Flathead OHV conversions

A friend of mine's grandfather ran an OHV Riley converted V8 in a sprint car in the fifties. It was not very successful. He had formerly been very successful running a 4-Port Riley on a banger here in Minnesota. The car eventually went to a guy in Rochester Minnesota who restored it. I had a chance to buy it for $14,000 about 25 years ago and passed (arrgh). It eventually went through Wayne Carini's hands (he did something with the car itself), while the engine (a '37 21 stud, I believe) ended up with some high-buck hotrodder (Don Orosco, perhaps?) and went into a car that won AMBR at Oakland several years ago.

If you take a close look at the intake setup, I think you will be able to see why it wasn't a world beater. I have also heard that the engine was very, hmmm, "delicate".

I have this picture on this computer. I think I have more if anyone is interested.
 

Attachments

  • RileyRacecar.jpg
    RileyRacecar.jpg
    45 KB · Views: 181
tubman said:
A friend of mine's grandfather ran an OHV Riley converted V8 in a sprint car in the fifties. It was not very successful. He had formerly been very successful running a 4-Port Riley on a banger here in Minnesota. The car eventually went to a guy in Rochester Minnesota who restored it. I had a chance to buy it for $14,000 about 25 years ago and passed (arrgh). It eventually went through Wayne Carini's hands (he did something with the car itself), while the engine (a '37 21 stud, I believe) ended up with some high-buck hotrodder (Don Orosco, perhaps?) and went into a car that won AMBR at Oakland several years ago.

If you take a close look at the intake setup, I think you will be able to see why it wasn't a world beater. I have also heard that the engine was very, hmmm, "delicate".

I have this picture on this computer. I think I have more if anyone is interested.
Click to expand...


Ermie Immerso possibly? I seem to recall he had an AMBR winner with an ohv converted flathead
 
There certainly an interesting selection of OHV conversions made for the Ford flathead 21 and 24 stud V-8 blocks. Without a doubt the best of them all when you take into account reliability, simplicity of the installation and the overall power gained its the ARDUN conversion. First offered to the public in 1947 only 73 years ago.
Ronnieroadster
 
ED "ISKY" Has Maxi heads on his roadster,anyone know anything about these heads? Are his the only ones?
 
27TV8 said:
ED "ISKY" Has Maxi heads on his roadster,anyone know anything about these heads? Are his the only ones?
Click to expand...



The Maxi heads are overhead on the intake side only I believe thats whats called an F head. The flathead V-8 exhaust ports are still used. Iskys Maxi 21 stud conversion is on a 1932 Ford V-8. He built his roadster in 1936 to this day the car is still exactly how he built it in 36 same paint ,tires, engine and most every thing else. Knowing Isky he did not pay much for that 32 V-8 it was probably one of the early take outs form that first year of V-8 production those early engines had issues with oil consumption so the take outs would have been very cheap to buy from the Ford dealers back then.
Ronnieroadster
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top