Bored&Stroked
Well-known member
Some of you know that I've been into Land Speed Racing and Bonneville for the last decade or so. I managed to get suckered into building a flathead Cadillac engine. When Buddy called me to solicit help I said "I know what one looks like (with the goofy exhaust coming out of the top), but I've never seen anybody actually build one for Bonneville?". He said "Well, no record has even been achieved with a flathead Cadillac, but I think there is potential". I then asked "Well, have you done your homework to see what horsepower you need to have a chance to set a record in your class?". Buddy then said "I figure we need at least 500 HP . . . can you get me that?". I said "Hell if I know, have never even looked at the guts of one of these beasts . . . can you send me one?".
I figured that would be the last I'd hear from him . . . nope . . . about 2 weeks later one shows up on a palette at Fowler's Engines in Columbus. Jeff Fowler and I start looking at it . . . pondering the ports, chambers, etc.. I ask Jeff "Do you think we can make 500 HP out of this hunk?". Jeff says "If we can get enough air and boost into it, I think so!". So that is how this whole crusade started.
I won't go into the details here (as this is a Ford Flathead site), but as most of us love flatheads in general, thought I'd post this.
I'm resurrecting the engine (after 5 years in slumber after a fire at El Mirage). I just got through redoing the port work (have 250+ hours in that effort) - it is looking good.
We made 650 HP on blown alcohol and it will be ready to make that again (Good Lord willing and the creek doesn't rise).
Checkout the work in progress and block/ports on this beast . . . you can see how the now huge ports and valves can flow . . . and flow is horsepower:
I figured that would be the last I'd hear from him . . . nope . . . about 2 weeks later one shows up on a palette at Fowler's Engines in Columbus. Jeff Fowler and I start looking at it . . . pondering the ports, chambers, etc.. I ask Jeff "Do you think we can make 500 HP out of this hunk?". Jeff says "If we can get enough air and boost into it, I think so!". So that is how this whole crusade started.
I won't go into the details here (as this is a Ford Flathead site), but as most of us love flatheads in general, thought I'd post this.
I'm resurrecting the engine (after 5 years in slumber after a fire at El Mirage). I just got through redoing the port work (have 250+ hours in that effort) - it is looking good.
We made 650 HP on blown alcohol and it will be ready to make that again (Good Lord willing and the creek doesn't rise).
Checkout the work in progress and block/ports on this beast . . . you can see how the now huge ports and valves can flow . . . and flow is horsepower:
It scares me seeing that wide open space between the valley and crankcase thankfully your steel girdle design is what's keeping all that horsepower going to the transmission.