"I can make whatever you want, but 350 horsepower in a hot rod will smoke the tires all day long.". Flatheads are old, ancient, obsolete technology. What's right for your engine differs per application. Edelbrock, Wilcap (Sharp), and Offenhauser continue to market a wide variety of intakes. Does it use a Ford style crank and rods? Bolted to Zora Arkus-Duntovs creation is a TREMEC TKO five-speed from Modern Driveline, which also supplied the clutch, flywheel, and a handful of trans mods to make the package work. By designating a new model, Ford was able bypass wartime restrictions on price. Mostly true, but the French military used flatheads as late as the early '90s and "ancient" flathead technology has evolved to run over 300 mph at Bonneville. Wilcap also sells '32-'48 Ford mechanical-clutch hardware. However, there are some significant differences in French blocks compared to the originals. There are several techniques; the accompanying photos show the method preferred by Baron Racing. At first everyone was dumping modern engines into old metal, but eventually the supply of stock bodies dried up and reproduction glass bodies took over. Whether they were or were not intended for use on Ford trucks, and whether they were or were not copied from the French Talbot design, and why they are so similar to the early Chrysler Hemi are all points that have been argued before. Tom Roberts starts with the Speedway pump, modifies it for even more flow, and also redoes the snout to accept modern, bolt-on, serpentine-belt pulleys. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. What am I missing here? Custom billets stretch all the way to 4.5-inch stroke. They will not work for a standard flathead build; they lack both exhaust and intake ports. Thanks ! K&F Show #258: The Masters and Adam Sandlers 74 Duster; Movie Review Revisit Happy Gilmore! Most stock flatheads never came with an effective harmonic damper. Yeah, maybe in the thirties when Ford was considering powering airplanes with their V8's, but not these days. Ultimately, there are equal-length race headers available from Tatom Custom Engines. It also sells gear-re, This all-Wilcap engine sports Wilcaps Sharp heads and intake, a gear-reduction starter, a. A truck oil pickup tube assembly (PN 8RT-6615) is required to use the M-15 as well as the standard volume Melling M-19 in 48-and-earlier engines; 49-and-up engines can use the stock pickup. superchargers, which, like the heads, look period-correct but are filled with contemporary tech, in this case 4-71 helical-cut rotors. We mentioned an ARDUN Flathead V-8. This block is completely beefed up, with four-bolt caps, reinforced bottom-end and webbing, furnace-brazed sleeves (max bore is 3.5 inches), and new-design head studs that tie into the bottom of the block. jimmy six, Jan 3, 2023. No one runs the old weak stock ignitions anymore. Tony Baron says that a good-running flathead should have no less than 0.400 lift and about 250 degrees duration at 0.050-inch tappet lift. Much has been written about the legendary Ardun Flathead conversion over the years-some truth, some myth, and some hearsay. The Ford flathead V8 is a V8 engine of the valve-in-block type designed by the Ford Motor. The flathead's compression ratio is well suited to supercharging, and besides, what could be more hot rod than a blower poking through the hood? Melling still makes a high-volume oil pump (PN M-15). Some builders also recommend installing exhaust-port dividers to split the siamesed center exhaust ports. No signage, not even a number on the front door. Googled Don Ferguson Aluminum Ardun Flathead and came up with an article on the old R&C Hot Rod Network with pictures of an aluminum FH style engine using the Ferguson built block that was assembled by H&H. I've sold Don my 409 Chevy to Flathead aluminum water pump kits for years. The sight of this engine certainly drew a crowd when Mark Kirby opened the hood of his full fendered 34 Ford five-window coupe. He joined the Navy and went to the South Pacific as a Foundrymans Assistant. Charles Scott was also running an Ardun at the meet, a Hilborn-injected flathead nestled in the back of his Scotty's Muffler Service belly tanker. The block is cast from aluminum and features a great number of changes from the original cast iron design. But remember, we are talking about a seriously outdated engine design favored by a bunch of nostalgic old coots. York and his staff used their substantial talents and blended a Roadster Shop chassis, an ARDUN Enterprises V-8, and a beautifully massaged 1936 Ford coupe with just the right number of modifications to bring this hot rod to life. Not long ago, 150 inthe quarter mile, was mathematically impossible??????. Don Ferguson of Paramount Forge has designed an built aluminum FH blocks to be used with original or his