Slingshot vs. Tattersfield

[SoCalCoupe]

Not necessary, but I want to do something trick with my stock 1941 11A flathead. Thinking about dual carbs with either an Edlebrock slingshot or a Tattersfield high-rise. Want to run the stock 6 volt generator.


Going for a period correct 1940's look but not stuck on original parts. Reproduction parts are ok with me.



Any thoughts, preference, advice?

 

[Tim Ayers]

A few things if you want period correct. Tattersfield is post WWII, Slingshot is pre-WWII. I decided to go with a new Slingshot on my 292 ci build. Motor runs super strong.

I bought it when they were first re-released many years ago. That said, I hope Edlebrock got their machining corrected on these for some of the bolts were a bear to put in due to poor machining.

Slingshot looks great and performs well.

I also have an original Thickstun PM-7 (which Tattersfield used and just changed the heat exchage box) that I could have used, but wanted to keep the engine pre-war.

 

[FritzJr]

Hot Rod Magazine did a test on a number of different manifolds a few years ago. They showed the Slingshot to give better performance than the Thickstun PM-7 / Tattersfield. (Your mileage may vary.)

 

[Ronnieroadster]

Hot Rod Magazine did a test on a number of different manifolds a few years ago. They showed the Slingshot to give better performance than the Thickstun PM-7 / Tattersfield. (Your mileage may vary.)

Oh boy these intakes will effect mileage/economy? I thought if the engine is faster that means you get where your going sooner thus needing less gas since your running the engine less overall.
Ronnieroadster

 

[Tim Ayers]

Oh boy these intakes will effect mileage/economy? I thought if the engine is faster that means you get where your going sooner thus needing less gas since your running the engine less overall.
Ronnieroadster

Haha. Well, let me tell ya. If my math is correct, my fully worked over 292 ci (built by some dude in CT) running two 97's with my lead foot behind the controls is netting me about 4-5 mpg. LOL!

Last run on the highway I was doing 85 mph, I swear I saw the gas gauge drop during that 4 mile stretch from exit to exit. Started at 1/2 tank, came home with a 1/4 tank on a 8 mile loop with a 10 gallon tank. It's a stock Model A gas gauge so I can't vouch for the accuracy of it.

That said, I wouldn't change a thing...

 

[Flathead Fever]

It would have been more like Sling Shot versus Thickstun pre-war. Those were probably the two best intakes pre-war. I collect 1932 to 1953 dry lake programs; I have copies of most of them. If you look at the issues you can see which months those intakes were first made. Just glancing through 1940-1941 there are ads for the sling shot, Thickstun , Jack Henry and Eddie Meyers but no Tattersfields. I could look in a 1940 Bell Auto Parts catalog and see if they were selling Tattersfields pre-war but I'm pretty sure they are post-war intakes. Just because they are a tall intake does not mean they are a pre-war intake.

Edelbrock Corporation claims that less than 100 sling shots were probably made but that is not accurate. The originals are serial numbered on the bottom and the numbers go above 100. I have one on a '32 chassis. I also have a tall Weiand intake that is probably not pre-war. The tall Edelrock Regular intake was also post-war. During the Korean War there was an aluminum shortage along with chromium. One manufacturer said in their ad the tall intake was being discontinued because of the aluminum shortage. I think it might have been the Edelbrock Regular intake, I would need to check.

After the War, the shorter super intakes and three-carb intakes were far superior to the tall ones. Nobody I know of ever set a flathead roadster record with a tall intake after 1941. Even so there seems to be a lot of Thickstun PM7 and Tatterfields out there that must have been sold after 1946, they are by far the most common of the tall intakes. A genuine pre-war intake is pretty rare. Most are in intake manifold collections.

My good friend of mine, Jack Calori who I miss dearly, set a Class "C" Roadster Record with a Weiand Super style two carb intake at the first meet in 1947. By then those tall intakes would have been for the malt shops and not the dry lakes. No serious hot rodder would have bought one.

