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Can anyone explain what is involved in balancing the flathead V8. Is there any techniques that could be applied if assembling an engine at home or is specialized equipment involved. Also if one was to carefully weigh each reciprocating component and equalize their weights before assembly...

Does anyone have any information on a 1932 Lincoln 385 V8. I believe it was a 60 degree design.

Does anyone have any idea on how many V8 engines were produced from 1932 to 1953? This would include engines for the military also.

I am doing a valve job and I need a tool to clean up the valve seats. I used to have a reseat tool many years ago but it has since disappeared and so I would like to buy a new set. Can anyone recommend a suitable tool? Thanks

In 1949, according to LIFE magazine, FORD built a brand new Dynamometer building housing 14 "State of the Art" Dynometers. They tested the Flathead 8ba engines sometimes for 90,000 mile endurance tests. Look it up on the internet. Why did they show consitently 100 hp dyno tests? In spite of...

With all the experts on board I have a question regarding the speed limit for the Ford Flathead V8. In the old days we revved these engines beyond belief. They actually screamed, especially in trucks with low ratio rears. But somehow they seemed to last with no block cracks or other defects...

We do a compression test and measure maybe 110 psi at cranking speed. What do you think the cylinder pressure would be when we run the engine? Will it be higher under load at WOT and lower at idle? A professional re-builder told me at a recent show that the maximum pressure is close to the...

When I was very active in rebuilding engines I always set the rings in the bores according to a diagram in the old "Honest Charlie" Catalog from the early 60's. This method placed the gap on the low load side and worked pretty good for me. Now after my "shop Organization" I can't find the...

The last 1947 Ford I had cost me $150 and was a great car. I had a lot of fun and put on a lot of miles. Now nostalgia has got the better of me. I found one for sale but the price is $15,000. I am confused as to why its worth that much. It looks the same as my old one. BTW I had no rust and no...

A friend of mine with a 1949 V8 had a home brew water injection system in his car. He claimed it gave him terrific gas mileage. I think he had a bottle of water hooked up to one of the vacuum connections through an adjustable needle valve. He experimented with the system until he was satisfied...

From what I have been reading on this fine forum, the center port is one of the weaknesses of the Ford V8. Some of the models of running engines have eliminated the problem by exhausting from the top intake plane. This is because they could not machine the exhaust port passages in the block. I...

I have owned many flathead engines over the years. Some were perfect with no cracks and some had cracks. Sometimes the cracks caused problems and other times not and didn't even know about them until rebuild time came around. The cracking I remember was mostly in the area of the valves. Seat to...

I have an old valve lapper. It is a crank handle style similar to a speed wrench. The valve end is swivel fork with two small nipples that engage holes in the valve. My guess is its from the 1920's. The tool is rusted and the identification is hard to read. The no is 608 but no manufactuer...

Has anyone made this conversion and how did it work out? Is there any info available? Thanks

I have a vague recollection of someone installing a V8 in a small plane. It may have been an aluminum block and was turned so the flywheel end turned the prop. My files are a mess and I can't find any info. Does anyone remember?

I was just thinking about my old 53 and remember this incident. My mother was sitting in the passenger seat and I made a left turn kind of quick. The passenger door flung open and I almost lost my mother. It was a 4 door. A friend of mine (now a SK) had a similar experience in a 2 door. the door...

I have seen a picture of a German V8 from WW2. It is different in that there seems to be a deliberate attempt to increase water flow from the rear of the engine by increasing the width of the cylinder head in this area. In other words water from the rear can flow more easily to the center...

In my younger years I contemplated doing this engine transplant. I had a nice 1957 ford 300 and a rebuilt 53 flathead. Also had a pile of bell housings and transmissions although I think the standard 3 speed would have bolted up. I wound up rebuilding the 292 and didn't do the mod. Has anyone...

They used to sell 8 volt batteries in farm / auto stores but I haven't seen one lately. Used to use them in grain trucks in place of the 6 volt. It gave better crank speed and only a regulator adjustment was necessary. Has anyone seen them available?

Has anyone tried tuning an engine with headers by using a Temperature gun on each header to equalize the temperature? I tried this on a Ford 360 with individual pipes and found quite a range. You have to be quick as they cool fast but you get an idea.