Yes, this video was posted 2 years ago. However, as the new owner of my dad's 41 Ford, with an 8BA in it, the amount of information is invaluable! I'm going to be putting this truck back together. He tore it down to the frame in 1980, and it's never been back together. His passing and memory deserve to have the truck back on the road.
@WiredCustomsSpeedShop Music playing in the background, while you're talking. I've enjoyed many of your videos without that distraction and learned alot.
I have seen earlier 24 studs with clip in bearings instead of floating. From memory you have to be careful with the 8BA head gaskets as they had a front and back with water restrictions in the front 8ba cam also had a gear on the front to drive the dizzy.
Flattys are definitely getting to be rare birds. Got a 46 super 8 deluxe sedan that has a 53 engine in it that im going to try to get running. Wont be a show car (due to costs) but the goal ot to get her running again. Last ran about 20 years ago so she will need some coaxing to come back to life.
Nice! That’s the exact car I grew up with and learned how to work on car with, beautiful year! Check out my other video “Flathead Resurrection” Episode 1 if you would like some suggestions for a sitting Flathead, Flatheads are becoming more common than past years now, check out there group on Facebook “The Flat Spot” we are 18 thousand members strong now, lot of good information there too
First engine teardown when I was 14, friends dad told us to take a 49 ford flathead down, we did and learned how an engine worked. He was a cool dad as we did it he explained what everything a how it worked. Next year we got a 48 dodge for 15.00 an got it running and drove it to the drive in, with getting pulled over. That could never happen now days. Someone should bring flathead back. ELON can we talk?
I was saying that during the 70s and 80s, as horsepower was way down, so flathead performance would have been fine, with an engine that was much cheaper to build, but now, with the gas engine seemingly on its way out, I doubt that will happen, unless somebody comes up with a miracle fuel that does eliminates the need for a catalytic converter and therefore emits far less carbon dioxide - yes, the catalyst increases carbon dioxide.
I know that would be great, and they could fix the exhaust flow in the block too, but at least ford made millions of flatheads, usually are t hard to find locally, just make sure you talk people down, a lot think they are worth a lot even when they haven’t ran for years
Andre L thank you! I have a couple of each motors, I haven’t measured but I would say they are the same size, if there is a difference it’s just the difference of the bell housing, I would say a lot of “traditionalist” prefer the 59 just for the look, but they still build them like a 8BA
I have an 8RT. It's in my '53 F100. How is it different from the 8BA? One difference I'm aware is the front engine mount is under the crankshaft pulley and sets on the front frame crossmember and not mounted by the water pumps. Is there a difference of performance between the 8BA and the 8RT? I'll be putting a set of polished Offy heads on it.
I have that exact 42 in my garage, super deluxe, but it has a package tray instead of a backseat, so a business mans special? Hard to find parts for,,,, thanks for your information,
@@WiredCustomsSpeedShop Shell Rotella 15w40 diesel oil is known to have zinc in it already. Also found basically anywhere that sells motor oil. Any experience running that in a flatty?
My 1941 59 Flathead had a crab distributor setup. Can I swap the crab with a 8ba "normal" distributor by changing the sprocket cover or is there more needed to run the 8ba distributor?
You can, you’ll need a conversion kit and 8BA style timing cover, I would have to say though the 8BA distributor was a significant downgrade from the crab distributor and even the helmet style distributor, they run off of vacuum advance only without a mechanical advance
I've got an 8ba that I'll get into on day....looking for a deal on some hop up parts now. May have a line on a Mercury crank if I can assess it's condition. Any pointers?
Just stay tuned to the channel and feel free to look through my older videos! A lot of pointers in the videos 👍🏼 also try joining “The Flatspot A Flathead Support Group” on Facebook, a lot of guys helping and giving advice on there
I'm looking at a 1950 F1 pickup online and photo's show 8CM stamped on the heads (24 acorn stud covers not bolts) but I am suspicious that maybe the block is a 8BA . Can you fit a Mercury 8CM head to 8BA block and how can one tell a Mercury block by photo's?
Hello! Technically you can’t be 100 sure if it’s a Mercury block unless you drop the oil pan and look at the crank or pull one head off and check the bore and stroke of the crank, you can definitely mix and match the blocks, worst thing about flatheads is you can’t 100 percent ID and engine without disassembly
I am getting ready to assemble an 8BA engine. I plan to use a Holley 2bbl Sniper EFI which requires 45 PSI fuel pressure. I will need to use an electric fuel pump instead of the stock mechanical pump which means I will not have a fuel pump push rod in place. I have been told that an oil leak at the push rod bore will severely reduce engine oil pressure. Should I plug the push rod bore hole? If so, I will need to do it very early in the assembly process especially if it requires machining. What say you?
