Bought three Flathead V8 engines yesterday

G

gavinnz

Senior Member
I went to see a friend today and after a few hours of looking at old engines and talking we did a deal and I have bought all his Ford flathead V8 engines. I plan to build one good one from the three to power a 1930's New Zealand built wooden barrel back, V stern speedboat I have to restore.

I would love some help getting the engines years and types nailed down.

1. "the car engine" Pulled from a twin spinner car. Number "RE2 92" stamped on block face.... 24 bolt. Has on 8BA cast on one head and EAC on the other. (head swaped for Merc head??) Made in Canada. Side dizzi.

2. "the truck engine" Pulled from a bus. Number "RE2 71" stamped on block, both heads have 8RT on them, so truck? Made in Canada. Side dizzi.

3. "Rust ball engine" 24 stud, water outlet in middle of heads, front dizzi mount. Built in bell housing. Only good for parts if I am lucky. Seriously rusty.

Any clues there? I was figuring 1952 for 1 and 2??
Regards
Gavin
New Zealand
 

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there is a very good engine id thread running now. go back a day or so, "block id" i believe is the title. good luck with the motors, and whats a "twin spinner" ?
 
rustball engine appears to be late 38 thru 41 engine. 24 stud, pencil ledge above timing cover, different years have slight variables
 
alanwoodieman said:
look on here for the boat motor vs industrial motor thread, you need that motor!
Click to expand...

Than for the tip, I had seen that and I tried to message the seller to see if he would sell the exhaust manifolds but I got an error message.
I can make my own wet exhaust manifolds anyway... old ones will need work especially if they had been in salt water.
 
alanwoodieman said:
rustball engine appears to be late 38 thru 41 engine. 24 stud, pencil ledge above timing cover, different years have slight variables
Click to expand...
I will try and put up another photo of the front s the distributor drive might help date it too....
 

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Twin pulley water pumps is big truck.

The one in the middle is leading me to believe it's a '48 truck motor due to the 8BA style block but use of head studs. This was the only series of 8BA style blocks that used studs.
 
Tim Ayers said:
Twin pulley water pumps is big truck.

The one in the middle is leading me to believe it's a '48 truck motor due to the 8BA style block but use of head studs. This was the only series of 8BA style blocks that used studs.
Click to expand...
That's really interesting!! I was wondering why it had studs and not bolts on that block... it came from a 1952 bus but who knows what it was fitting from new... you might have it there.
 
Went mad and bought 5 books on rebuilding and hotting up the flathead! They should be here in a few days.... no substitute for the right information!
 
The "truck motor" with the studs, is Canadian made and has "C1BA" cast in razed letters on the back of the engine just behind the right head above where the bell housing goes on... a web page listing Canadian production as that casting meaning 1951....
I wonder if the Canadian engines used the studs longer than USA built motors?
Or mine have been changed??
 
I love learning new things so I am having great fun here... I have spent all day and all yesterday reading about Flatheads. Lots to learn! I was just reading about fitting the crab type distributor on the later 8BA block.... I like that idea. I might have to hunt up the parts I need. Some of which I might be able to get off my "rust ball" engine?? Was that a crab originally? Fingers crossed the cam might be OK in there also.... if I can use that one for the conversion..?
 
I think I have found more clues on the "ball of rust" engine...
It fits this description of a Model 29A engine built from 1942 to 45....
"Crab-Style distributor, water outlet on center of cylinder head, passes pencil test"
 
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