The Thickstun ad is from May 19, 1940. Notice Vic Edelbrock was the fastest roadster with the Thickstun intake. That was a smaller Western Timing meet and not a SCTA meet. The pre-war Thickstun has the name placed like it is in the drawing. The post-war "PM7" Thickstun has the name between the risers. Those early ones are pretty scarce and better looking, maybe even more rare than a sling shot. Grab one if you find one. If for no other reason it's not reproduced and you will have something different, and it's the real deal.

During the SCTA May 19th meet Vic Edelbrock set a new record with the "Thickstun" on his '32 roadster. 119.44 mph. There is no sling shot manifold ad yet. On October 6th, 1940 the first sling shot advertisement I have appears. By August 1941 the SCTA programs says Vic still holds that 119.44 mph record. Despite what Edelbrock Corporation claims about him setting the record with the sling shot the programs says otherwise. It was done with the Thickstun intake. If he had set a record with the sling shot it would have said so in the sling shot ad. He could have set a record at a Western Timing Meet with the sling shot but not SCTA.

If anybody needs any early SCTA research, contact me and I will be happy to lookup whatever I can for you. If you had a relative that ran the dry lakes, I might be able to find him in the programs. I don't have them all, maybe 80%-90% of them.

 

[Tim Ayers]

Flathead Fever,

Thanks for posting. I'd like to add to your post.

The Thickstun in the adds above is not the same Thickstun that Tattersfield based their patterns on. That intake is the Thickstun PM-7. The PM 7 can out post-WWII.

The Thickstun intake in the adds you copied in your post is the first version of Thickstun's intake design and it certainly came out pre-WWII.

The Weiand tall 2X2 intake is also a pre-WWII piece. There are pictures in a number of books taken before the war that shows the intake on cars at the time.

All of the Edelbrock (block or script lettering) Regulars are also post-WWII.

 

[Bored&Stroked]

As far as which manifold to run - run what you like to look at and what fits your build era.

There were not many aftermarket manifolds or heads available before the war. Personally, I like the look of the Slingshot more than I like the PM7 style - both perform well in a smaller cubic inch engine (like a 276 on the street). I'm not aware of any 3-deuce manifolds produced pre-war . . . anybody else know of any?

You might have a bit of fun with the fuel pump hitting the back of the upright, just something you'll need to deal with.

 

[Tim Ayers]

As far as which manifold to run - run what you like to look at and what fits your build era.

There were not many aftermarket manifolds or heads available before the war. Personally, I like the look of the Slingshot more than I like the PM7 style - both perform well in a smaller cubic inch engine (like a 276 on the street). I'm not aware of any 3-deuce manifolds produced pre-war . . . anybody else know of any?

You might have a bit of fun with the fuel pump hitting the back of the upright, just something you'll need to deal with.

It may be close in regards to timeline, but I'm curious as to when Harrel stuff was made? They made a top with 2X2's and 3X2's.

 

[34fivewindow]

Flathead Fever,

Thanks for posting. I'd like to add to your post.

The Thickstun in the adds above is not the same Thickstun that Tattersfield based their patterns on. That intake is the Thickstun PM-7. The PM 7 can out post-WWII.

The Thickstun intake in the adds you copied in your post is the first version of Thickstun's intake design and it certainly came out pre-WWII.

The Weiand tall 2X2 intake is also a pre-WWII piece. There are pictures in a number of books taken before the war that shows the intake on cars at the time.

All of the Edelbrock (block or script lettering) Regulars are also post-WWII.

The prewar Thickstun manifold came out in 1939, Edelbrock Regular manifold were made in 1940, and the Weiand 2x2 tall manifold came out in 1940 also.

 

[Tim Ayers]

The prewar Thickstun manifold came out in 1939, Edelbrock Regular manifold were made in 1940, and the Weiand 2x2 tall manifold came out in 1940 also.

I think the jury is out on the release date of the Regular. If you look through Throttle, which was a definitive magazine for racers at the time, this came out literally a year leading up to WWII.

There are Edlerock adds for his slingshot, but not the Regular. I would think he'd advertise that one to if it was available before WWII.

Heck, even Jack Henry ran ads in Throttle and that intake was antiquated by the time the pre-war Thickstun, Weiand, and the Slingshot.

