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fftoddster

fftoddster

Senior Member
So my stock 37 21 stud is burning oil. Runs good decent compression. I call H&H to inquire about how much $ for a stock rebuild job...

Boy they are proud of their work. I understand they do good work but wow!

No wonder why so many people toss the flathead aside and put in a 350.


Is their anyone in the Southern California area that builds an economical flathead engine?
 
fftoddster said:
So my stock 37 21 stud is burning oil. Runs good decent compression. I call H&H to inquire about how much $ for a stock rebuild job...

Boy they are proud of their work. I understand they do good work but wow!

No wonder why so many people toss the flathead aside and put in a 350.


Is their anyone in the Southern California area that builds an economical flathead engine?
Click to expand...


So, tell us, what was the quoted price for the rebuild?








No excuse is good enough to replace a flathead with an SBC.
 
Holy -mackaroll ! and they start with your engine ,,,, I guess I better knock on wood and be happy mine runs as good as it does .Time is money and they get paid well for what they do . 20 years from now that price will be a bargain
 
Check around with other machine shops in your area. If you are a V-8 Club member use the roster and call some of the members in the So Cal area and ask them for recommendations. I suspect a reasonable job would be between $4000 and $5000. Flathead rebuilds are not cheap.
 
When i build an engine I tend to get carried away and so does the cost. I've been following your little adventure, and suggest the engine may not need a total overhaul; new pistons, rings, rebore, bearings crank grind etc, etc. It may need only a hone ,new rings, valve grind. It is only a flathead. Thing is, you won't know until you tear it down and measure everything up. I don't know how much work you can perform yourself, but if you can pull the engine, and strip it down, you'l certainly save some pennies. Don't rush into taking it to the likes of H&H, for sure, you'll end up with a nice engine, but ask yourself, how long are you going to be driving it? As an earlier poster said, in years gone by, it'd get a set of rings whilst still in the chassis. I'm not suggesting you get that crude, but there could well be further life in the old girl with not a lot of money spent.
 
Tj's got it. If not a V8 Club member be sure to join. Then shop around. No secret,
find a low overhead shop, overhead and inventory are costly.
Charlie ny
 
TJ said:
Check around with other machine shops in your area. If you are a V-8 Club member use the roster and call some of the members in the So Cal area and ask them for recommendations. I suspect a reasonable job would be between $4000 and $5000. Flathead rebuilds are not cheap.
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Yes, that is a reasonable number if you supply no parts for a stock-type rebuild.


I will let you know what my hot rod motor's final bill is in a few weeks. I'm expecting in the neighborhood of $5K. I am supplying a fair number of the parts.

Ross pistons with metric rings were $700 shipped. 59 AB main bearings are around $250. ARP stud sets are around $500. It just keeps adding up from there. Only reason I mention it is to help give you an idea of where the money goes.

Not cheap, but you could spending it on a lot worse.
 
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There is a guy on EBAY and I think on the HAMB that is selling several rebuilt 21 stud and others engines, one for $2600.00.
They look like they were done right and he can help with shipping according to the ad.
 
The 59Y block in my '34 P/U was about 8K but it was done by Ed Bingelli years ago.
The truck was sitiing until last fall when I got it running.
 

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Tim Ayers said:
Yes, that is a reasonable number if you supply no parts for a stock-type rebuild.


I will let you know what my hot rod motor's final bill is in a few weeks. I'm expecting in the neighborhood of $5K. I am supplying a fair number of the parts.

Ross pistons with metric rings were $700 shipped. 59 AB main bearings are around $250. ARP stud sets are around $500. It just keeps adding up from there. Only reason I mention it is to help give you an idea of where the money goes.

Not cheap, but you could spending it on a lot worse.
Click to expand...

Why are the main bearings so expensive? I get them for a lot less than that.
 
they get so much because you are willing to pay it 4,000 for a simple flathead is to much .you can buy a creat eng at half the price & that,s brand new, pull the flathead put in a small block you can go any where sit in traffic with out worries. i saying this to guys that use there cars & drive them a lot if you have a show car that,s different. most places today have a lot of traffic & most flatheads don,t like it.you can always put the flathead back in
 
richard crow said:
they get so much because you are willing to pay it 4,000 for a simple flathead is to much .you can buy a creat eng at half the price & that,s brand new, pull the flathead put in a small block you can go any where sit in traffic with out worries. i saying this to guys that use there cars & drive them a lot if you have a show car that,s different. most places today have a lot of traffic & most flatheads don,t like it.you can always put the flathead back in
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Do what you want with your money and car, but putting a SBC in an old Ford is not the route I would take.
 
I have rebuilt several flat head engines for under $3,000. I do my own tear down and assemble and pay to have the machine work done. V 12s are a $1000 more because of the extra cylinders and they are Lincolns.
 
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