Ford's Famous Flathead V8 - Engine Builder Magazine. Aftermarket additions to this V8-60, which is mounted at a slight angle in a race hydroplane, include Edelbrock heads and intake and the ever-popular Stromberg carbs.
It was special in so many ways. First of all, it was the first V8 engine for the Ford line of cars. Nobody could imagine the effects it would have on the racing and hot rod world in the years to come. Even in its stock trim, it was a gutty little powerplant, but it would serve as a basis for many performance versions in the years to come. There was so much that could be done to these engines, and since there were no professional engine builders at the time, the drawing board was a blank sheet of paper for thousands of creative minds to address. And as surprising as it may seem, the engine still lives today and can be found in modern land speed, hot rods and other types of performance vehicles. But it must be noted that the flathead term does not just signify one single engine. Horse ratings. How to identify a Ford V8. By: 1166629890, 1166737228, 1167962284, 1168061567, 1168560798, Alittle1, Barry.M, Cobalt327, Crashfarmer, Crosley, Jon, Metzijndrie, Paulmeisel(Click here to edit this page anonymously, or register a username to be credited for your work.)
You can edit this article right now. Just click the "edit" tab at the top of this page, or click one of the [edit] links to the right of an article section. For more info, see Help:Editing pages. [edit] Valve cover bolts One of the easiest ways to determine what family a Ford engine belongs to is to count the number of fasteners holding on the valve covers: 2 bolts: Y-block, 239/256/272/292/312. [edit] Flathead Ford V8 (136/221/239/255/337) This family includes all the Ford V8's produced from 1932 to 1953 (1954 in Canada). [edit] 1932-1937 '32-'36 early: three screws. '36 late: 2 screws at angle. 221 cubic inch displacement. '32-'33: 1-barrel carburetor. '34-'37: 2-barrel carburetor. [edit] 1938-1942 1938-’48 Ford 59A 24 studs hold on the heads. SpeedWay - Shop 1949-53 Ford Flathead V8. Original Flathead water pumps have always suffered from unreliable bronze bushings and carbon seals.
They almost always leaked and even Ford manuals warned mechanics not to tighten fan belts too tight. The excess slack allowed belts to slip and lose contact with the generator and water pump pulleys, causing more cooling and power problems. Speedway's completely new water pumps feature severe-duty roller and ball bearings, close tolerances and modular impellers to provide maximum flow and reduce cavitation. They also have modern ceramic seals on a heavy duty 3/4" shaft, making the assembly exceptionally strong and more efficient. Ceramic seals on sturdy 3/4" shaftHigh-flow modular impeller reduces cavitationGasket includedPassenger side pump includes threaded boss for heater hose connectionDriver side pump does not have heater hose connection Fits 1949-1953 Ford cars and 1952-1953 Mercurys with 3/8" belt system.
Speedway Water Pump Features (GIF) The Ultimate Source Guide for Flathead Ford V8 Performance. Flathead Myths courtesy of Tony Baron Flathead History Lesson courtesy of Charlie Clark 2/44 This Baron-built 286ci street engine uses a Magnuson supercharger mounted on Roberts' long-runner intake.
With 8 pounds of boost, it is expected to dyno around 340 hp on gasoline. The compact, modern serpentine-belt system is also made by Roberts and is available through Baron, Roberts, or Magnuson. It's been over 50 years since the last Ford flathead V-8 was commercially produced in the U.S. Although a great leap forward when it was originally introduced in 1932, by the '50s the aging motor could not stand up to the new generation of overhead-valve powerplants like the small-block Chevy. Among this herd of sheep, a few original hot rods were brought out of retirement, complete with gennie flatheads as the powerplant. The new old cars got a lot of attention. Now it's 2005, and the flathead's resurgence shows no sign of diminishing. Still not enough? HNH Flatheads: Ford Flathead rebuilding specialist.