i am currently rebuilding a Flathead at college. the way it started is i got a 52 model 239 Flathead gave to me and when i tour it all down i found out that the block was junk it had repairable cracks in the cylinder walls to the valves. so i found another block on craigslist to use it is also a 48 stud block. and i put my old cam in and ground my own valves and also got the crank and the pistons all in and when i went to see how the fuel pump push rod felt that's when i realized i have a MAJOR PROBLEM. my camshaft from my old engine is to short and i dont no what to do i thought all the 8ba camshafts were the same. also it looks like the oil pump idler gear will only half of the cam block.

 

one question what do you mean by "48 stud block") I mean just what
exactly are you working with. a 1948 car block or a 24 stud oba 8ba etc

 

I think he's counting all the studs, 24 per side equals 48.