How dependable is a flathead?

When I am around cars at shows and cruises the ones that attract me the most are flathead powered. Don't get me wrong, the small block Chevy is the greatest internal combustion ever but they get BORING after a while.

 

Boring since they started yanking flatheads out and slammming 265s in there place over fifty years ago. That said, I have a couple flattys and really love them; my T will have one. Nothing sounds like a hopped up flathead!

 

OK,---headgasket, float ***y. for '97's, fuel pump & push rod, condenser, generator, which side water pump?, voltage regulator, rotor for distributor.
Thats for a start!

 

I am having my 8ba built for my forty by a gentleman who has won the great race twice with his 35 flatty. I looked at all the options and just couldn't get excited about anything but a flathead with dual exhausts. Over the years I have learned about the flatheads and they just seem to have more "character" than the run of the mill stuff you see in the routine chevy powered hot rods today. If you use modern electronics on a sound flathead motor they are hard to beat in my opinion and not every tom **** and harry has one because they are are out of the ordinary.

 

OK I have done it I have actually done the bottom end laying on my back in the mud in the rain forest but I have to ask how many head gaskets have you changed on the side of the road and which is easier the flatty or an SBC.

Any parts store has a cheap electric fuel pump and some wire. That said although I have lost a fuel pump or two in my lifetime I have yet to loose a pump rod. Never the less I do believe that the pump is covered. A voltage regulator is not flathead specific and they are available from the local autozone. The last one I needed (about 6 months ago for a small block powered car) I did have to wait an hour to get.

I have found that if I am in podunk center that a tractor dealer is a good place to find pieces for generators and even points for a flathead, the allis chalmers dealer as well as the ford tractor usually has them in stock. I don't remember the part number but if you bring the points in they will normally have them.

That said most people that run points ignition carry a tune up set in the jocky box, while it does not normally include a cap a cracked cap can be repaired with JB weld or two part epoxy and that is normally available at wally world.

Any flathead guy that is serious carries pair water pumps, hell I carry a spare pump for my small blocks when I travel. They normally don't happen to have one available in the rest area. I suppose that a pair of head gaskets or a can of copper coat is not entirely out of the question.

Lots of the SBC guys are running 97s so I guess that unless you are running a stock carb you are as **** out of luck as the flathead guys in that aspect.

There is absloutely nothing that can go wrong that cannot either be had or carried and none of it is an item so big that it ruin your day to have it.

Sometimes you have to be creative so I suppose that if you lack in that dept you should probably just take the bus.

 

Are you asking about mine? If so, it's a 4" merc crank, Max 1 cam, factory flywheel. Balanced, relieved, port work, etc. We were pretty surprised at how fast it revs, it's sort of odd, but very fun.

 

I'm using the new flatty water pumps with the ceramic cores and new style bearings. That should make them as reliable as any other water pump. Also most of the guys have gone to 12V systems with a regular alternator or one of the Powergens if you don't care for the looks. With an electronic distributor or some variation of the theme the electrical is as reliable as any late model. Same for the starter, although you can always get a push start if necesary. Still boils down to how well you build the bottom end.

This thread is making me feel a lot better about my new roadster already!

 

Yeah. Very nice. I love how fast it gets there. I'm running the 3 3/4 crank just to get the RPM. Maybe I should rethink!

 

I get it!
For me tho, it still boils down to the fact that I probably won't get out of the metroplex very often, if at all. Given that, I can always fall back on AAA to bring a hook and get me to the house, or to one of my friend's driveways.
Electronic ignition, modern water pumps, it's already 12 volt, all these things are why I'm wanting to keep the flatty. So many other things I can spend my money on other than trying to change everything to install an ohv.

 

I think we are beating a dead horse here.....it boils down to your mentality. I WANT a flatty in my truck. Period. If it breaks down, I will fix it. I am fairly confident in my engine build, so I am not gonna lose sleep over it.
ANY engine can break down, just use some common sense. Bring some tools and any consumable parts like points, fan belts etc (and credit card). This is supposed to be fun, remember???

 

I agree. I'm not afraid of the flattie, but I appreciate all your opinions and if I started hearing a lot of "pull that POS out and put a dependable ohv in there" it would have a lot of bearing on how I approach this car. Thanks again....

