Unmarked heads... Engine Identication

JerseyJim

JerseyJim

Member
Hi folks - I'm new to the forum and new to the world of flathead V8s as well. Just bought a very nice 40 Sedan Delivery. The car is supposed to be a 239/100. I have been trying to confirm that. Can't see the top of the bell housing. Heads are essentially unmarked. It has a 46-48 type distributor and the fan position and single belt is consistent with that as well. Not sure of the pencil test since of have no frame of reference. I'm hoping pictures may help identify the engine. Please take a look and see what you more knowledgeable fellow flatheaders think.
 

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Guessing by the model 91 and the A on the heads I'd say it's just like my 39-41 sitting on my garage floor. Alot like a 59AB but the valve angle is a little different. That's a beautiful Delivery.
Tim
 
The dist. and the fan and belts are the 46-48 59AB style 100hp. The heads with the A are 40-41. All this stuff is interchangable so it hard to tell. You ought to try to look down at the back of the block and see if you can see a 59 on the bellhousing. Also the pencle trick. Walt
 
Walt has it and I would go further to say the only way to tell for sure is to check the bore. Some 59 replacement blocks were 221". Although I have never seen a block with the full 59AB on the back that was not a 239"
 
JimTM, I don't think I've ever seen 59AB on the back of the block, only 59 and 59AB on the heads. I have see 59 on the back and the bore only 3-1/16. Walt
 
The best check to see if you have a 39-40 block or a 41-later block is look at the oil pan rails. If there are two buldges (for freeze plugs) per side in the block where the oil pan bolts on, the engine is 39-40. If the intake area is raised above the rest if the block you have a 41-42 block. If the frong of the block slopes straight down from the intake to the timing cover you have a post-war block (does not pass the pencil test).
 
As was mentioned earlier about the 59 series engines, there was a 41A block that was produced as a 221 CID replacement but it looks just like a 239 block in every way. Some early 239 blocks had the 99 stamped on the front right end of the intake parting surface of the block and the Canadian ones has a raised 99 casting mark just in front of the right head on the block. Most war time and post war blocks have a little round raised boss just above and inboard of the oil pressure sender port on the rear driver side of the block for the oil cooler line fitment. Even with this boss, it could still be a 41A 221 block.

I do find it curious that it was changed to a 42 to 48 style fan and distributor. This would also change the crankshaft pulley since it wouild no longer need the crank mounted fan set up but would need the long double pulley set up. It does seem likely that it was changed to a later block and the original heads were reinstalled.

Kerby
 
The shape of the block above the front timing cover is the area of concern in the pencil test. If a pencil will rest on the surface behind the top of the front cover (not on the cover itself), it is the earlier engine. If it will not rest there, it is of the 59 variety
 
flatjack9 said:
The shape of the block above the front timing cover is the area of concern in the pencil test. If a pencil will rest on the surface behind the top of the front cover (not on the cover itself), it is the earlier engine. If it will not rest there, it is of the 59 variety
Click to expand...

Thanks FlatJack9. I didn't really understand the pencil test. The timing cover creates a ledge that does look like it could hold a pencil. But the block itself slopes. I have attached a quick sketch of the profile. Based upon the distributor, fan, and this... It certainly looks like a 59 block perhaps with the original 40 heads. Please take a look at the sketch and see if you agree.
 

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Russ... Your pictures make it much more clear to me. In my sketch I am showing the angle as being more severe than it really is. I put a light down there and took another look, A pencil would only stay in there due to the protruding edge of the timing cover. But there definitely is a more pronounced ledge on the front of the block than shown on some of your pictures. The car was listed at Mecum as a 239/100. But I'm thinking that someone may have misidentified the engine based upon the distributor just as I have been doing. Of course, I guess it could always be an earlier Merc 239.

I have the name of the folks who rebuilt this engine. The problem is that I don't know the name of the owner of the car at that time. I'll just have to keep on investigating.

Thanks again. I'll post again if I get more information.
 
Again, the definitive test is the pencil test. Either it will or it won't rest on that ledge which does not include the timing cover.
 
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