60hp flathead

Habusailor

Habusailor

Senior Member
Has anyone dropped a 60hp flathead into a 28 model a chassis? Did you split the wishbone or go with new drag links? How about transmission mounts and pedal mounts?


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It was done plenty.If you just want a cool looking setup,(which they are)with no real gain performance wise,go for it.There is a lot of info out there from guys that have done it.There are guys here that have done it,but over on the H.A.M.B. there are guys that can give you details.I'm not much of a fan of the V8 60.They seem to be OK in an industrial use,I have one in a Westinghouse welder.Worked pretty well in little boats too.Had one in a punkin seed that pretty near killed me.
 
Stick with the 4 banger with a few power adders. Big torque difference between the two.
Unless your just wanting to look cool.
 
nkaminar said:
Model A 4 banger with modifications is more than 60 HP. Looks just as cool as the V8 60.
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I’m afraid that for once I have to respectfully disagree with NK. Yes, a tricked out banger does look cool. But I don’t think it comes anywhere near the coolness of a well-done V8 60 conversion. Yes this is all opinion, and no way to determine who is “right”. But I think once you sort of deviate from the resto ethic and start down the path to mod, there is little that is more period cool than dropping a flathead V8 into an A. Especially if you start to trick out the V8 say with heads, multiple carbs, maybe a blower, wheels and tires, a bit (or more) of chrome…

I’ll likely never get the chance to do that in my lifetime. And there is enough preservationist in me that I’d have a tough time justifying doing this to a drivable or restorable A. But such were the dreams of my youth.
 
With the 60 the rpm has to be a lot higher to get anything out of it — think of gearing to keep it above 2500 rpm.
Years ago I had a 39 with the 60 and every time on a hill and it dropped to 40 it needed to downshifted to second to keep it moving and get good fuel economy.
When I bought the parts stash from a hydroplane racer he said with stock engine bottom end 7000 rpm was good for 2 seasons,7500 for 1/2 season so I would run it up to about 6000 before shifting—- gear it accordingly and have enough gears in the transmission and don’t worry about overdrive
 
The little V8 60 is a neat looking engine in an A.The problem is that is where it ends.All show,no go.There is a coupe around here that is on it's third generation of owners.Grandpa built it,dad drove it after the old boy passed,and with the dad gone now the the youngest boys have it.They are in their 60's.It has been nothing but a dissappointment to all three generations.But,none will go to the better and bigger flathead because grandpa built it.We used to leave a cruise night here at the same time,and climb a good sized hill on the way home.Long curvy grade,well ove a mile long.With my A I would run away from them on that hill,ride their bumper all the way up,or fly by them climbing on the flat stretch.My A pickup is.060 over,with a B cam,BF 5.5 head,Aries muffler,and 3.54 gears.Their V8 60 was very smooth,sounded great,and could leave me in the dust on the flats.Around town and on any kind of grade I would run circles around them.
 
Pumpkin seed boat.
 

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The 60 is an rpm engine with less CID and torque than the 200 CID 4-cylinder unless a person throws a lot of green at it. The model A or B bangers have a lot more potential and bang for the buck. If the person wants cool then get out the wallet and dig for parts. There aren't as many good ones out there as their used to be. The tin sides like to rust out plus it's a way lot of work to change over for little or no real gain. If you want cool plus power then go with the AV8 with 239 or more CID. At least the work will be for more than cool.
 
Bobs picture looks like the original punkin seed.Mine was later,longer and wider,built from plans bought through Popular Mechanics.I bought it from the builder,who scared himself half to death with it.No tunnel down the middle to direct the water flow to the prop and hold you in a straight line a hyroplane.There was no strip down the middle on the bottom to guide the hull through the water.My dad discovered that,the builder had missed it while building it over the years.If you like to go sideways in a boat,this was the one for you.The crank pulley on that engine was a few inches behind my back.It had vertical straight pipes too,one for each port,so you could hear it.Once on the move the noise wasn't bad at all for the pilot.Mine had two rudders,one on either side of the prop.I bought and sold that boat in the summer of 74.
 
Not sure why you would want to install a V-8 60? The 136 cu in V-8 60 may have more HP but less way less torque than a Model A. Why not go with one of the larger V-8's, the 221 or 239?
 
I built aV8 60 in a 29 roadster with Offenhauser finned heads and an Edelbrock two carb manifold. It also has a Kiwi quick change, but it is in a word "gutless". I rarely drive it. I have another V8 60 with all the trimmings in a box and have a ton of money in it. Nice to look at, but I will not put it in another car.
 
Seems I remember a lot of those motors in midget race cars around here.May have had their own class??? We did have a lot of small tracks around here in the 60's.Years ago I did the same thing you did.I was building a Harley 45,and near the end of the build I found another one.I was pouring money into the new one in parts,to build after I finished the first one.I finished the first one,rode it for a couple of weeks and said to myself,what were you thinking?I already had a yard full of farm tractors,why did I have to build a two wheeled one?I did build the second bike though.
 
Dodge said:
Stick with the 4 banger with a few power adders. Big torque difference between the two.
Unless your just wanting to look cool.
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i as on a Run with Hot Rods, one guy had a Model A with a 60 Hp V8, my A has a webber and a Header with electronic ignition. going up hill , my car would pull better then the V8 60, but on straightaways he would run away from me
 
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