BTW, suggestions on reading material for research on feeding and care?

 

You bring up a good point, in theory the 3 3/4" crank would make it rev faster. But hell, mine is already revving as fast as I can move my foot, haha. I went with the merc crank so I'd get more torque and cubes though. I was hoping for 175hp but not sure if it's quite there...hard telling without a dyno run.

 

Mike, I heard a lot of the same stuff when I started my build. Mostly by guys that had only been around flatheads that were worn out, overheating, etc. If you build these things right with good quality parts, they are rock solid as far as dependability. And man do they garnish attention, people just love them.

 

the only reason that a lot of flatheads were worn out by 80,000 miles is because of lack of regular oil changes by their owners and the ****py non-detergent oils available from the 1930s until the early 1960s...had they been subjected to a good quality detergent motor oil during their lifetimes, they would have gone many more thousands of miles even with less than ideal service intervals....you can expect to spend double the amount of what a small block Chevy costs to rebuild on the flathead...when replacing the flathead water pumps be sure to get pumps made with modern ceramic seals, and use a good four row br*** radiator for superior cooling...don't cheap out here...or use an equivalent aluminum radiator...I used a large electric puller fan on my flattie and have had no overheating issues ever...my rad was the big br*** one mfg. by U.S.Radiator in the USA....there's absolutely no good reason NOT to run the L head v8 because of reliability reasons...Just run a good synthetic oil, change the oil filter twice a year and have fun.

 

8flat
A lot of what you hear is from guys that buy their engines in a box.

I am pretty much a small block chebby guy, I should say that most times if I have to choose an engine I choose a small block. It has absolutly nothing to do with cost I do also have an expensive engine in the ba*****t. I just like the way that they run. But I have owned some real clapped out SBCs and they have cost me more than they were worth to keep on the road.

The same can be said for a flathead. I have literally been around flatheads all my life, and have owned several cars that were flathead powered. One up in shape is just fine and you could not ask for a better way to get from point A to point B.

Once when I was traveling around I was in Calif for some upkeep on my mode of travel. A friend had purchased a '40 Ford coupe in Kansas. he said he would do my maintenance and pay me for my time if I would come back this way and pick it up for him. I did just that, jumped in it with a case of oil some spare points and a coil and headed back to calif. I had to fix the brakes and add a quart of oil to the fill up but other than that it made the trip just fine. It was loose as a goose but it had been maintained.

They are just an engine and kept up any engine can be made to be dependable.

 

Tons of good advice here. I was in a similar situation a year ago. I'd owned MOPAR flathead sixes for 40 years and found them utterly dependable if treated properly. I'd never owned a Ford flathead, and was frankly intimidated by the poor reputation that preceded them. Thanks to the HAMB I decided that a flathead V8 was workable. I bought a car with a '41 Mercury block, full flow oil filter mod., unknown crank and mild cam, aluminum heads, adjustable lifters, aluminum flywheel, Ofenhauser standard dual manifold, two 97's, Powergen 12V alternator, and Mallory breakerless crab distrbutor. I've spent many, many hours sorting this thing out as it was barely drivable as ***embled. With a Walker radiator, fan shroud and '32 fan, 180° thermostats and an overflow tank, it runs 175° to 185° on mid 90° days. I created a progressive linkage that runs on the front carb to half throttle and it works like a champ (think 4 bbl.). A previous post mentioned a Mithchell Gear Splitter (overdrive). My car has a 26% Mitchell OD and this thing is the answer with a 3 speed and 4.10 rear - 2000 RPM at 60MPH and the temp drops 5° in OD. I do mostly local driving - 50 miles being about as far as gone at this point. I've never been stranded, never overheated, always been able to improvise roadside repairs. With the hand throttle set at 1500 RPM it starts before I can release the key. I'm not home free yet, but after 1400 miles I trust the flathead now and don't hesitate to drive the car.

 

Not very. I've had a couple daily drivers that were flathead powered, they are cool and sound great but are a huge pain in the *** compared to just running a small block and only popping the hood to check the oil. (Find a Chevy that doesn't leak) Flatheads are great for an occasional use car but it's not much fun to have to work on something every day to keep it running.

