I would not run remote mount on a flatty, I'm thinking twins up front. It's a '48 239. Still looking for a 4" crank. I have not turbo'd a flatty yet, and I'm dying to see how well it works. I think it will do great.

 

In 1973, a flathead historian and Bonneville racer named Mark Dees wrote a four-part article published in Rod & Custom entitled "A Technical History of the Racing Flatheads." This article was reprinted in 1978 in the Early Ford V-8 Club's V-8 Times magazine.

In it, while talking about superchargers and the flathead, he said, "The Ford V-8 is about the worst prospect in the world for turbocharging, even with a modern Airesearch unit."

Today, though, maybe with fuel injection and a state-of-the-art computer...but then, you might just as well buy a a modern five-main-bearing engine to hot rod.

Mike

 

1973 isn't very modern anymore, turbo's have coma a long way.

That would take all the fun out of it. Modern is very easy.

 

Do you still have a copy of that article you could post? I would love to read an article written by a flathead historian and Bonneville race car driver.

 

I'd have to say that just about everything possible has been done to the flathead ford.
Ya just have to have enough talent or money. Most hobbiests don't have enough of either.
They used to run the "Baby Flathead" (V8-60) upside down in the sprint cars, Ground the cam so that the intake and exhaust valves were swapped. It would sit lower in the chassis and give better weight distribution.

I am also of the opinion that unless you just want to say "I have a Turbo Charged Flathead", your wasting your time and money.

Also the part of the discussion about using the newer small superchargers, those are "Dry Systems" made to have the fuel mixed in after the air is compressed.

 

i don't remember ever fitting a 4inch 49 to 53 merc crank into a 48 or early style block. if it does you will have clearence problems to work out. your talking a 8 series crank into
59 series block.
the 48 is 239 inches just a diferent motor.

 

The 48 Truck was the first to use the 8 BA/RT Engine, the rest of the Ford Mercury line got it in 49.

 

then all you need is the crank and rods from the merc motor. i did my 53 f100 that way plus a .060 over bore. about 263 inches. with the iskie cam, offie heads and 2x2 stromburg carb set i had in storage . o such a sweet sound. when camming a flatie be sure to carfully check to make sure the valves don't hit the head. by useing modleing clay when hand turning mine i found they would have hit.
my 8rt block had to be sleved on 2 bores, crackes, and new valve seats installed to handle lead free gas.
but to a old fart like me there is nothing like a flatie sound with a pair of glass packs

 

It is the crank and the pistons that need to be changed . The Merc pistons have a different pin location to work with the 4 in crank.

You have to be careful with the cams as you stated, especially when using aftermarket heads and when swapping/shaving stock heads.

 

So you like the sound of a Flathead, Check this out
276 CI built by Ron Hollaran with an Isky 400 Jr.

http://media.putfile.com/400jr-sound

 

Hi i am new to the site and want to twin turbo a flaty am in the prosess of rebuilding a 30A coupe 48 flaty toyota 5speed box 48 jailbar diff wire wheels . more talk on the turbo from the people who KNOW Please

 

you read my mind.... Smithy's all the way

 

i had a chance at a swap meet to pick up a complete turbo kit meant for a newer fox body stang , real cheap . the same idea your having ran through my brain at 200 mph . then some experts on another forum talked me out of it claiming that the extra heat would crack valve seats and a whole long sundry list of things on my old flatty . who knows for sure till ya try ....

 

the mallicoat brothers ran twin turbos with a drawthru setup in 1964 and blew the doors off all the stroked blown himis with a a little 327 chevy. It took time but they made it work. Now a flathead is no small block chevy but I think with the proper sizing and with fuel injection it could work well. Turbo engines tend to run cooler than supercharged engines. I would love to try it myself but time and money are things I am short on. Of course it stands to reason that someone would have done it bynow if it was worth a damn. But i would still loke to try it. As far as intercooling I think it would not be needed with 5-7 psi boost.