I love flathead V8's, stovebolt sixes, straight 8's, bangers and all those cool vintage motors. .... in other peoples cars.
Reliable and roadworthy yes! Especially with the new additions like redesigned water pumps and if you like electronic ignition. This past summer a little red 32 roadster made a trip from Ohio to Cali and back through the desert and over the mountains. I put 20,000 miles on this engine and this is the vehicle I choose for the long distances. I get 20 mpg with a stock tranny and drivetrain and it never goes over 180-190. It will travel 65-75 all day long. Flatheads just take a learning curve. If you would have started with them it wouldn't be an issue/ Flatheads are really forever....
Yeah, apparently that big metal cylinder in the middle of the picture is a coffee maker... If I see a rod or custom with a SBC I usually just walk away.
You don't need magic water pumps, upgraded ignition (well, the stock 8BA stuff is junk - get a GMC Bubba dizzy), or any other magic potions to make a flathead reliable - they were reliable when new and are just as reliable, if not moreso, than any other old car/engine...
Went through the same thing when I built my 38 ford sedan I went with the flathead .Its the right thing to do.
The 1932 through 1948 vehicles produced by the Ford Motor Company were called the "V8 Fords". The Flathead V8 is integeral to the esscence of the early Ford feel. The Flathead Ford is a reliable and sporty engine to have under the bonnet. Why so many guys remove the heart of their Fords and replace them with "monkey motion" engines is beyond me. The Flathead Ford is extremely rugged and pretty modern in the bottom end especially from the `36 LB and up. Full pressure oiling and insert bearings etc. The engine itself is rock reliable. The weakest links have to do with unboltable components like the generator, voltage regulator, condenser, fuel pump and starter spring (if you have 12 volts). I keep a spare of each except the generator in the car. My `41 Ford Coupe with the stock 221" Flatty has no trouble keeping up with the 350/350 street rods or soccer mom's mini van. To me it's a hoot when I get the ole coupe on the highway and the Flatty starts playing a mechanical symphony out the dual tail pipes. It's a time machine for me and the American landscape is framed by the old split windshield. You know what I mean?
I say ,if those are your two choices,and thats what done to your flathead already, your way ahead of the game..should be no question ..keep the flathead. I been going round and round with the same question myself..well not with the chevy,but a small block ford. I liked the idea keeping a ford in a ford..to me the chevy motor is just the standard cheap way out. My 50 has a flathead in it, but it needs total rebuild, that said, I had to decide what I wanted from the engine and what I could afford..1. the flathead was missing stuff..2 when I popped the head,the cylinders didnt look to bad ,but the water jackets looked like crap..3. I like to have something alittle different..Flathead woulda been great but my wallet couldnt open far enough to build a blown flatty.. that said I was heading for a small block with the intent to eventually build the flathead down the road to stuff it back.. course I kinda got sidetracked, and now Im not putting a small block or a flathead in mine..but hell ..if the flathead I had looked like the one in your truck, Id be listening to that purr..
I built a 327 sbc for my 40 but it is still resting on the stand as I really wanted a flatty. I built the blower motor and haven't regreted it once. I use a c4 trans with corvette rear. Try it, you'll like it. My .02 worth. Fourdy
My 2 cents the flat is a cool motor and so is the sbc it,s you ride the only boreing thing would be to put what other people try to tell you whats cool there,s no a cooler looking motor then a dress up flathead but a dress sbc is cool looking too ! Please don,t be one of those put a ford in a ford or a chevy in a chevy unless it,s what you want ! A real hot rod is the make car and drive tran you want
Just a note, small-block Chevys were not put in originally because they were cheap, it was because they would smoke most anything else and do it with better parts for less money. Still that way, so forget the sbf in an old vehicle just because it is a Ford. But again, I would stay with the flathead, just too bitchin.
Leme guess you are texting us from a phone, right? I'm going ot guess from your test that you prefer taking a shortcut. The people I know that are happy and successful running a flatty are pretty meticulas, running a flatty is work there are no shortcuts. I'm going to suggest that you go with the SBC. preferably a stock one. They are dependable and it doesn't take much to keep one running.
I'm sure my vote will be subjected to a lot of criticism too. But if the budget is as tight as mine I would go with a SBF. Everyone is says "keep the Flattie". But there's always the disclaimers to make sure you haul a bunch of spare parts, rebuild & install a blower, and mate it to a "modern" transmission. Well that's all good, but you're still talking about a lot of $$$!! My '41 Coupe still has the original Flathead and drivetrain, but after being parked for 30 years and 62,000 miles, the 'Ol Girl is getting oil thirsty and needs a rebuild. I've done a lot of research comparing costs and 2 days ago, I bought a carbed 302/AOD combo to drop in the car next Spring. There's also a lot of extra work installing the 302 ie. open drive conversion, linkages, mounts etc. but I like the modern setup's reliabilty and part availability better. As for the sound...yes the Flathead has it's own unique vibes, but a SBF with a healthy cam is also music to my ears.
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