Looks like it still has the flatty in it. Either rebuild it with some go fast parts or put in a 49-52 flatty in and party on.
started to pull the engine this weekend. 6 gallons of water out of the crankcase.( i think the intake has been off for quite a while.) can't turn the crank with a long breaker bar on it. looks like the free 283 is getting the nod.
the latest update. got the fenders and running boards off. pulled the flathead. drained 6 gallons of water out of the crankcase! talked to a buddy that lived near where the car had been stored and confirmed that it had been in the flood back in 82. nobody did anything but let her sit. wrestled 1 of the edelbrock heads off and the cylinders don't look terrible. 59L block 3 3/8" bore, domed pistons, dual point distributor. can't tell about the crank yet. no clean out holes to measure that i see. going to work on that other head some more later.
If I can offer any suggestions on the 283. lesson learned the hard way for me, avoid the bronze/oil lite pilot bushing that speedway sells. I kept having them go bad. I but in a Mr gasket pilot bearing and it wasn’t a problem again. (Its an actual bearing)
Do you have a part number for this bearing? I kept coming up with #15975 for Mr Gasket and Lakewood and think this might be a late model Ford transmission, not the pre-48 3 speed. Thanks
Save that 59L block. Those are sought after blocks with high nickle content. Of course it may have frozen and cracked if you are in a cold area of California. Great find. Sounds like a heck of a deal too.
As they say. " Winner, winner, chicken dinner". What a great find. and for only for $ 1,000 more than a model A. Somedays you win. It was your day.