Call me crazy but I think Ford should do to the flathead what Dodge did to the Hemi.

I know it sounds weird to bring back the flathead as a marketing tool but why not?
Just curious to hear what you think before I'd mention it to a general forum.
Just wondering if I'm the only one who would consider buying a new Ford if it had a modern version of the classic Flathead. (Come on we all know it would be cool)

 

id consider it. but how much could they really modernize a motor like that? i thin they should bring back the f100 ina vintage styled body, id definetly buy one of those

 

You realize of course that the new "Hemi" is not a hemispherical combustion chamber engine? (Source: Hot Rod magazine, numerous times). So the only part of the car/truck that's "Hemi" is the little plastic badge.

Of course, you also know that the original Chrysler hemi design was stolen from the Ardun conversion for flatheads (which had it's origin elsewhere also).

Mike

P.S. What Ford should have done was a 75th anniversary '32 Ford roadster.

 

ohh yeah, like a limited production, like a GT but a reasonable price
joint venture with brookville, thatd be cool

 

As designed they were a reliable snappy engine for the time, but I don't think
they would cut the mustard for the today crowd. Because of the port design you can only get so much out of them, and overheating problems also exsisted.
This was due to the long run of the exhaust ports thru the block. In spite of that as a young guy I loved them.

 

With the EFI, EGR, and smog laws in effect these days a Flathead would look just like what you see under the hoods today. So many hoses and ect. you probably couldn't see the engine anyhow. That the main attraction of the Flathead for me, the vac advance hose is about the only thing you see.

 

Nice idea, but the flathead as Ford did it has limitations horsepower wise, plus, emissions would never be met with the Flathead design.

 

Oh well they will then just remain a true classic.

 

Yes the flathead is a classic. The little four cylinder was 40 hp stock, and in 1932 the v8 was rated at 65 as I remember a year or two later 85, double the hp of the four and smooth as silk. I had a 39 with hydraulic brakes and if I drove it reasonably it made 25 mpg. The earlier cars with mechanical brakes could be
a little scary if they were not maintained. I wish I had that car today.

 

its pricy but you can modernize a flathead. Theres a company if you do a search fir fuel injected flathead you will find it that sales EFI for the flathead. Add a turbo to that and you've got somthing.

 

I think I heard somewhere that Harley was putting a 2 cylinder flathead in their motorcycles. As far as putting a flathead in modern truck, it would probably need to be redesigned to fix its quirks. I for one, would love to see a flathead with four exhaust outlets on each side. But by the time the flathead was "updated" it would no longer be the flathead we know and love. It is nice to dream though.

 

One thing you can't do with a flattie is get the higher compression needed for a modern engine unless you supercharge it. Because its design creates a large and poorly shaped combustion chamber its just a very poor choice for "modernizing." No offense meant to any flattie lovers, but Ford dropped it for very good reasons. The more modern overhead designs of the competition hurt Ford until they followed with their own. The flathead basically had two things going for it: simplicity and some coolness factor.

 

Here is a Flathead Ford V-8 motorcycle!

http://www.honestcharley.com/V860.htm

In a world of V-Twin bikes this is just too cool!