Ardun Cylinder heads only. Stay tuned for further updates on this project. Adjustable, Change a front-mount distributor cam to vertical drive with this Baron adapter. ". At first everyone was dumping modern engines into old metal, but eventually the supply of stock bodies dried up and reproduction glass bodies took over. Schneider's 278F solid (0.420 lift, 250 degrees at 0.050 duration, 110-degree lobe separation angle) is one grind that falls within these specs. At the other extreme are dry-lakes, Bonneville, and nostalgia drag racers who have applied modern technology to the point where in some instances it is questionable whether the engine still remains a true flathead: Once-85hp engines now produce over 400 hp on gas and have exceeded 700 hp on fuel-all this on an engine with only three main bearings. That first 50 G's supplied a blueprint -more or less- And that was all. ARDUN ENTERPRISES Don Ferguson P.O. In fact, unless you have a badly core-shifted block, most of them can accept a whopping 0.1875-inch overbore (3/16-inch over standard). After 1953, flathead production continued in other countries, most notably in Europe, where the engine continued to be used in French military vehicles through the '90s. And in a sense, the flathead also begot HOT ROD Magazine, for this publication probably wouldn't exist if not for the flathead speed industry and the advertising dollars it spawned. The king of adapters is undoubtedly Wilcap. - Frank Comstock @Hemmings, Newly Engineered Flathead V8 Block - Motor City Speed Equipment. 226: Big News for The Custom Car Revival! If the combination is properly tailored to the blower application, you should have no real problem. Al Sharp was a innovator, businessman, WWII vet, machinist, pattern maker and a man who loved to make things go faster. TBI injection through billet Stromberg 97 carb-like throttle-bodies is available from Flathead Engineering. Small-block Chevy valves remain popular, but with reduced-base-circle cams they may be too short to permit proper lash adjustment. Al got out of the Navy in 1945 and went back to work as a pattern maker in L.A. where he ran into Gordon Pilkington and they decided to go into business together, SP Products. With modern aftermarket cranks and rods using modern insert bearings, 5,500 rpm normally aspirated is not a problem, even with only three main bearings. Unfortunately, old-school resistance to this "new and improved" part is so extensive that the SCTA has banned the blocks from competing in classic land speed racing classes. The 57-inch-wide Ford 9-inch rearend (Detroit Truetrac limited-slip differential with 3.90 gears) is further enhanced with a triangulated four-bar setup, again Penske coilovers, and upgraded with a Roadster Shop sway bar. One flathead builder, Dave Tatom, offers a unique line of custom grinds with wide 114-degree LSA for naturally aspirated engines, and 116-118 LSAs for blown motors. You may lose as much as 30 hp above 4,500 rpm. Speed-O-Motive still advertises Merc crank cores if you want to go this route, but it's no longer necessary, what with all the aftermarket alternatives available. Technical - 8ba aluminum block design | The H.A.M.B. K&F Show #259: The Dukes of Star Trek; Dukes Review S2E12 Arrest Jesse Duke. He is now replicating S.Co.T. You may lose as much as 30 hp above 4,500 rpm.. Stay tuned for further updates on this project. Ford Flathead V8 - The engine that gave birth to Hot Rodding is back Most hot rod engines use oversize valves. Doesn't anyone remember the one built by Mark Kirby of Motor City Flatheads 10+ years ago?? Orosco had 30 sets made, sold all but two (one set is on the So-Cal coupe), and realized the undertaking was more than he wanted to continue. Our experience and rigorous assembly procedure is what makes our engines trusted throughout the industry. Tatom believes spreading the centers helps combat overlap-induced reversion with the flathead's siamesed center exhaust ports. Difference Between 8BA and 59AB Fatheads Rod and Style supercharger. You need the right amount of plenum volume and runner length to complement the engine size, camshaft, cylinder-head flow, and operating range. Hilborn and Ardun Enterprises offer EFI conversions that look like old-time stacks but with EFI nozzles. 