Original 1932 v8 questions ...

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draggin49

Senior Member
I know many guys run later year flathead motors in their 1932 to get more cubic inches/more power . Anyone ever hop up the original 221 v8 from 1932 ?
I know speed parts are WAY harder to come by compared to later flatheads ,but it seems like a 1932 with original v8 with vintage speed equipment would be a pretty rare sight. Sure it’ll never make the power of later flatheads but it is still the original motor to the car which there are less and less 32 roadsters with them still in place
 
Use a 36 LB block,no one but a purest will know the difference,and they are not as rare as a 32 engine,and later bits fit in.
Lawrie
 
I think Lawrie hit the nail pretty straight here. The original 32 engines/blocks are sometimes difficult to find, and expensive to buy when/if you do find one. They would be better preserved for those doing original vehicle restoration. Using a later 21 stud block would would offer the same appearance, and in some cases, allow a larger cubic inch bore.
 
Just put a 1934 intake manifold and a Stromberg carb on and you will
have all the HP you need with out the problems. G.M.
 
They could plain the head maybe dual exhaust and loud muffler was about all you could do back then. Maybe straight pipes no muffler back then was the key.
 
I wouldn't have a second thought of hopping up a B-model 4-cylinder but the rarity of the 1932 V8 engines puts it into a collector category all it's own. Even the later babbitt block V8s are getting hard to find but the 32 engines are special. The way they were designed and constructed doesn't make them a practical choice for extended performance. When the LB blocks came out with replaceable bearing shells, this changed the mind set for performance. They are still limited as 21-stud motors are but they were much easier to overhaul due to that one change. The 1937/38 21 stud motors were known to be a much better runner but even they are getting harder to find.

If you own one of these, I would suggest thinking long and hard before putting a rare treasure in harms way.
 
I have some rare early speed parts that would work on my original v8 in my roadster (original early edelbrock slingshot intake , vintage aluminum heads .

If I were to build another engine to put in the car I probably would do large cubic inch flathead with a Scot blower , Or maybe a Scot blown Ardun .
 
draggin49 said:
I have some rare early speed parts that would work on my original v8 in my roadster (original early edelbrock slingshot intake , vintage aluminum heads .

If I were to build another engine to put in the car I probably would do large cubic inch flathead with a Scot blower , Or maybe a Scot blown Ardun .
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A perfect example of a period correct modified 32 Ford V-8 is Iskys roadster if memory serves me correctly Ed built his roadster around 1936. That 32 V-8 runs great and sounds amazing.
Ronnieroadster
 
Don't forget Mud Flaps back then most had them on there cars. I still have a set and put them on my 35 pickup. Didn't make it run any faster?
 
My roadster runs a 21 stud pilot block with 34 alloy heads.

The head pumps have the pulleys/shaft cut off and welded up.

It resembles an early motor (not to the knowledgable or the purist) , but I like the look of the front mounted radiator hoses and the 21 studs..

I am still unsure whether pilots came with big end inserts or not.

I believe that the pilot was designed in 1947 to use up all the English war surplus 21 studders.

Did these run out and then they made more new engines after the war?

Mine has inserts, but the crank has had a lot of work done to it, re grinding, so maybe it is from a later model?

It is 3 1/16th bore.

Don't mean to hijack the 32 engine talk, but I just love 21 studders.
 
Several years ago, a fine gentleman in Oregon was going to cast a set of heads (24 stud) with the water pumps in the heads. I wanted to get a set, but they never became available, as far as I know.
That way, only someone who wanted to count the studs would know, and a much larger cubic inch engine would be available and closely appear to be original to the casual observer.
Note, someone had done this before, but had made the head with the water pump mount on both ends of the same head. Not too cool to me.
Jim
 
I watch guys count my studs one at a time with their fingers and wait for them to finish.

Then I tell them how to spot a 21 or 24 stud with a quick glance.

As you all know, the extra 3 studs were all added to the bottom row.

So a half second glance shows either 5 or 8 studs at the bottom.
 
1932 and even 1933 original engines are very scarce. If you find one it would be wise to try to restore it to original state, rather than monkeying around with it. When I was looking for a 1933, all of the cars I found had 35 or 36 engines in them. 1932 and 1933 engines are rare engines, as was said already on this post, the only improvement you should make is add a Stromberg 48 carb with a dual intake.
 
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the 24 stud heads with water pumps would be FAR easier than the blocks,I would get two sets straight up.
Lawrie
 
On our 1932 Coupe which I fitted a original 1932 engine, as I wanted to keep our 1932 Ford V8 - 3/W Coupe to original specifications.
As I was having a lot of problems with the original Detroit lubricator carburetor at times I decided to replace this carburetor with a 1934 Stromberg 48 carburettor which was often done with 1932 - 33 Ford V8's.
As I wanted to retain the original 1932 Ford V8 inlet manifold, generator, fuel pump assy etc I bought a 1932 - 33 manifold to carburettor adaptor 18-9485 which was listed in the original Canadian Ford Parts book and fitted a rebuilt 1934 Ford V8 Stromberg 48 carburettor which has vastly improved the performance starting etc to the original Detroit Lubricator carburettor,
It was easy to fit to the original single throat carburettor manifold adaptor and connect up the linkages and the original aircleaner fitted straight on and it is now a different car to drive and has been retained mostly to original 1932 specifications.
 

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Ian NZ said:
On our 1932 Coupe which I fitted a original 1932 engine, as I wanted to keep our 1932 Ford V8 - 3/W Coupe to original specifications.
As I was having a lot of problems with the original Detroit lubricator carburetor at times I decided to replace this carburetor with a 1934 Stromberg 48 carburettor which was often done with 1932 - 33 Ford V8's.
As I wanted to retain the original 1932 Ford V8 inlet manifold, generator, fuel pump assy etc I bought a 1932 - 33 manifold to carburettor adaptor 18-9485 which was listed in the original Canadian Ford Parts book and fitted a rebuilt 1934 Ford V8 Stromberg 48 carburettor which has vastly improved the performance starting etc to the original Detroit Lubricator carburettor,
It was easy to fit to the original single throat carburettor manifold adaptor and connect up the linkages and the original aircleaner fitted straight on and it is now a different car to drive and has been retained mostly to original 1932 specifications.
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The guy who had the 1932 roadster before me had swapped to a Stromberg and he said the same as you, huge improvement over the Detroit lubricator carb.My car runs really well and has never given me any carb related problems .Im happy with the Stromberg
 
draggin49 said:
The guy who had the 1932 roadster before me had swapped to a Stromberg and he said the same as you, huge improvement over the Detroit lubricator carb.My car runs really well and has never given me any carb related problems .Im happy with the Stromberg
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Just make sure that the fuel pump pressure is no more than 2-1/2 lbs as Stromberg carburettors run on 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 lbs I have the original 1932 mechanical fuel pump on our 32 and it runs at 2-1/4 lbs which is good and make sure the float level is right.
I have modified my 1932 distributor with 11A components which gives a better advance curve and that improves performance of the 1932 engine as well, so with these modifications the 32 really performs.
 
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