 

[rotorwrench]

Tommy Thickstun's stuff went to Tattersfield after Tommy died. I think he died of heart failure around 1946 while attending a hydroplane race event with some friends. There is a pretty good back story about Tommy and Vic. Tommy was an engineer but Vic wasn't. They had done business together before the war till Vic wanted Tommy to look at a design he wanted to produce. Tommy looked down his nose at Vic and basically told him that he was wasting his time. This is where the two parted company and Vic went out on his own. The rest is a split history between the two. Tommy basically forced Vic into that business.

The slingshot allowed for a generator and it worked very well. They were popular products for Vic and really got him going.

 

[Tim Ayers]

Tommy Thickstun's stuff went to Tattersfield after Tommy died. I think he died of heart failure around 1946 while attending a hydroplane race event with some friends. There is a pretty good back story about Tommy and Vic. Tommy was an engineer but Vic wasn't. They had done business together before the war till Vic wanted Tommy to look at a design he wanted to produce. Tommy looked down his nose at Vic and basically told him that he was wasting his time. This is where the two parted company and Vic went out on his own. The rest is a split history between the two. Tommy basically forced Vic into that business.

The slingshot allowed for a generator and it worked very well. They were popular products for Vic and really got him going.

According to the story in The Rodder's Journal, Tommy T was quite the ladies man and died of a heart attach while making whoopie while attending a hydroplane race.

**Didn't mean for all of those whiles to be italicized.

 

[Bored&Stroked]

I believe that Eddie Meyer produced at least one of his manifolds before the war - the one that used water to heat the plenum. Anybody know more on this???

 

[Tim Ayers]

I believe that Eddie Meyer produced at least one of his manifolds before the war - the one that used water to heat the plenum. Anybody know more on this???

Yes, I know for sure his water heated manifolds were pre-War. There is also an ultra rare Edmunds that is also water heated that he made pre-War as well.

The water heated units were all 2X2's

 

[SUHRsc]

I believe that Eddie Meyer produced at least one of his manifolds before the war - the one that used water to heat the plenum. Anybody know more on this???

Meyer supposedly made a run of about 12 with a completely open plenum late in 38 or more likely early in 39. I haven't found evidence of the exact date. Then he changed the design to have a divider down the middle splitting the manifold exactly in half. More.of the split ones were produced. These both had the block lettering in the middle. In 1940 the teardrop logo was designed for them and when added to the manifold (not sure on date) the fuel pump stand was made taller while the generator mount was shortened slightly. These used the same basic water heated top section. They also produced non water heated risers to replace the entire top section, these were available straight and flat or angled for boat use. I can't confirm for sure when the seperate risers were produced but at very least some remaining inventory was sold after WWII with the non water heated tops. I have examples of all of these various configurations of Meyer manifolds but can't ever seem to upload photos from my phone.

Prewar and general tall manifolds have always interested me and I've been slowly collecting what I can afford as they come along. The generator in the stock location makes for a much nicer looking engine in my opinion.

As to the original question, in my personal opinion you can't go wrong with a slingshot. It allows the possability of progressive linkage and eases up on the need for the carbs to be turned exactly identical. Also personally I find the original slingshots to be one of the most beautiful manifolds ever made. The reproductions leave a bit to be desired as it's a whole new pattern with some differences to original but still a good option.

Zach

 

[KiWinUS]

Yes, I know for sure his water heated manifolds were pre-War. There is also an ultra rare Edmunds that is also water heated that he made pre-War as well.

The water heated units were all 2X2's

I have an Edmunds pre war with a water heated top for a V8/60.

 

[Tim Ayers]

I have an Edmunds pre war with a water heated top for a V8/60.

Whoa. Rare bird for sure.

 

[Bored&Stroked]

I have an Edmunds pre war with a water heated top for a V8/60.

Now you just need to build a V8-60! LOL

 

[KiWinUS]

Now you just need to build a V8-60! LOL

Here’s one in the works. And have enough parts to build at least 7 more V8/60 race engines. I’m sick I know. Also just starting an engine for a 1948 Kurtis midget.