Hello gang!
It's almost time to change my username to ihaveaflattie.
One of the good thing about working at a gas station is meeting lots of people.Well you meet the weird,crazy and stupid ones along the way but you meet them.
One of the regulars is a truck driver who happens to own a 49 ford all original and he has 2 extra flatties for his car .1 is a merc and the other one is a 59ab.
The 59ab has been magnafluxed and it came out with some cracks but it is a complete motor.
He will sell the 59 to me for 200 dollars!!!!!.
Now here is my plans for summer:
*Drive the 51 to Viva.Come back home.
*Take the truck apart for body work.i will keep the outside "paint job''
*Repair the small rust spots.
*Sand and Paint the sheet metal on the underside.(Yes, paint it.This is California after all)
*Pick up stock 51 f1 frame,clean it,paint it.
*Transfer all of the truck components to the "new" frame.Install new
brake lines.
* New wiring.Properly install the volare or rob a bank for a diff front suspension.
*Get seat reupholstered.Maybe, just maybe rattle proof my cab.
*Get my title straight with the DMV.
*If fixable,I will send my flattie to a shop to get rebuilt.if not,i will put it back together,paint it and make a little coffe table with a clear glass top.
An 800 pound table that is..
*Last thing i want to do if I get the flattie running is,take the 350 out,put it on a pallet and ship it to Fordman75.
He could use it on his project...Just kidding Fordman75!!!!!!
I will ask lots of noob questions please bear with me.You can curse at me,treat me like a kid,make fun of me but don't ignore me.
Thank you everyone.(Damn that was too long,sorry)
Seth

 

Man, It sounds like you have a busy summer planned. I sure hope that flattie works out for you. Be sure to have lots of pictures of your work. Congrats.

 

Thanks Joe!
that is the plan but things always come up.
I hope the flathead works out too.Hopefully the flat head gurus can guide me in the right direction.
i will try to take lots of pics but when i get to exited i forget and just continue working.

 

Where are the cracks? Some are nearly fatal, or so expensive to fix they aren't worth it.

 

Save your money and look around for one that is not cracked. They are around, although hard to find. You will be way ahead. A flattie is not cheap to build, with no cracks. My friend has a engine shop and does these all the time. They start somewhere around $3500. He put everything in new, no shortcuts.

 

Ross,I dont know where the cracks are at but ill post pics.
Don I think that 3500 is a good price for a good flattie thats my limit anyway but here in Cali i dont think i can build half of an engine for that anymore,I dunno.
I figure if i cant use the engine ill have spare parts ,at least 1 part can be used.

 

I bet my flathead rebuilder here local Salt Lake has a rebuilt ready to run flatty just sitting in his shop. I can ask him and if so how much? I bet you could be into one for less than 3500?? just a guess though.

Josh

 

Glad to hear you are getting closer to your goal of the flatty. Just keep on trucking and you will get there.
jim

 

Make sure to post pictures as you go. I was walking a u pull the other day and they had a mid forties style Ford with a flathead in the yard. Looked like it hadn't been touched in years.

Paul

 

Must be your summers run a little longer out there!

Sounds like you have thought about things quite a bit.

I think an old flattie would make a cool coffee table. At a minimum you can tell lies about all the times you had running it back in the day! LOL

 

Wheres there a will theres a way!

 

Josh:i would love it if you talked to your rebuilder thank you.
Jim:Yes my dream is almost fulfilled.I always wanted a flathead dead or alive.
Paul:I will take pics.I know there is flatties all over the place but people want crazy money for them.i.e there is an add on CL for a 49 merc flattie and tranny,dead holes for 1.200???
Spurredon:summer does feel longer here and I always make time to work on my truck.
lets see if i can follow through with my plans.
Roger.You said it!!!!determination is the key.(and lots money,time,contacts)

 

Congrats on the flatty! Hopefully it's fixable.

Go ahead and send the sbc my way! I never turn down free scrap metal!!

I think my box will be heavy enough to where I shouldn't need any added weight in the back of my 54 for winter driving!!

 

i knew you would say something similar.
Thanks i really hope its fixable too cant wait to get my hands on it.

 

I wasn't going to say anything about the current engine but you dragged me in.