Mounting yoke for the front of an engine. I’ve never seen one for a flathead. If it fits the front holes between the water pumps, then I’d guess it was to mount a flatty as an industrial motor.
Ran the number on Google. Nothing. An image search came up with this: The item appears to be a worn, rusty jaw component from a fifth wheel hitch coupling mechanism used on commercial trucks. Function: These jaws lock around a trailer's kingpin to secure it to the tractor unit. Material: Constructed from heavy-duty cast steel or iron for extreme durability and load-bearing capacity. Condition: The visible rust and wear indicate it is likely a replacement part or awaiting refurbishment by a welding and fabrication service.
Ford started using a front V8 mount (below) on F-100s along with straddle mounted bell housings in '53, but all I've seen or have are stamped, not cast, and with a wider mount base. The posted item looks too fat on the sides to fit front water pumps, so my guess is early V8 industrial/military if it fits a flathead block.
Those Google image searches are a joke. I’ve tried it many times just for fun, and some of the results it yields are laughable.
I also had an industrial Hemi that ran a pump in a rice field, maybe it came from that. Kinda looks like a weird fifth wheel part too.
Here’s a real surpriser: some of the front mounting holes in big Chrysler hemis are within a couple swipes of a file from fitting a flathead Ford.
The Jalopy Journal
