Just to get this topic going: I once read that the flathead V8 takes very nicely to supercharging. Normally the flathead is a poor breathing engine. The supercharger overcomes that fault and then you have all the benefit of the super simple valve train.

 

Plus, there's nothing quite like the sound of a flatty!

Ken Payne
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin
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Does anyone know of a kit supercharger kit for the flathead v8?

 

I don't know, but the hot rodders still do flatheads. Perhaps a magazine like "Rod and Custom" would have some advertizements for companies that make performance parts for flatheads. That's where I would start to look.

 

i reckon they did breathe poorly especially the early ones where 2 cylinders emptied into one port on the exhaust side

 

I hear that Ken! I remember looking at a friends 36 ford with a flathead V8 in it one day and all I could hear was this faint clicking noise. I asked him what that noise was and he said the brushes in the generator were getting bad. I didn't even know the car was running! talk about smooth.

Brad Godkin
1986 F350 CC/SRW
6.9liter/C6

 

I can't say that about the 8RT in my 48 F1. It's running tube headers with 22" Smitty's. The neighbors know when I fire it up, and I start grinning. It sounds GOOD!
The siamesed center exhaust ports do constrict breathing some, but on a stock or near-stock motor it is negligible. All flatmotors, by the way, from 32-53 used the same system so Henry must not have figured it was too much of a problem.
As I understand, it only becomes a factor when a radical cam is used which allows the intake on one cylinder to open before the other exhaust fully closes.

 

Ken:

I'm stoked about the new Flathead format. As a "student" of Henry F.'s, I like all the innovation represented by the flathead, i.e., the first successful, mass production V-8 from a single casting, etc.... I have one of the commemorative "V-8" brass coins from, I think, 1932, which were given out to promote the engine.

I must confess the only flathead I ever actually heard run, up close, was a retrofit into a farm tractor--could have been an 8N. And I was a kid and don't remember how it sounded--it was one of about 5 or 6 tractors pulling a house up a gravel road--true story!

Does anyone have a "wave" or soundbite they could stick on the site, so that we could click on it and hear, say, a stock flathead, and maybe a "full house" flathead mill, at the track?

Also, does anyone know of any successful retrofits into a "modern" truck, like my '88 F150? I try to find "hurtin' units," and I thought it would be fun to do a cheap retro of a flat head.

1. Would the Mazda 5-speed and bell housing from my 4.9 bolt up?2. Is there an aftermarket motormount kit?
3. Would it be grossly underpowered compared to the 4.9? I understand they came in different flavors, and the later ones had, what 95 hp?
5. How expensive and difficult would it be to get the 145 hp. of the 4.9 (if that's a correct figure?) out of a flathead? (The idea is inexpensive, bolt-on mods here....)
6. How expensive are those groovy finned flathead heads?
7. How about fuel economy, especially when putting out 4.9-like power?
8. Will I still be able to tow my 3000+lb. boat?
9. Does anyone else have thoughts like this, or is it me?

Peter

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 14-Feb-01 AT 06:22 PM (EST)[/font][p]I have a picture of a ford 8n farm tractor with a flathead v-8 in it with pipes coming up about 3 foot on each side of the hood, total bad boy a stock 85 or 90 horse flatty in that little tractor which originally came with a 20 horse flat 4 talk about sleeper lol but seriously i would really love to have it talk about rare and interesting

 

The v-8 conversion was fairly popular for 2N/8N tractors; my dad had one and it was great! Due to lack of funds, too many projects, and the fact that farm/livestock prices are the same as they were thirty years ago, we had to sell it... The guy who bought it had deep pockets, and restored it beautifully. Chrome, shiny paint, really unbelievable... I have before and after pictures if anyone is interested.

 

4byford:

That sounds way cool. I'd be interested in seeing the photos, if you can scan them w/o a big hassle.

Good story--thanks.

BigSix

 

I would also love to see the pics 4byford

 

hey guys,
popular hot rodding tv did a big segment on the flatheads this weekend and they had a supercharged, and even a fuelie flatty. i thought it was pretty cool(minus cam and dean, the 2 hosts...blah). just my 2 cents,
mike

 

http://www.staufferv8.com/new818.html This is a site were they still offer the adapter to to put a F8V in an 8N tractor. Thought youall might want to look.

 

thanx for the n8 link