identifying flat head engines

trvguy

trvguy

Member
what are the visible differences between the flatheads from 49 thru 53?
i have 7 flatheads with headbolts and 8ba on the heads, what years are they? some have narrow fan belts and some have wide ones.
 
We would like to see some pictures to give you a good answer. The later flatties (52-53) will have EAC, EBC, on the heads. The trucks usually have 8RT on the heads, and have a cast iron bell housing, and a large removable clean out on the oil pan. Picture would help, Chuck.
 
chuck stevens said:
We would like to see some pictures to give you a good answer. The later flatties (52-53) will have EAC, EBC, on the heads. The trucks usually have 8RT on the heads, and have a cast iron bell housing, and a large removable clean out on the oil pan. Picture would help, Chuck.
Click to expand...
If EAC is '52-'53 Merc. and EAB is '52-'53 Ford. What is 'EBC'?
 
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Some may have aluminum timing covers and matching aluminum distributors. Some may have cast iron timing covers with matching "steel" distributers. I am not sure which years this applies to.
 
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chuck stevens said:
We would like to see some pictures to give you a good answer. The later flatties (52-53) will have EAC, EBC, on the heads. The trucks usually have 8RT on the heads, and have a cast iron bell housing, and a large removable clean out on the oil pan. Picture would help, Chuck.
Click to expand...

For 1951-53 engines.
 
Trucks have the early style water pump/engine mounting and usually wide belts till 53. Fords and 53 pick ups have the waterpump/engine mounts with the near 45 degree angle down towart the center of the engine. 1949 thru 51 Mercs have the water pump/engine mount arm that is mounted much higher on the pump. The 49 Mercs were wide belt type and the late 49 thru 51 types were narrow belt with the same basic pump type. The 52 thru 53 Mercs had same pump as Ford cars & 53 pickups all with narrow belts.

Ford cars had a center sump oil pan and the pick ups & trucks had the rear sump, some with cleanout, some without. The Merc thru 51 had rear sump with three studs on the bottom for the starter plate brace. 52 thru 53 Mercs were center sump same as Ford car.

8BA on ford car & pick up heads from 49 to late 51. Starting in 52 For trucks had 8RT heads unless replaced for service. 8CM on 49 thru early 51 Merc heads. 1CM on late 51 Merc heads then on to EAC for 52 thru 53 Mercs. EAB heads "the good ones for compression" on Ford cars from 52 thru 53. Some late F100 pick ups may have had the EAB heads as well but the bigger trucks all had the 8RT. I've seen more NOS 8RT heads than any of the others probably due to late manufacture of these for replacement parts. Many 8RT heads probably were stocked for longer by Ford dealerships since trucks usually stay in service longer than cars do.

The only difference in the intake manifold was between Ford cars & trucks thru F6 with the Holley 8BA type carb. They are all still 3-bolt type. The Mercury and the big trucks above F6 had the 4-bolt carb base for the Holley 885 towering inferno carbs.

There are several differences in front covers by casting features or material, ie aluminum or cast iron but I can't date them. Mercury got the slim shaft Holley Loadamatic distributors first but they were mixed & matched between all the others with the wide shaft housing units after a while.

Kerby
 
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Quick reference. I didn't write it, the engine builder that did my flathead did for me.

1932 to 1933 Main Bolts through to Valley
1932 to 1934 No Cam Bearings
1932 to 1934 36 Tooth Cam Gear
1932 to 1935 Babbit Mains
1932 to 1936 2.00" Main Journals
1932 to 1937 Water Pumps in Heads
1932 to 1937 Timing Gear Pressed On
1932 to 1938 Rod Housing Bores 2.200"
1932 to 1938 21 Stud Heads
1932 to 1938 1.937 Rod Bearing Width (Flanged)
1932 to 1940 Core Plugs in Oil Pan Rails
1932 to 1942 2.00 Rod Journals
1932 to 1945 3 1/16" Bore
1932 to 1945 No Rear Seal
1932 to 1945 Irregular Water Holes
1932 to 1945 One Oil Hole Per Rod Throw
1932 to 1948 2 Piece Valve Guides
1932 to 1948 Mushroom Valves
1932 to 1948 Integral Bellhousing
1935 to 1948 Main Studs
1935 to 1948 Oil Filler/Breather Tube
1935 to 1948 44 Tooth Cam Gear
1935 to 1948 3 Cam Bearings
1936 - 1937 Thick Wall Main Bearings
1937 to 1938 2.400" Main Bearings
1937 to 1948 Water Outlets in Center of Heads
1938 to 1948 Water Pumps in the Block
1938 to 1948 Timing Gear Bolted On
1939 to 1946 1.750" Rod Bearing Width (No Flange)
1939 to 1942 2.00" Rod Journals (1.750" Wide)
1939 to 1948 24 Head Studs
1939 to 1948 2.500" Main Journals
1941 to 1942 Raised Intake Mount (Not Proven)
1942 to 1948 Rod Housing Bores 2.360"
1942 to 1948 2.139" Rod Journals (1.750" Wide)
1942 to 1953 2.139" Rod Journals
1942 - 1945 WAR, No General Production
1946 to 1948 Triangle and 2 Round Water Holes
1946 to 1948 3 3/16" Bore
1946 to 1948 Rear Main Caps with Drain Tubes / No Seals
1946 to 1948 "59" Casting
1949 to 1953 "Shorty Oil Pump
1949 to 1953 2 Oil Holes Per Rod Throw
1949 to 1953 Individual Rod Bearings
1949 to 1953 2 Oil Holes in Rod Throws
1949 to 1953 Distributor Moved to Top Right
1949 to 1953 Bolt on Bellhousing
1949 to 1953 One Piece Valve Guides
1949 to 1953 Modern Style Vavles and Keepers
1950 to 1953 New Helical Gear Design Oil Pump
 
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Where is Lalter Valley? Is that in California, maybe up by Redding? Stopped for gas there one time, the guy says "Alberta? What state is that?" I said "Alberta is in Canada". He seemed dubious. "Your Northern neighbor?" I can tell he's thinking about who lives on his block. "Alberta is bigger than Texas and has more oil" Total disbelief at that. ..B.
 
I'm assuming it's a typo :]' Just a quick reference, add to it if you like.

Barlea, about 15yrs ago I went around work with a blank U.S. map and asked everyone to fill in the names of the states to settle an argument. 10% named 100%-90% of the states correct, 50% named about 60-70%, 40% named less then 50%. One person named two states. Florida and Georgia. Lived in Miami all his life. Most missed was the Dakotas and midwest states.
 
what a wealth of info from a simple question.
i thank you all.
merry christmas and a happy new year.
trvguy


PS.
i accually have 12 flatheads in my shop.
some old ones too.
 
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