What year is this V8 flathead engine?

[wingedbarn]

What year is this V8 flathead engine?

I understand that if the bell housing is cast onto the block it is pre 1949. It has no 59 on the bell!

It has 24 bolt (not studs) 59ab heads, but I fully understand that does not mean a thing, right?

Do you think the post type distributor was changed at a later date? When was the first post type distributor introduced?

When I hear 59ab engine, what years are they referring to?

Do you need more pictures?

Thanks much in advance!!

 

[Ol' Ron]

Looks like a 46.48?? With a lat distributor, and water pumps.

 

[JSeery]

Hard to tell in these photos, but does it have the "raised" intake surface?

 

[Mike in AZ]

Welcome to the 'Barn....here's a link to MacVP's websiite about IDing engines.....good luck....nice looking engine....Mike

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_specs-85to100mid.htm

 

[40 Deluxe]

Looks to me like that Load-O-Matic distributor has full manifold vacuum running to it. If so, the bearings and pistons could be hammered from detonation. Bet it ran lousy!

 

[jimTN]

Its a mis match of parts, what may be a 3 1/16 or 3 316 earlier than 48 block, 46-8 heads and 48 truck or 49 up car accessories on the engine. Not sure what the plumbing is for on that trans. I once did a circle track engine like this just to make people ask questions.

 

[Seth Swoboda]

59A engines encompassed 1946-1948. Vist VanPelts web site as suggested for a great detailed analysis on all of the flathead V8's.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

First sort: Look at block/intake manifold join...is surface of block continuous all the way across, or are edges lower than the space under manifold, which would be an almost manifold-gasket shaped platform? '39-40, doesn't seem to be a '38.
Are there two ridges down each side of block, leading to a slight bulge in the pan rail... there would be freeze plugs visible there if you removed pan. '41-2-WWII
Beyond that you need to remove a head.

 

[rotorwrench]

It look like it could be French to me. Simca Unic Marmon Bocquet military truck but no lump on the rear of the block. Has 8BA front. Someone has done a lot of work on changing that one around. Could be an early block or a 59 series with no 59. A person would have to pull a head to check the ports.

 

[revkev6]

It look like it could be French to me. Simca Unic Marmon Bocquet military truck but no lump on the rear of the block. Has 8BA front. Someone has done a lot of work on changing that one around. Could be an early block or a 59 series with no 59. A person would have to pull a head to check the ports.

its not that much work is it. thought you could buy the gear drive to bolt on to the nose of an early cam to run the late distributor??

 

[wingedbarn]

Thanks everyone for your input!

Yes, it has the raised intake surface. So it must be a 41-42 block, correct???

So it looks like it has a 49-53 timing cover and distributor, so would this distributor (see link below) be a good change??? AND would it fit right in???
http://www.bubbasignition.com/49-53-delco-conversion-.html

LOL the plumbing on the trans was puzzling to me too. What should I do with it? LOL...

Thanks, in advance...

 

[rotorwrench]

Change or modify cam, change front cover & distributor, change carb, add 8RT water pumps, and add 8BA generator all set up to fit a 40 or 41. It would have been a lot less work to just leave the original parts for a 40 or 41 on there. I like the crab distributor more than that old Load-O-Matic set up. Change it to modified Chevy or Mopar distributor maybe? A lot of change for little improvement. Bubba could make it go better as long as it's not just a mechanical advance. Mix of mechanical and vacuum advance is more economical.

 

[JSeery]

The Chevy dist would be a good upgrade.

 

[funrunr]

does it pass the pencil test?
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=141524&highlight=flathead+pencil+test

 

[wingedbarn]

First sort: Look at block/intake manifold join...is surface of block continuous all the way across, or are edges lower than the space under manifold, which would be an almost manifold-gasket shaped platform? '39-40, doesn't seem to be a '38.
Are there two ridges down each side of block, leading to a slight bulge in the pan rail... there would be freeze plugs visible there if you removed pan. '41-2-WWII
Beyond that you need to remove a head.

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Please see attached photos showing one side of block, I don't see ridges or a slight bulge. Are the freeze plugs under/inside the oil pan?? Sounds odd!

 

[rotorwrench]

They were actually to aid in removal of the sand cores that were used to cast the block. Ford did away with them in the 1941 block change. That is also where they changed the area where the intake manifold deck surface is. Ford was tightening its belt in 1941. The war was already going on for the Canadians and most of the raw materials for cast iron were coming from Canada by then. They used a bit less cast iron in each engine with that change but with over 100K engines produced that year, it may have been a good bit of savings overall.

 

[wingedbarn]

She is coming along...

 

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Cool "Rat Fink" cartoon......very good likeness. Flatty into Olds in an oxy moron (think Rocket 88 in to Ford). Nice one

GB

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

And I mis-arranged my notes...The so-called raised service was '41-WWII, the side ridges down to the plugs (on the pan rails of block) was '39-40.
You need to remove a head to spot whether 221 or 239; The arrangements of water holes at center will settle this even if it's a 221 bored to 239!
'39-40 239 generally had the "99" designation stamped in 1/4" characters at right front of the block's upper service. Obviously easy to fake IF anyone is profiting by telling you it'd a Mer.

 

[Ol' Ron]

This is a good modification, if one is looking for a better more reliable engine. The 8BA ignition system is a good system if working with a stock cam and is in good condition. The 8BA water pumps are much better than the early 37/48 units. Properly tuned it will get better fuel economy. I must use the 8BA carb as well. Yes converting to a GM distributor would be better, but not much. The GM dist is better suited for modified engines.. I will be using something similar for the roadster engine, only because I have a good 59 block.