21 Stud LB engine??

Paul Dobbin

Paul Dobbin

Member
My Spare engine is a 21 Stud LB block. After using some lacquor thinner and single edge razor blade to get 88 years of paint & crud off it, there it was, LB stamped in the block at the left front edge of the block, perpendicular to the cam shaft and heads.
Next to it is another stamping 59568 parallel with the heads and cam.
I kept it as a spare for 25 years for my 34's and 35 Ford pickup. Now I'm too old and the engines in my cars are all fine, just not LB's (Line Bearings) that I know of. The rebuild tag from Montgomery Wards is 1961 and the engine was in a 32 Ford 5WC, ran great, only 10,00 miles but I let it sit to long. The bore measures 3 1/8. so it's 60,000 over. The 4th cylinder on the right side is rusty and may need a sleave or a good honing. The Valve valley is clean and the left head is still on it.
What should I do with it? Sell it?, What's it worth? What's rebuild with a sleave cost these days?

1934 Ford's since 1972
 
It's a loaded question. I think if it does have cam bearings that would be a fine engine. But it's limited to hp vs a 59a or 8ba. So...


i think it's a very fine engine. Hopefully someone wants it and you don't scrap it.


The way thinks happen in my thinking. Is you put it at your highest price and see what happens. It will decide the market for it.


If you have it running and the compression is good. (no engine work) I think 1k is not unheard of. Neat motor.
 
For sure. Talk to Mel. He might be able to find a home. Donate it over whatever. If it just sits around that will be a shame.


My slow 28 made a show the 1st yr to fill the show. One of my club buddies puked his clutch a few yr's later. Neat event that I have not been to other then a car.


Do not scrap it. Give it away before that.
 

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The LB engines ( large bearing) are quite desirable to many folks. If it needs a sleeve or two thats not a deal breaker, it just needs to be pressure tested for cracks and then you have a thousand dollar motor there at minimum
 
" large bearing" is what I've always heard. "line bored" would have nothing to do with insert bearings specifically, as both the babbet and the insert types would be line bored when built new. Take your pick, I am not a Ford engineer
 
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Hey buddy. It actually doesn't refer to the crank at all. It refers to the cam bearings. Prior they didn't have any bearings.


All good my friend!
 
Suppose there are a few interpretations. Probably change over to crank lined bearings vs babbit. Less cam bearings that happened in 1935
.

My mistake.
 

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When trying to identify one, it seems to me that the main bearing bolts are wider apart on the LB than the babit block. 3" wide on the babit and 3 1/4" for the inserts IIRC. Large bearing ?
 
The crank did change to larger diameter from 1.999 to 2.399. Replaceable main shells were a big thing when that block came out.
 
I know when I rebuilt my LB it has no water pump block off plates, has insert bearings and I put new cam bushings also
 

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Rodrelic said:
I know when I rebuilt my LB it has no water pump block off plates, has insert bearings and I put new cam bushings also
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No block off plates 'cause your engine is a '36.In '37 the 21 studs had the w/pumps down front .If you wanted to use in head water pumps you needed block off plates. The Flathead evolution link in post #10 is an excellent explanation and worth watching.
 
Yes, I have two 37’s with block off plates, and plan to go with different water pumps & try center outlet heads to see if cooling improves
 
Rodrelic said:
Yes, I have two 37’s with block off plates, and plan to go with different water pumps & try center outlet heads to see if cooling improves
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Cooling with water pumps in heads should not be a problem if all else is in order. My LB runs under 180* at all times. Stock with Skip water pumps.
 
Years ago there was a picture of a 37 21 stud engine with the early heads. It had water pumps in the block and water pumps in the heads. I have it somewhere but it’ll take me a day or 10 to find it.
 
Offer of $300 w/o any testing or verification of leaks or cracks. Sorry, these engines are hard to find in a condition that has NOT been compromised.
Short block or long block?
Dr. G
 
drgoetz said:
Offer of $300 w/o any testing or verification of leaks or cracks. Sorry, these engines are hard to find in a condition that has NOT been compromised.
Short block or long block?
Dr. G
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Yep me too. Sent pm 2 days ago but no reply yet.
 
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