My 39 Flathead ??

39 STD

39 STD

Senior Member
My car was last licensed in 62. I've own it since 78.
The frame & transmission #s match.
My Question is the engine has an aluminum tag on the bellhousing, at is about 1 1/2 x 3" and it says :

Engine Reconditioned By
W K Motor Supply Co.
Kansas City
Authorized-Ford
Reconditioner
No marks on the O. S.

At the bottom it is stamped the # 44860

I've lived in the KC area most my life, never heard of WK Motor

I don't think this is the original engine, But could it be :confused:
 
It is possible but unlikely; mass rebuilders resisted doing and returning a specific block but would usually do it if customer insisted. An exchange engine could be entirely indistinguishable from original if built from same model block.
Whether you engine has a correct 1939 block can be determined by details but not by anything really easy like a cast in number.
First, eliminate the possibility that it was replaced by a 59A by examining top of bellhousing area for a large cast 59...this is because as time went on both Ford and the rebuilders increasingly made the postwar 59 the normal replacement for ANY pre 1949 Ford.
 
No, 59A or anything on the bellhousing. It does have sleeved cylinders if that makes a difference.
 
With that tag it's hard to even tell which side of the river W K Motor Supply Co. was on. The number on the tag is likely a work order reference number. Like Bruce mentioned it would be really hard to tell externally whether it is near a 1939 block since there were so many variations between that year and the end of 1948 production. Head casting numbers are only for the cylinder heads and they can be mixed and matched too in that time frame. The block deck water hole locations and shapes will tell you more.

Kerby
 
My 1939 has the same serial number stamped on the frame, transmission an the engine. The engine is stamped on the left side of the flat beside the intake manifold towards the front of the engine. I am sure that this is the original engine, I have owned this car since 1965 and I purchased it from the original owner.
 
Since I've owned it I've tried to preserve that tag. Good/Bad I think it should remaim as part of the car. When I got it, it also had a paper Ford ribbon sticker on one of the heads.
Thanks guys
 
Someone down the line after it left the factory stamped the serial number on the intake manifold surface. Ford only stamped the serial number on the transmission housing and the frame. Frame mostly in 3 places, two of which cannot be seen with the body on the frame.
 
Some states may have required the numbers to be stamped on the engine but I have no idea if any or which and they may have been stamped by dealers or previous owners too. They did stamp a date code on the intake parting surface on many engines but not all from what I gather.

Kerby
 
A lot of flatheads appear here and there with what looks like a thoroughly factory number up there...I suspect that there were states or localities that required this and that Ford so marked cars headed to wherever that was!
 
39 to 41 blocks are practically identical, some things to look for "pencil ledge" on front of block where the timing gear bolts to block, you should be able to place a pencil there without it rolling off, 59 blocks had a sloping area there, if it has a raised intake area about the size of a intake gasket then chences are it is a 41 block, there are a few other indicators but they are the rails along the oil pan, some had clean outs some did not. No 59 chace are it is a 39-41 block
 
Yes...if 24 stud and no 59, you have an excellent chance that is right or indistiguishable from right. The "raised" manifold platform blocks would be later but are scarce, and anything else should be fine and also easy to detail with any externals that are not currently 1939.
Ford rebuild tag is a nice bit of history.
 
One thing I don't understand is the sleeves. I realize these were replaceable, But I would think the .083" oversize pistons would be more cost effective. Unless they were using the old pistons. I doubt a reputable builder would do this. Also the late 38-41 blocks had freeze out plugs in the pan rail.
 
The sleeves (the thin ones) were pushed by Ford for a no-machining rebuild, not even needing a hone, I think...there may have been a net savings with a lot of machine time eliminated, and maybe also Ford required rebuilding sleevemotors that way by authorized rebuilders?? Ford mixed sleeved and normal blocks in those years, and pistons and rings were special for the sleeved ones. Strange stuff...
 
I have a 59AB with .083 pistons, whats the history about them?
And is is possible to get new rings for them?
I have not found any supplier...
 
Re: My 39 Flathead ?? -Bruce

Bruce, I just rebuilt a 40/41 sleeved 221. I found a set of nos "tin can" sleeves and std pistons and rings. I didn't know the piston/rings might be different for steel wall vs cast iron wall. What was the difference? Thanks
John
 
Don't know much about them, but the various pistons in the service bulletins alll are for can or iron and never both. Most can types are thin steel, but looks like there were aluminum ones too. Believe rings were specific too. I know there's more literature out there, but don't have much here at work.
I'm sure cooling efficiency/expansion would differ, and likely everything was specially finished for assembly without further prep.
Someone who had re-honed sleeves to change out rings once told me he had to use diamond hones...don't know if that is for real or not.
I've got a sleeve type 99A and the Ford toolkit for pressing in the sleeves...hmmm.
 
I have an early 221 24 stud that had liners. It was a surplus Bren gun carrier engine. We pulled the liners and cleaned the bores for 239. The machinist who took them out said they were very hard, almost like hard chrome.
Speaking to various people over here a common thought was they ran liners in the military blocks so they could be swapped easily "in the field"
 
Certainly quite possible...tools are dirt simple, just a big iron slug to support and press the sleeve (it was in danger of buckling if not closely supported) and a big screw to do the pulling. With that and the replaceable valve seats (though they are harder to replace than the liners) you swap most of the block's wear points with a minimum of equipment and highly skilled work. And the supply of Canadian parts stashed by the various Imperial armies still hasn't entirely run out. I think Dennis Carpenter may still be building complete new 221's from The Indian Army stash he bought!
 
Okay, I checked mine. There is a raised area that the intake gasket goes on, like someone said about the thickness of the gasket.
At the timing chain cover, there is a flat area about 3/32", then about 3/8" radius into the block. Hope this helps.
 
The raised area (actually lowered shoulders!) blocks are 1941-WWII. You can also see a difference at sides of block, which is flat without the visible bulges that create space for the pan rail plugs on '39-40 blocks.
 
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