 

Not exactly Hot Rod stuff, but I rebuilt a '46 Dodge 1.5 ton truck and drove it from New Jersey to Tampa Florida at a top speed of 53 mph. 22 hours of drive time but not a single issue other than a wiper that came apart. Drove that truck for 8 more years without an issue. Unfortunately I lost that truck when it was in storage ( 1987 ) and never saw it again. But that 237 cubic inch 6 was bullet proof. Hope to find it some day, I heard it was in the Pasco county area but oh well.

 

I have had small blocks that I had to fuss with everyday to get me to and from. An engine that is worn out is an engine that is worn out.

I do have a small block that doesn't leak by the way, maybe you just aren't a very good mechanic.

 

^ Perfect!

 

Actually, I do work on my cars almost every day (to make them run better), and have worked on cars nearly every day of my adult life. I'm retired now, but it's the process of solving problems that keeps me sane. I get tremendous satisfaction when I finally understand and correct a short coming or design flaw. I do pop the hood on my wife's SUV (very dependable and easy to live with, but boring) to check the oil, but I don't consider that hot rodding. For me, the flathead V8 is uncharted territory. I guess I'll find out if I'm smart enough keep this thing dependable.

 

That is some funny ignorant **** right there..haha what a genius!

 

So if great for an occasional use car, why did you have a couple of daily drivers? If what you say is true, why wouldn't you have learned after the first one? I call B.S.

 

Originally Posted by Dog Dish Deluxe
Not very. I've had a couple daily drivers that were flathead powered, they are cool and sound great but are a huge pain in the *** compared to just running a small block and only popping the hood to check the oil. (Find a Chevy that doesn't leak) Flatheads are great for an occasional use car but it's not much fun to have to work on something every day to keep it running.


Been driving flatheads since 1960 and flatheads do not leak oil, they are just marking their territory........ and if that other manufacturer had not came out with a v8 in 55 we would all still be driving flatheads..........E****ally if Henry had his way

 

Now girls! You're all pretty! Let's not get in a ******* match here........

 

Been driving flatheads since 1960 and flatheads do not leak oil, they are just marking their territory........ and if that other manufacturer had not came out with a v8 in 55 we would all still be driving flatheads..........E****ally if Henry had his way[/QUOTE]

A great flathead guru here once said, "Henry designed the flathead to dribble some oil to lubricate the under carriage and prevent rust" or something to that effect.

I have a rebuilt and a old rebuilt engine and I'm not using any oil or marking my territory yet. When it does I won't worry about it unless it comes out in qts.

It took me a few years to find that combo that makes the engine dependable. Mostly its the carb and dizzy/coil problems that will keep you off the road.

 

"Mostly its the carb and dizzy/coil problems that will keep you off the road."

Those are the things that are the most fun to tinker with.

 

So true

 

Just can't let this thread go without my comment.

Real world experience.
Been driving two flatties for well over 15yrs and a total of 50- 60,000 miles.
Reliablity is a vague term when it comes to engines. Sure I've had my share of problems on the road. But each one was related to a component (carbs, pumps, distributors etc.) not the actual engines themselves. Its just a learning curve and different than an OHV engine. Nowadays these issues are finally brought to light without all the wives tales that use to be ***ociated with them.
Improved carbs, distributors, pumps, valves all put these problems to bed. Learning how to diagnose and fix them is the fun of running a hotrod engine.
Never ever have I had mechanical engine problem.
Oh yes I did... My 90,000 miles 80 horse 21 bolt in my 37 coupe lost oil pressure and did alittle damage. If I get that many miles out of these engines I will be happy.
If you don't want problems don't even think about an old car regardless of the make.
Dont believe anyone who tells you these are hot running engines.
Those who do.. don't understand what was making their engine run hot.
HAAA Now I feel better...

 

I'm beginning to understand that the flathead is alot like most early OHV's in that it's not the core reciprocating m*** that fails, it's one of the ancillary components.
And, that not addressing an overheating problem will result in a ruined block, or ruined heads. Sounds alot like several small blocks I've been around.
I'm really looking forward to the learning curve!
Now I really need to convince this gentleman that I need to be this Tudor's caretaker! No one else in our group of friends wants to take care of the car. I'd be honored.