The fuel pump push rod is oiled with the cam lobes since it runs off the back of the cam, it is known to lower oil pressure because removing it causes an internal leak, I would recommend leaving the rod in there and just using a block off plate on the fuel pump stand, I know a lot of guys will just leave the pump on and not hooked to anything, it’s up to you, but I’ve been thinking about using the sniper on my daily driver flathead, what are you going to use to get it from four bolt to three bolt flange?
@@WiredCustomsSpeedShop I would rather install a plug either press in or threaded to replace the push rod and install a block off plate to replace the pump stand. As for the injector bolt flange, I am using a Mercury aluminum intake which has a 4 bolt flange. I haven't ordered my Sniper yet so I may have to fabricate an adapter plate to go from the "teapot" bolt pattern to the Holley 2bbl pattern. I forgot to add that I am installing a T3/T4 hybrid turbo set up to blow through the Sniper. I have a set of stainless block hugger headers and enough 2/12" stainless elbows to go forward under the water pumps and up to the front of the intake manifold where I plan to mount the turbo and plumb it into the Sniper. The hardest part is going to be fabricating a bonnet to fit the inlet flange. It should make around 250 HP. If you're interested it's going into a '27 T track roadster.
Edward Werick that sounds like an awesome build! Are you going to post it on the H.A.M.B. or Instagram or somewhere like that I can follow and see it? I am definitely going to put the sniper on my 42 Tudor, after some other projects catch up first
@@WiredCustomsSpeedShop I too have some "bench cleaning" to do before really getting into this build. I am not very active on social media but if had your e-mail address I could send you progress reports.
Great video! Is the 8ba and the mercury 1cm the same? I have the 1cm in my car and I’ve never pulled the head or pulled the motor. From what you’re showing they seem to be the same?
Thank you so much for watching, the 8BA would most likely be a 239 with a 3.750 stroke, the Mercury should have the 4 inch stroke making it a 255, huge difference and if your block is really a Mercury it’s Flathead gold
For me it depends on what I am going to put the motor in, technically the most advanced Flathead is the 8BA which is a 1949-1953, it has the best bearings, best crank, best oiling and cooling system, it’s a great motor, if you ask me what is my preferred motor, I would say the 59ab motor which is 1946-1948 motor, it’s the traditional hotrod motor and I like the look with the heads and front facing distributor, hope that helps!
Great lesson. I'm in the market to replace my 60 in a 39 standard. I have a early 50's McCullough supercharger I would like to use. Would it be best to only use an 8BA and/or should I look for a mercury?
Cary Ford 8BA would be best, a 59 would be good but you would have to build it with 8BA parts anyways, if you can find a mercury that already has the 4 inch stroke that would be great as well, but you can just buy a 4 inch for any block. Are you a member of the Facebook group “vintage mcculloch superchargers”? That would be the perfect group to find engine and parts
If you are wanting the 59 style engine mounts then you’ll need an 8RT water pump, you definitely don’t want 59 pumps on a 8BA, you would have to change the whole front accessories to run the early pumps because they are oiled differently, as far as the heads you can run them, you’ll have to plug two holes on the block and one on the head by tapping them with a NPT tap and screwing in a plug, I am a huge 59 fan, but I would have to say the 8BA style head has far greater cooling capabilities, so putting a 59 style head on that block really degrades it, but it does look good!
Perro Blanco Films Garage that’s exactly why I am obsessed with the 38-48 ford flatheads, they just look cooler with the helmet distributor or the crab right on the front!
You’re right, I’m pushing mine to the max and probably going to get around 200hp, they have a lot of torque though, but it’s mostly for nostalgia, and being different than the millions of SBC and SBF, for me personally I am building a traditional hotrod, and building it as if it was done in the late 50s when hotrodding got big, so mine will be a period correct hotrod with no parts newer than 1955
It's more about keeping a piece of automotive history alive and functioning than having tire roasting horsepower. If you've ever been to a car show, it's interesting to see, hear, and be around a car that's as 100% original whether it's a survivor or a painstaking restoration. A model T is a good example of this. Sure, you can build a high performance t bucket with a blown or fuel injected modern driveline and frame/suspension setup, but seeing how something works as it was made gives a look back at something that most have forgotten about. Those that do remember the past, enjoy the memories seeing it again brings back to them. Those that never knew about it, now can learn. It's not always about having the fastest and most powerful car. Sometimes having something that's rare, and makes you happy is the better thing to have.
Why do guys spend tons of money on a four banger, just to have less power than a cheap warmed over small block v-8? Why do guys spend tons of money on a straight six, just to have less power than a cheap warmed over small block v-8? Why do guys use a small block Ford... when it's cheaper to warm up a Chevy small block? Why do guys sink tons of money into an old car... when they could have bought a new one? Well... probably... BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT!!! Why do you drive what you drive??? Same answer!!!
