flathead builder

51merc

51merc

Junior Member
i've heard of a flathead rebuilder in the birmingham alabama area. anybody know of any contact info? or someone else in the southeast, south mississippi area?
thanks
 
harold "putt" smith in college park, ga. jerry grayson or lawson cox should have his #. rebuilt his first flathead when he was 12. been a few years since then....
 
Here is one that I am building for bonneville
 

Attachments

  • CIMG3780.JPG
    CIMG3780.JPG
    146.9 KB · Views: 395
51merc, there was a thread posted a couple months ago asking a similar question. I posted a long list of FH engine builders, including their contact information, from north to south along the east coast and some that were west of the Mississippi River. You could probably do a search to find that post and maybe some others with additional information. If you can't find it by doing a search, you could pm me and I'll pull the list together again and send it to you.
 
John's flathead builder list

Hope I'm not steppimg on toes but I happened to find the list John posted years ago. I wandered upon it after I read this question and took the liberty of copying it here.

I hope John doesn't mind and it helps someone.
Bruce/CT

**********************************************

I made this list about five years ago when I rebuilt a 59 engine for my traditional hot rod. Some of these names may no longer be good and would require a call to determine if they are still in business. Ol' Ron recommended Walt Dupont, so I don't think Ron is doing this now because of his eyesight.



Jeff Gunther, Gunther Machine Shop, Walkersville, MD Ph# ??


Martin & Otterback, Hyattsville, MD, 4814 Upshur Street Bladensburg, MD 20710 Phone # 301-277-4166

Fred’s Engine Service, 40 Years in business, Chester Co., PA, 610-383-7674 (Note: When I talked to this guy on the phone he did not seem receptive to doing all machining and letting me assemble engine)


Bill Gettle Automotive, Lebanon, PA 717 273-7619


High Tech Machine Shop, Lehighton Pa., 570 386 3388 the guys name is Dave.

Jess Miller Machine Shop Inc., 325 Westtown Rd, West Chester PA 19382, 1-610-692-2193 Check out his website to see his shop and equipment. http://www.jessmillermachineshop.com/ He did all the machine work, balancing, and some assembly (valve train) on my 59 build. Excellent work but a bit expensive.

Gary Stonebraker @ Kunkels Auto Parts in Bel Air, MD

Rockville Ring and Bearing, (Engine Rebuilding-Poured Bearings, Machine Shop), Dinkie Harbour, 301-762-5542, 106 England Terrace, Rockville MD 20850

Bill Chatterbough (sp?), 804-222-8972 (Flathead Engine Re builder- Carbs, Generators. Starters, Parts) 7540 Wilton RD, Richmond, VA 23231

Schwalm’s Babbitted Bearings 717-687-6976 (Ora Landis) 332 Georgetown Road, Strasburg, PA 17579

Pine View Engine Shop 717-147-2322 (W.H. Hall) RD 2, Box 401-C, Montgomery, PA 17752

J&B Automotive Machine Limited 717-393-3889(Bob Malard) 10-10:30 PM, PA

Clint Bivens 910-787-4135 (Flathead Engine Re builder) 229 EL Meyers RD, Lexington NC 27295

Temple Classic Re-builders 704-956-4438 Jay Temple (Specialty unknown) Route 22, Box 4042 Lexington NC 27292

Bob Gustafson Machine Shop 828-926-3743 P.O. Box 1618, Maggie Valley, NC 28751

The Babbitt Pot Phone #? (Zigmont Billus) RD 1, E. River Rd., Fort Edward, NY 12828

Precision Engine & Machine 414-474-4944, PO Box 14163, Dept. HF, Madison, WI 53714

Wesley Rogers 219-255-5833 (32-36 21stud flathead's completely rebuilt) 59201 Clover Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46544

Overhead Engine Service 507-533-4353, Rt. 3 Box 403, Stewartville, MN 55976

Antique Automotive Engineering Inc. 303-762-1087 / 303-674-6766 Evenings 39545 Mariposa St., Denver, CO 80110

Tom Hutchinson 626-336-2128, 511 S 3rdAve, La Puente, California 91746(Best Flathead Engine Builder in So Cal, per Rebuilding the Famous Ford Flathead)

R&L Engines, Inc., 603-742-8812, 308 Durham Rd. Dover, NH 03820, www.rlengines.com

Ron Holleran in VT at 802 875-2140 or 802 875-2822


D & D automotive, (Dick) East Hampton Mass 413 527-0820

Knight Engineering, Gloucester,MA


Bill Coleman (Coleman Bros.) Baltimore, MD


Mark Moriarty (Valve-en blocks) Warsaw, NY 14569, 1-585-786-2876, email: mkansas32@yahoo.com


'Putt' Smith, in Georgia

I'm sure I have missed some good FH re-builders, so would welcome any additions to this list.
__________________
John
 
Yep....that's it Bruce. No problem with reposting. Oh how these years fly by. I thought I just posted that a couple months ago :)

PS....If anyone has a known good Flathead engine builder who is NOT on the above list, please send me a pm or email message (by clicking my avatar and selecting the appropiate drop down item) with their contact information so I can add them to my list. Thank you!
 
Last edited:
51Merc, the last I heard you were considering swapping in an overhead valve engine. I hope this means that you have come to your senses. :D
 
Whichever shop you choose I would find out if they are using a "block-plate" during the final honing process, it's mandatory on these units.

It affords much better ring control/seal, would also recommend ONLY "moly" rings, either plasma-filled or plasma-sprayed. The plasma-sprayed are the best!

The photo below shows the block-plate, we use the same plate as a tool to "pin" the Flathead heads, either the iron or the aluminum, to the block, along with the head gaskets! We may be the only shop performing this procedure. It's accurate enough to make all the components fit different units without having them in the shop! We use SBC 5/16" dowel pins and do not hit water!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. To "Bruce C/T", Bob Gustafson, mentioned above, was a friend of mine years ago from Long Island. He ended up moving his shop down south but has since passed away, some years ago! Not sure if the shop is still around!


 
cojones that flathead your building is awesome...can you explain the componets on the front of the engine...did you machine that?
 
If anyone has a known good Flathead engine builder who is NOT on the above list, please send me a pm or email message (by clicking my avatar and selecting the appropiate drop down item) with their contact information so I can add them to my list. Thank you!
 
Last edited:
I can do it . There is an excellent machine shop here thats been doing my blocks for years and I have the equipment to grind the valve seats and valves.
 
Sorry for the late reply--Not as familiar with Fordbarn and posts--the engine was built to run at Bonneville--it has a centrifical "vortex" blower, intercooler(custom) and mechanical fuel injection designed by both hilborn and enderle, moldex crank, dry sump system, it is now finished. It was built by Mike Landy who built Ron Main's record setting engine--It is also for sale--
 
Here is the engine in finished condition, ready to run--dyno'd at 422 hp easily at Duttweilers shop
 

Attachments

  • engine bonneville finished.jpg
    engine bonneville finished.jpg
    10.8 KB · Views: 219
  • trophy.jpg
    trophy.jpg
    4.6 KB · Views: 870
Let me add another name to the list; Ed Nix in Lawrenceburg TN. Ed is in his 80s, still is active in his shop. Even has a cam grinder with several flathead grinds. Might give him a call, 931/762-3977. I know all his stuff now is late model engines but he may be interested in "one more flathead".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top