....(just don't tell anyone about the 392 that I've got stashed out back for another future project )
I have one of each a 350, a 392 and a flatty. By far the most fun is the hemi. They all have there good sides however the Hemi really has no down sides. It's fast, good torque, it looks cool, it runs cool and with the three 2 barrel setup with progressive linkage it doen't get bad of gas mileage. I have put about 15,000 miles on the hemi over the last year and a half and its just been a great engine. chuck
Brandokust, call me.... If you are serious I need to know.. The auction ends this evening.....pm'd you my number... EVILT
I'm already slow and so is my car....the SBC powered car!! Put a Flatty in it and enjoy meatheads calling it a HEMI because it has spark plugs in the 'valve covers.'
I recently pulled the flatty out of my coupe. I opted for a 241 Red Ram hemi. In the pic it has 3x2s, however its getting a 4/71 blower next week. I bought the adapter to run a 700R4 behind it also. I'll post more pics next week when the blower is on it. DAVE
I have a couple flatheads, but someday I will have a mighty Hemi. I vote Hemi! pigpen (Pics from carnut.com)
Sweet, procuring a Hemi from EvilT and gettin this thing rolling, even got the girlfriend excited about the new direction of the build. Now all i need is, well, everything else.
The FONZ says it best if you listen real closely " fLatHEYYYYYYY" most peolpe miss the "flat" part but its their!!! Listen to Fonzi man. who better to get motor advice?
Brandon, I know where you live & I'm sure those "Country Club" type neighbors are just gonna love the sounds of a 50's Hemi cruising up-down Fairway=. What are you going to build carwise,coupe, roadster,year Glad to hear that you are doing your time @ Vern's, How's my bro's sprinter doing I don't think he even knows. Look, you are learning form one of the best flatty guys in the world ! Take what knowledge you can from this once in a lifetime experience & do a flatty. With all of the stuff that Vern has, I'm sure that a trade for labor vs parts can be made. That solves your money delimma & on top that, It will net you more money to have to spend on the gal pal and that will make her much more happy than any hemi would and a happy gal pal is a very good thing! I have a friend who I call "Dude!" He is about 3yrs older than you. He knows Jimmy as do I, He got all excited about doing a Hemi, He bought one, has a chassis, had a T-roadster body that he could have blown together over a very long weekend. It has never been started/finished. He wasn't focussed. I believe that you are! Do what you can do & if you need help, Feel free to ask. I may be back up in 3wks or so. Hope ta see ya then. Kevin
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