On this day in history, 90 years ago on March 31st, 1932 – Ford publicly unveiled the Flathead V8 engine; THE first affordable eight-cylinder engine to the general public.
Gotta thank Henry for his persistence/insistence on introducing the first m*** produced, one-piece cast, L Head V8 in 1932...and the legacy that followed.
I love flatheads! When I was at the Henry Ford museum I reached under the rope and touched one of the prototypes. Sorry not sorry.
40 years ago when I dumped my last flatmotor,,,, mine seemed to be 90 then.... None of them lasted very long... Sorry but never had much luck with them.....
Hello, I got the 20 year old version of the Flathead, a stock 80 hp motor in a 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery. The sedan delivery came with a Flathead, but when I saw the sedan delivery coming through the local drive-in restaurant parking lot with a big rumble, it had a 348 Chevy motor and LaSalle transmission. The color was an odd red/orange combination, that under the parking lot lights, it looked pink. So, the teenagers in the lot and the owner’s friends started calling it “Salmon Pink.” That made the owner/builder totally mad and irritated. But, it was teenage banter, at its finest. When the owner sold the 40 Ford Sedan Delivery to me, the Flathead powered the old hot rod for 1000s of satisfied road trip miles. Our whole teenage era cars were based on different Chevy sedans and a few Fords. But, as much as we wanted to put in a 348 or just a 283 SBC motor, the Flathead ran and ran and ran so well, that it was not the worst thing to just start and drive it everywhere. Everywhere, except for the local mountain resorts anytime of the year. The steep climb up the mountain was not going to work. We had experienced the low power Flathead motor in the sedan delivery on the steep grades along the coastal highway and it was not fun. Downshifting to 2nd was an every day happening. Of course, we had two-three 45lbs longboards, cooler, two big teenagers+ and maybe it was overloaded. Jnaki Even if we got a high speed downhill run over 50, it was just not powerful enough to go up the two-three major steep road grades on this highway to get where we wanted to go for our surf adventures. So, local mountain driving was left to the Chevy V8 sedans. But, there is no reason to bad mouth my Flathead motor. It was one of the most reliable motors that we have used for thousands of happy road trips all over So Cal coastal areas. When the simple thing of starting the car on a Monday morning for going to school is enjoyable, means the motor is reliable. No getting stuck on long road trips, either, as long as the roads were relatively flat. The other times starting at the base of a steep grade on the Coast Highway was just one of those things we accepted, staying in first gear and 2nd, then coming right back to 1st happened more than one time. But, we had no way to change the effort with more power and no money. A Reath Automotive Flathead Stroker motor was the option according to the guys at the 10th and Cherry Avenue Shop. There was one just sitting there waiting, but as a teenager, money was a thing and little to none was usually the case. Gas money, lunch money and dating seemed affordable, but not that powerful stroker Flathead motor. YRMV
See, this is why we need a dislike ****on. Measuring up a flathead against other modern motors, of course they ****. They quit makin um fer a reason! They're mechanical working history at this point. How does it get any cooler than that? For me it doesn't anyway. But to the people who don't get it, it cannot be explained.... Flatheads forever.
The flatty in my old A coupe, now in the capable hands of Chip Quinn. What an awesome engine...pulled strong and cruised sweet.
In 1957 two flatheads moved us from California to Oklahoma! 1953 Ford wagon and a 1937 ton and half truck. That little 85 horsepower engine pulled that truck loaded with a huge load of stuff including a 1934 WC Allis Chamblers tractor on its bed with four foot side boards and pulling a loaded four wheel trailer with four foot side boards! I will forever think the Ford Flathead is one tough little engine! I still have that 1937 truck! Bones
Yea would I like to have a 800 HP Charger you bet.....My wife died from cancer two years ago...and I have never owned a Jap car....My Ford has a blown 392 in it... I got tired of repairing flatmotors....To each his own...Remember a flatmotor was a modern motor compared to the "T" model.... If you want tradition let's all get a horse...
I love 'em. I consider myself lucky to have two sweet running flatheads. I'll take care of them and I drive them regularly. There's nothing like the sound of one of these going down the road. Few people know that Zora Duntov had a hand in developing the first flathead Ford engine. Something for the Chevy guys to think about.
it always mystifies when some one comes on a traditional hot rod site and what is more traditional than the original hot rod V8 ford and has to show there ignorance
Okay, here's an expoundation I came up with while searching for the Duntov affiliation. I could not find the info on his affiliation to the first V8, though I know I have it. Read hundreds of things until my eyeballs started to fall out on the floor. From the info I've read while the earth was still cooling, Mr. Duntov was only at Ford for a short time. I can't remember (I'm old, ya know) where he went next. I did find something I didn't know, however. The Ardun overhead conversion for the flatheads was the creation of Arko-Duntov Co. (Ar-Dun, get it?) The very talented man who put Chevy in the spotlight was obviously engineering great stuff long before going to GM. I'll keep looking......................................................
Does pretty good for an old fart. And the newest flathead V8s are only 70 years old. Plenty of life left.
I was not aware that Zora was involved in the original development of the Ford flathead. I have read a few articles on the development of the flathead V-8 but I have never heard his name mentioned. I did read that he was brought into Ford to wring more power out of the engine. It seems that the 85 hp flathead V-8 just wasn't getting the job done in a fully loaded dump truck. His solution was the Ardun overhead valve conversion. Sure would like to find one of those in a barn.
I was only a teenager back then, and that was how it was - and how most viewed them ! My coupe came with a stripped down ‘48 Mercury motor and a rare twin carb manifold. No one wanted to rebuild it for me, so I sold it to someone who knew better, then I listened to everyone else’s recommendations and put in a sbc…….
Recently sold my 32 Henry cabriolet hiboy(New Zealand bound). Car was built to look like a 50’s hot rod—drum brakes,no fenders,no hood,Halibrands,etc. Regularly ran 4 engines that shuffled in and out of the ch***is to test power and drive ability. Recent dyno runs on .080 bore,stock stroke,cam,big valves,extensive porting on intake-exhaust yielded 130 h.p. To tires, and an estimated 145 to flywheel. Car ran 80 in the 1/8 with 3:89 locker and 2:75 gear on street yielded 1800 rpm at 70 mph . Car ran an easy 90 mph in 4th gear(1 to 1) and was a gr8 driver. Been a flathead guy for 60 years;owned blower,br*** federal mogul heads,etc. Would go to a car show and be the only “hot rod flat” at the event. Merc in 49-50 even came with a factory windage tray in an effort to keep spinning crank away from the oil in pan. Flatheads Forever!!! John in s.Texas
Yeah, I think you are mixing up stuff. He did develop the Ardun heads for V8's, but not the 4's. He was instrumental in the development/installation of the SBC into performance use (Corvettes). But I really don't think he was involved with Ford Motor Company in the early 30's when the V8 was being developed. If you can find your source, please post a link or note.
In celebration of the Flathead Ford V8. How it compares to later engines is a little off the mark. In its day, built correctly, in a little roadster, it was hot stuff compared to anything else on the road. Think of all those Flathead powered lakes roadsters. Hot rodding wouldn't be the same without them. Flatheads forever.
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