Engine Or Motor?

What did they call a flathead before there were overheads?? When I was a kid ( long ago)I never heard anybody use the term flathead... I think they were just Ford V8s or bent 8s.
 
Interesting semantics subject. When I was a maintenance troop in the Air Force, We called the guys/gals who worked on them "engine troops". When we had to pull one out of a jet it was called an "engine change", but when we referred to them as an entity (by serial number), we called them motors i.e. "what motor is in number 2 on aircraft blah blah blah?")
 
It might be interesting to research early automotive literature (trade journals, service manusls, etc,) and see when the change in nomenclature took place. Remember, they were called "motorcars" early on and they were manufactured by the likes of Ford MOTOR Co. & General MOTORS Corp. Leland and Faulkconer built ''motors" for Oldsmobile and Cadillac.
 
An interesting side note: My 1913 Ford Model T Instruction Book uses the terms "motor" & "engine" consistently thru-out the publication. Sometimes changing from paragraph to paragraph. Ford published books from '32-'48 pretty much use only the term "engine".
 
"Hank, hand me that jar of engine oil"
"What do you mean, Tom?"
"The jar that says 'motor oil' on it. OK?"
"Dang it Mr. Edison, now you got me all confused!
 
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