Slightly Off Topic - Aluminum Motor City Flathead

Dan in MI

Dan in MI

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Can you imagine what the cores would be worth?? To my knowledge only one engine was ever built, That goes back awhile!
Gramps
 
Yeah, and looking at the block it was obviously hurt before, welded up and not put back together. My guess is that the block has a weak spot (where you see the welds) and cracked in this location. Would take a lot of money to "fix" it and my guess is that it would crack again - and/or leak coolant due to the sleeves not sealing well enough. Too bad Mark never got it sorted out - design, engineering and manufacturing wise.
 
Looks like some uneven edges and missing pieces below the deck in the bottom cylinders in this picture.
 

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It really is a shame Mark never got this engine sorted out. Seems like it had a ton of potential; albeit a pretty limited market of guys willing to spend the dough. If I recall, his plan was to make it something like a 327-350 ci flathead using this block and related parts.

I also think Motor City Flathead was ahead of the curve. If Kirby and MCF were around today, I would think he'd have no shortage of customers.

He was into it all: builds, cams, heads, intakes, etc. all of his own design. My friend has one of Mark's motors in his car and it runs really well and strong. Motor was built in the '90's.
 
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Also, Mark was a stand up guy. Answered questions etc. Was at MCF years ago & though I bought nothing, was treated really great.
 
So sad that Mark was not able to "perfect" his alum. block flathead dream.
Also visited his shop in Dundee, MI many years ago and he was very gracious. Bought a set of heads from him. $500 back in 1999.

I was hoping Shadow Rods would pick up where Mark left off.
 

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19Fordy said:
So sad that Mark was not able to "perfect" his alum. block flathead dream.
Also visited his shop in Dundee, MI many years ago and he was very gracious. Bought a set of heads from him. $500 back then.

I was hoping Shadow Rods would pick up where Mark left off.
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509312
 
19Fordy said:
So sad that Mark was not able to "perfect" his alum. block flathead dream.
Also visited his shop in Dundee, MI many years ago and he was very gracious. Bought a set of heads from him. $500 back then.

I was hoping Shadow Rods would pick up where Mark left off.
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Great score. I love those heads.

I seem to recall Ford having one of Mark's motors on display at their SVO booth at a major event. Later on, they were hassling him to pay a big lisc. fee to use the V8 symbol.
 
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Tim Ayers said:
If I recall, his plan was to make it something like a 327-350 ci flathead using this block and related parts.
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You do know of course that 350 ci is quite possible with a stock block.
While it definitely would not have the bragging rights of aluminum , it woulld be quite a bit cheaper.
 
Pete said:
You do know of course that 350 ci is quite possible with a stock block.
While it definitely would not have the bragging rights of aluminum , it woulld be quite a bit cheaper.
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Sure, but I thought Kirby's plan was to do without a long stroke. It's been ages since I've read about Kirby's plans for this aluminum motor and I'm going off memory.

Using mental math, what would it take to get 350 ci, Pete? 3 7/8" X 4.5"?
 
Tim Ayers said:
Sure, but I thought Kirby's plan was to do without a long stroke. It's been ages since I've read about Kirby's plans for this aluminum motor and I'm going off memory.

Using mental math, what would it take to get 350 ci, Pete? 3 7/8" X 4.5"?
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My God, that would come out to 425 inches, Tim!


Coop
 
V8COOPMAN said:
My God, that would come out to 425 inches, Tim!


Coop
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Really? I have 3 3/8th +.030 x 4" at 291. I thought 3 3/8 X 4 1/4" gets you 327-ish.

Full disclosure, I got a C- in HS math and avoided math in college like the plaque, so that's why I said I'm going off mental math. LOL!

Thank god my two sons got their mother's intelligence.

What would you need to get to 350-ish cubic inches?

Coop, maybe that was a Freudian slip since I've always wanted a 428 Hemi. LOL!
 
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Tim Ayers said:
Sure, but I thought Kirby's plan was to do without a long stroke. It's been ages since I've read about Kirby's plans for this aluminum motor and I'm going off memory.

Using mental math, what would it take to get 350 ci, Pete? 3 7/8" X 4.5"?
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It doesn't really matter what the bore and stroke a street engine is. It doesn't have to meet any rule criteria. Mark's engine would have been illegal to race in most venues because of the aluminum block.

3.438 bore and 4.750 stroke is 352 ci. Been there and done it once.
 
Pete said:
It doesn't really matter what the bore and stroke a street engine is. It doesn't have to meet any rule criteria. Mark's engine would have been illegal to race in most venues because of the aluminum block.

3.438 bore and 4.750 stroke is 352 ci. Been there and done it once.
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Ah. That's a long stroke for sure. I'd assume you would need to do some decent notching of the bottom of bores to clear, no?

Right. That's why I mentioned his aluminum engine would have been a very limited market. I'm just impressed that he loved the flathead so much that he'd go through the trouble and effort to come out with an aluminum block at all. The detail of the D-shaped porting as cast is cool to see.
 
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Tim Ayers said:
Really? I have 3 3/8th +.030 x 4" at 291. I thought 3 3/8 X 4 1/4" gets you 327-ish.
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Tim .... You had used a bore of 3-7/8 (NOT 3-3/8) in your first compute.

3-3/8" X 4-1/4" makes 304 inches.

BORE X BORE X STROKE X .7854 X 8


Coop

.
 
V8COOPMAN said:
Tim .... You had used a bore of 3-7/8 (NOT 3-3/8) in your first compute.

3-3/8" X 4-1/4" makes 304 inches.

BORE X BORE X STROKE X .7854 X 8


Coop

.
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Coop, I was using my motor as an example of my math logic. When I said I have, I literally meant, I have, as in my current motor. That's why I said 3 3/8th +.030"
 
Ther's a fellow up in RI that ran a dragster with a 342 ci???? Flathead. I saw that engine as they were putting it together. Pistons were 3 1/2 and sleveed block was filled with aluminum I think. Short stroke. Only ran in the 10's but the sound was increadable
Gramps
 
Looks like someone got an aluminum block with MCF heads.
At the GNRS this past weekend.
 

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