Additional projects 8BA and EAC

R

RobWi

Member
Now the saga really begins. Went an picked up a couple more flatheads. Turned the 8BA over with a crowbar, the EAC could not mount on my cradle so did not want to spin the entire engine.

Will be tearing these down over the next few months. Hopefully, the 59A will find a machine shop to see if it is feasible to sleeve and rebuild. Might bite the bullet and ship it to H&H.

Did not realize that the EAC Mercury has different engine mounts. Might be an issue for what I have planned for it. Is there other differences between the 8BA
and the EAC?

This particular 8BA has a truck oil pan, but it is not an RT engine, is this common?
 

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There are no "motor mounts" on a flathead. The mounts are on the water pumps. There are different styles for cars and truck, but since the water pumps all interchange, it is not a problem. There are 3 basic types of 8BA series water pumps. The Ford cars have an angled mount on the bottom of the pump, the trucks have an "Ear" extending out to the side, and the Mercury pumps have a similar ear, except that it is slightly smaller and mounts higher.
 
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See? Straight away you've found better, much better candidates to rebuild than the 59A boat anchor!!! and they'll still cost a packet to rebuild, but considerably cheaper and more reliable than your other lump of iron...
 
RobWi said:
Now the saga really begins. Went an picked up a couple more flatheads. Turned the 8BA over with a crowbar, the EAC could not mount on my cradle so did not want to spin the entire engine.

Will be tearing these down over the next few months. Hopefully, the 59A will find a machine shop to see if it is feasible to sleeve and rebuild. Might bite the bullet and ship it to H&H.

Did not realize that the EAC Mercury has different engine mounts. Might be an issue for what I have planned for it. Is there other differences between the 8BA
and the EAC?

This particular 8BA has a truck oil pan, but it is not an RT engine, is this common?
Click to expand...
591196


591197


591198


591199


591200
 
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With engines this old, you really have no idea what they really are. People have been swapping parts on late model ('49-'53) flatheads for seventy years. Actually, the only real difference is if you have a Mercury 4" stroke crankshaft in them. That is the first thing I would check for. The numbers in your pictures are used in the production process and seem to be undecipherable. The only meaningful numbers may be stamped on the top of the block. They are the production date of the engine. Let me see if I can find that article. Go to this site for more information : https://myflatheadford.com/5988-2/.
 
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For an initial cleaning and inspection, once you’ve taken them apart down to the bare blocks and done your own initial inspection—what do they look like inside, and what do I actually have?—I’d bet a local machine shop could clean and check them for you. That would at least tell you which blocks are worth putting more time and money into before you go any further.

I know there is a machine shop west of Rochester MN that has performed machining on a few of these also. A little closer for you. Only real reason to send to H&H in my opinion is you want them to build you a motor.
 
If you are lucky, you will find a rebuilders tag on those engine showing they have been bored or at least rebuilt at some point.

Both of my grain truck Merc engines were rebuilt and bored.

My 8BA is a virgin engine that had a couple stuck valves from sitting and has a burnt valve I need to fix before I put it back together to sell. It’s in great shape otherwise and is out of a low mile 49 M100 farm truck.
 
Brian said:
See? Straight away you've found better, much better candidates to rebuild than the 59A boat anchor!!! and they'll still cost a packet to rebuild, but considerably cheaper and more reliable than your other lump of iron...
Click to expand...
Found these months ago, just had the time to pick them up.

Still planning putting sleeves in the 59A. Personally do not care about the cost, it is now principle.

The guy I picked the EAC and 8BA from has an old Van Norman boring machine that he might sell to me. If he can find it...says it worked fine thirty years ago when he last used it.

Bought a sonic tester, should be here in a week or so.
 
From Google


Long Wait Times: Customers frequently note that turnaround times can take many months or even over a year due to high demand and a heavy workload. [1, 2]
Quality Control & Machining Concerns: Some users on platforms like Yelp and Ford Barn have reported receiving blocks or parts with debris, rust scale in water passages, or machining errors (such as sleeve slippage, improper boring/honing leading to blow-by, or parts requiring re-work upon arrival). [1, 2, 3]
Customer Support and Accountability: Negative reviews highlight difficulties in getting management (such as Mike Herman) to address post-purchase complaints or stand behind warranty issues when mechanical failures occur down the road


From Forums. There are others so do your research and make your own decision. I have a local flathead guy so no interest in H&H at all.
https://www.earlyfordv8.org/forum/printthread.cfm?Forum=18&Topic=3324
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/h-h-engine-delivery-time-warning.111822/
 
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A little bit of an update. The 8BA fired up, just put new plugs, filed and set the points, put a new carb on, a flywheel along with the bellhousing and starter. Scared the beejabers out of me... did not expect it to hit before a full revolution, but it did.
Engine is very tired though, can turn it over with a single hand and crow bar.

The Mercury appears to be a bit more of a challenge. Have it filled with ATF/Acetone
 
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