4451 Ramsdell Avenue Relieved blocks must have the reliefs filled to use Ardun heads. Opens in a new window or tab. There was a time when Ardun overhead-valve cylinder heads were incredibly rare. Cast in Los Angeles from the highest quality tempered A356 aluminum and CNC machined, the DIXON heads are designed to fit the desirable 1938-1953 59A and 8BA 24-stud flatheads. Copyright 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Bridging the gap was a couple of Ardun conversions of note. Baron, Edelbrock, Sharp (Wilcap), Navarro, and Offenhauser make both old-style heads as well as improved new configurations. Powered by vBulletin Small logo on front, large logo on back. Imagine all the programming that went into this. French blocks are about 30 pounds heavier than a standard flathead, which is a good indication of better metal and thicker walls. Terms of Service. He apprenticed as a pattern makers helper when the war broke out. Seal the heads to the block using slick new graphite-impregnated head gaskets available from Best Gasket, Reds Headers, and Tatom. We've seen the dyno sheet, which also reveals the 396.9 lb-ft of torque produced at 4,300 rpm. Melling still makes a high-volume oil pump (PN M-15). There are several reasons for developing a new aluminum block for the Flathead. French blocks are about 30 pounds heavier than a standard flathead, which is a good indication of better metal and thicker walls. Born-again Flathead | Hemmings What To Look For When Buying and Building A Ford Flathead Hot Rod Engines 101 Matt Murray @Irontrap Garage, H&H Builds a Flathead Motor Flathead For A Knucklehead (From HotRod Network), 1941 Ford fuels father and sons need for speed Alyn Edwards @Driving.ca, Hot rod Stovebolts and other Chevrolet six-cylinder memories Hemmings, Visit to Richard Edmonds Auctions Chippenham UK, The vilification of Leo Beebe: Ford's mission to win Le Mans in 1966 - Frank Comstock @Hemmings, So-Cal Speedshop SF Flatheads Stage 1 to 3 Mercury/Ford Flathead V8 Blocks, Was Leo Beebe a corporate villain or a good guy with a tough job? . BlockNew 356 high-grade aluminium by Don Ferguson at Ardun Enterprises and polished by The Polishing Shop in Oxnard, California. He was a pioneer in the evolution of the flathead. And there are always billet caps and girdles available. If theres one thing that we all have in common its the miles we travel and the time we invest in finding the right project. Welcome to the web site of H&H Flatheads. Making power with a flathead is a fine balancing act, juggling the higher thermodynamic potential of raising compression against improving airflow through the combustion chamber. Great info ! 225: Hooligans In Hot Rods Getting Hamburgers, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The battery and alternator were eliminated, and replaced with a magneto and . Enter the Ferguson family. Austin Lincoln 337 Heads The Chevy's crank diameter is only 0.060-inch smaller than the flathead's. The flatheads compression ratio is well suited to supercharging, and besides, what could be more hot rod than a blower poking through the hood? The bottom end is beefed with soli, A potential new kid on the block: Uncommon Engineerings working on a SOHC three-valve F, Mechanical solid and roller cams are available for both early and late blocks. These new aluminum hemi heads will bolt directly to any small-block Ford from a 289/302 all the way up to 351W as well as Cleveland engines. He improved everything he touched. "Look, if you're going to spend upwards of $30,000 on a motor, why wouldn't you get the best components?" Heck, not even a front door, really. H&H Flatheads The Aluminum Ardun - Rod & Custom Magazine - MotorTrend Isn't Don Ferguson making an 8BA aluminum Flathead block? $299.00. Then, about 20 years ago, traditional street rods suddenly became cool again. Where are the water jackets for coolant? ", Among this herd of sheep, a few original hot rods were brought out of retirement, complete with gennie flatheads as the powerplant. The 270-F, Tatom's best all-around cam, is said to work well on normally aspirated or blown, stick, or automatic cars, with good idle quality and 18-19 inches of vacuum. As for cylinder heads, Baron, Edelbrock, Navarro, Offenhauser, and Sharp (now sold by Wilcap) all have their adherents. Don Orosco is a hot rodder and vintage racer whose restoration business (now known as Monterey Speed and Sport) was responsible for the rebirth of several significant and historic hot rods, including the Dick Flint roadster and the So-Cal "Triple Threat" coupe. By doing so it gives the interior a more spacious feel as well as allowing room for the positioning of the custom bucket seats utilizing 1956 T-bird seatbelts. These include the '39-'53 Mercury and '46-'53 Ford castings. The only drawback with the Ardun heads is cost. In order to gain this clearance, the hood sides where they meet the fenders were modified by being raised 1-1/2 inches yielding the necessary ARDUN valve cover clearance. Available with center water neck. There are over 50 different flathead intake manifolds, but they arent all created equal. we're not talking about how much money you can spend breaking a record set by someone following the rules. Speed-O-Motive still advertises Merc crank cores if you want to go this route, but its no longer necessary, what with all the aftermarket alternatives available.