Since no one seems to have any specific information about the
Baron heads, I'll jump in here on the subject of using early heads on 8BA's. In general, I think it's a bad idea. We had a tread on here a few weeks ago about "Laser Thermometers" that morphed into a discussion of flathead coolant systems in general. That thread is here :
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=358719. Basically, it is my contention that Ford engineers made great improvements to the cooling system when they designed the 8BA.
Flathead Fords were originally designed to not use thermostats, and with engines through 1948, the thermostats, when used, seem to be an afterthought, without even a decent way to mount them on the engine. 8BA's on the other hand, had the water passages completely re-designed to go with a new version of the heads, which were specifically designed to accommodate thermostats in the front of the heads. The redesign did two basic things; first, it forced the coolant to flow from the back of the engine to the front to the radiator. Secondly, it introduced thermostats mounted in such a way as to effectively regulate the flow of coolant through the engine.
If you review the second page of the "Laser Thermometer" thread you will see that I can actually "see" the thermostats on my 8BA "working" on the temperature gauge in my '51. On the other hand one of the most respected restorers of the earlier cars made the statement "I have long wondered why one of my flatty's operates better with stats and another does not. I rebuild all of them to the same standards." Since the thermostats on the earlier engines were not an integral part of the initial design of the engines, they do not function well, if at all. Thus many people simply leave them out. This means that there is no regulation of the coolant temperature and it is set by the ambient air temperature. The unfavorable result here is not overheating but the engine running too cold for efficient combustion, which leads to contamination of the engine oil and the attendant problems. The way these cars are used and maintained now, this is not a huge problem (because of frequent oil changes and tune-ups), but would lead to serious problems for cars in daily use.
By putting early heads on an 8BA, you will lose the very significant improvements in coolant flow designed in by Ford engineers immediately after the war. In addition you will lose the important benefits in engine temperature control provided by properly functioning thermostats. The
Baron heads shown (both versions) in particular seem to lack any method of being able run any thermostats at all and would seem to be poor choice for a good running engine. I am aware that a lot of folks prefer the look of the earlier heads, and some use them with major modifications to the front of the engine to shorten it up for use in the earlier cars. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, but you should be aware of the penalties that are involved.
