Ok, I just acquired a 1941 Ford COE with a flathead v8. Since the previous owner isn't available for info, can anyone tell me about the electrical sytem ...

6v or 12v ??
in another post someone mentions positive ground. Really ?!?!

I tried a 6v battery with negative ground and the starter will turn but not engage. Could this be because I had it grounded wrong?

It turns over easily by hand - I thought "too easy" but could this just be because those old engines have such low compression and hp?

 

If it is all original, the electrical system is 6v positive ground. Just put the battery in "backwards", running the positive to ground (usually the engine), dump some gas in the carb and stand back!
Good Luck!

 

Ya what he said. But un hook the fuel line so as not to suck all the gunk up into the carb from the tank.

 

Well, its a rolling chassis with no body on it. Since the tank is behind the backseat there's no tank either. And I also need to find the coil in all the boxes of stuff I got.

I'd actually be happy just to get it to crank over and get some oil into the cylinders before the snow flies ... its gonna be sitting outside.

 

seeing as you're not going to get it running, i suggest pulling all spark plugs and spraying some pb blaster or auto trans fluid into every cylinder, this will help with lubrication. don't be cheap with the spray!