'37-40 Flatehead 60 HP Questions

C

Chuck in the Burgh

Junior Member
Hi guys,
Looking for some info on my v-8 60hp motor I acquired. I'm trying to figure out what year it is and some rebuild options. Here's some questions and then the info I found on the engine:
Questions:
1. Any input on what year it is, based on rod journal dia 1.580 (doesn't look like "40)?
2. Do you have to resleeve, or can you remove the sleeves and bore oversize?
3. What were the "thin" sleeves made out of ? Stainless? An Alloy?
4. Some guys talk about "spay weilding" cranks to bring them back to standard. But I've only heard that from guys trying to sell standard size bearings. Is this a valid option?
The Info:
Don't have any idea what car it came out of, I only bought the complete motor, ex- ******. It's not a tin sided block, it is fully cast. It had a Ford remanufactured yellow tag on the bellhousing. Casting #11 on Bellhousing, no casting #'s on sides of block, Front of block behind waterpump housing it has "XX" on the left and a "G" on the right side of the crank. No casting # on the aluminum 2bbl intake, heads casting "AL" below "11-16" then 52-6050, other head the same except "8-13". All cylinders have the "thin" sleeves (My Napa (old guy) in the machine shop had not seen these before and he's done a lot of engines ) The flathead book shows how to knock them out and resleeve. Motor mount/Waterpump housing has the tapered waterpumps, which I understand is '37, but I was told the housings are interchangeable for all 4 years, it may have been changed.
I appreciate any and all comments/input.
Chuck in the Burgh
 
Hey Chuck,
Cats/Dogs are 'spayed'...cranks are spray welded. You say that 'it's not tin side. Well , that narrows the year down by ONE...it's not a '37, as that was the first year and the tin side model. I used to have several of these engines and I could never learn/determine what any of those numbers represented...the numbers that are spread all over the block. You are correct, IMO, about the water pumps fitting all four years. Good luck, as these little suckers are EXPENSIVE to nurish/grow:)! You might do some or a LOT of research regarding the expense involved and the cost of stuff for this 136 cu in flathead.
 
The water pumps do not fit all the years. There were two different designs to correspond with two different designs of timing gear covers. One pump has a tapered end, the other quite a flat end.
They must match the cover design. And, as you state, the cover may have been replaced.
The valve chamber cover (intake manifold) for 1940 was different than earlier years as well.
 
hardtimes said:
Hey Chuck,
Cats/Dogs are 'spayed'...cranks are spray welded. You say that 'it's not tin side. Well , that narrows the year down by ONE...it's not a '37, as that was the first year and the tin side model. I used to have several of these engines and I could never learn/determine what any of those numbers represented...the numbers that are spread all over the block. You are correct, IMO, about the water pumps fitting all four years. Good luck, as these little suckers are EXPENSIVE to nurish/grow:)! You might do some or a LOT of research regarding the expense involved and the cost of stuff for this 136 cu in flathead.
Click to expand...
Wrong,my original 1937 low mileage Ford was equipped with the cast iron block. 1937 Ford book from the Early v8 Club states on page 8-12 " According to Motor Building ledgers they begin assembling engines with cast iron sides 3/11/37 but they were not 100% of production untill number 54-219400 ,4/23/37." My 37 coupe is # 54-258453 and was bought May 1937. The tin sides were leaking within a month of production but that did not stop Ford from installing all they had on hand. Personally I think all 60 hp engines are junk.
 
The "tin" sleeves are case hardened steel

the 37-39 std rod journal size is --1.598-1.599
the40std size is --1.698-1.699

the 37-39 had the oil fill tube in the block

I got a good scale about the same time I bought a large stock of 60 nos parts, the precision weight matching of the factory sets will be hard to match in the modern production parts, the sets of pistons were all +- 1 gram and the weight of any piston in any size was within 4 grams of any other piston, the sets of rods most were the same weight, some 1/2 gram, rod end weight, pin end weight, and total weight, the engine built with all nos parts was very smooth and didn't mind moving the 4 door sedan at 70
 
60 HP ENGINES CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 4 CATEGORIES TIN SIDE blocks, 37-39 cast block, 1940 cast block , 1937-40 replacement blocks. The tin side blocks are easy to identify, the cast blocks are harder but can be first observed by checking for the breather port at the lh rear of the block bell housing, that port would primarily indicate it would be a 37-39 cast block. 40 blocks do not have that port, they vent thru the intake. The next Id is the crank size, the rods and the mains are smaller on the 37-9 crank compared to the 40 crank. Replacement blocks seem to have been based off the 1937-9 cast block but use the larger 40 crank so the external of the block looks like a small crank block but measuring the mains it takes the larger bearings. These are usually Id by a seal plug in the bellhousing vent. To determine the vintage of your block the most acurate way is to measure the crank.
 
Thanks guys, the info is a help, I'll check the dia on the mains tomorrow [ so it looks like its a '38 -39 motor at this point. I'll report back.
chuck in the Burgh
 
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