Help with engine Id

[Tudie 36]

Hello, I finally picked up some parts thrown in on a trade. The engine on the stand is a 1946? Says 59Ab. Color appears Mercury? Is the tag a rebuild tag? The frame on the other is pretty shot. I’m going to get rid of it. The motor on the stand, I want to try and get it unbound then tear down and see what block looks likes. I’ll appreciate all comments good or bad. Thanks, Greg Kirkland

 

[Newc]

Bore std, .010 rods and mains. I like the 8ba's better engs. Newc

 

[pistonbroke]

If your going to scrap the one in the frame I would be interested in the EAB heads. Drop me a PM if so. Tim

 

[Seth Swoboda]

Are you getting rid of the frame or the engine in the frame? The frame might have some value to someone that needs parts of it to repair their frame. Cross members, K members, ect....

 

[Tudie 36]

I think all together

 

[Rodrelic]

Get that 59 block off the flange & turn it sideways

 

[Tudie 36]

Get that 59 block off the flange & turn it sideways

Huh?

 

[deuce lover]

The way its attached to the engine stand is not good.All that stress on the bell housing can cause it to break.It should be mounted from the side off the exhaust ports of the block using an adapter.

 

[Tudie 36]

The way its attached to the engine stand is not good.All that stress on the bell housing can cause it to break.It should be mounted from the side off the exhaust ports of the block using an adapter.

Oooooh, I see what you mean now. That’s the way I got it and it’s a little wobbly like it is. Thanks

 

[Rodrelic]

Not to be smart, but lots of previous discussion on it. Challenging enough, without looking for another block. I went overboard and did a stand with exhaust mounts on both sides. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=276451&highlight=Broken+bellhousing
I salvaged a froze up reman motor that had never been run, had to smash and saw all pistons. Have NOS crank, rods, cam, even a few valves, I don’t immediately dismiss a driveline until I look inside.

 

[Tudie 36]

Not to be smart, but lots of previous discussion on it. Challenging enough, without looking for another block. I went overboard and did a stand with exhaust mounts on both sides. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=276451&highlight=Broken+bellhousing
I salvaged a froze up reman motor that had never been run, had to smash and saw all pistons. Have NOS crank, rods, cam, even a few valves, I don’t immediately dismiss a driveline until I look inside.

I’d rather you be smart because I ain’t

 

[Rodrelic]

Just ‘sperience, I mounted my LB conventional until advised different.

 

[rotorwrench]

The engines built for post war production are good engines, they're just different than later ones. The 59 series blocks were manufactured between 1945 and the end of 1948 for both ford and Mercury cars so they were all the same color if any color is still there. They are highly sought after if in good condition. The 8BA series of engines, such as that one in the frame, are also sought after.

The flathead blocks were vulnerable to freeze or over temp cracking so most engines found out in the elements are likely victims of some type of failure such as that. If a block has usable bores and passes pressure tests for cracks then it will have a fair amount of value to it. If it's not usable then the only real value left is in the usable parts like the heads and bottom end rotating assembly it they are still repairable.

 

[jimTN]

I believe the 59 blocks are 3 1/16 and 59AB were 3 3/16 if I am wrong, sure someone will correct.

 

[rotorwrench]

The first blocks (or cylinder assemblies) to show up during the war were the 221 replacement blocks to keep the home front operational during that period. They were known as the 41A prefix assembly and production started in late 1944. They were mixed with 59 A production in 1945 when the first 59 prefix engines of 239 CID began production. This has led to confusion since both blocks had the same shell mold and "59" on the back of the block even though they had different cores. The 221 blocks still used the same basic cores as prewar so the characteristics are different from the standard 59A 100-HP blocks.

The heads are just that. They have their own part numbers. The first heads were 59A in 1945 but they were replaced sometime in 1946 with the 59AB heads for the rest of the production through 1948. This was just a minor engineering change and didn't affect the block. Earlier prewar heads have to be modified in the valve reliefs to work on the post war engines but they were the replacement blocks after all. There was a tool kit to relieve the chambers if a person wanted to use the early heads. The valve angles changed sometime late in the war and made this necessary.

 

[Tudie 36]

The first blocks (or cylinder assemblies) to show up during the war were the 221 replacement blocks to keep the home front operational during that period. They were known as the 41A prefix assembly and production started in late 1944. They were mixed with 59 A production in 1945 when the first 59 prefix engines of 239 CID began production. This has led to confusion since both blocks had the same shell mold and "59" on the back of the block even though they had different cores. The 221 blocks still used the same basic cores as prewar so the characteristics are different from the standard 59A 100-HP blocks.

The heads are just that. They have their own part numbers. The first heads were 59A in 1945 but they were replaced sometime in 1946 with the 59AB heads for the rest of the production through 1948. This was just a minor engineering change and didn't affect the block. Earlier prewar heads have to be modified in the valve reliefs to work on the post war engines but they were the replacement blocks after all. There was a tool kit to relieve the chambers if a person wanted to use the early heads. The valve angles changed sometime late in the war and made this necessary.

. Thanks for all the info, my plan is to free up the 59Ab and see if I can get it to run. First timer so will have more questions along the way. Just waiting till that urge hits and it’s a little warmer.