literature about our l-heads

[Cpt.Fred]

hi all,

i know this must have been discussed here, but the search engine didn't give

me the results a wanted, so i ask again:

are there any books concentrating on the mopar l-head engine?

i got the 1950 edition (reprint) of "souping up the stock engine" by Roger Huntington,

which is a great read, and it made me wonder if there was anything comparable

for our engine on the market...

must.... learn... more.... *eerie voice*

thanks!

fred

[Booker T]

I have not done much research / looking but I found an old magazine like book that was about "hopping up engines"...it had a full section on the mopar flathead. That is about all I have found while cruising the internet looking for parts / information...I think I bought it off eBay. I would give you more information about it but I tore the house and shop apart a couple weeks ago looking for the darn thing and couldn't find it!!!

[greg g]

Fred, broaden your search to flathead. Lots of stuff out there regarding hopping up ford engines, much of whic will apply to our engines also. Keep in mind that these are long stroke designs which like to make torque rather than HP.

Over on the HAMB, there is a fellow who was building a mopar flathead for drag racing in the class that kinda grew up amongst folks on that forum. He pretty much detailed his trials and errors on that engine trying to make 200 HP. Last I read he had gotten to 175 or so and was having problems getting miss that was limiting rpms at about 3800.

I haven't followed it lately and it will probably take som searching but its there.

There is also a site caled Racing Studebakers that has quite a bit of information from folks racing studebaker flathead 6 engines which are very similar (but smaller displacement) than ours, even some threads ragarding turbo charging.

So what ever you find and decide to do keep in mind that that 3800 RPM level is probably your working limit.

Here is a link to the thread. Also the fellow Hudsonator that replies is also a wealth of information as he and his father built a Mopar Flat 6 motor for a Pulling tractor.

Don C has meet him a couple of times, he is very knowlagable regardig making power from these engines, he may have his email address. He also post a lot of information to a Hudson forum.

[Reg Evans]

Here's a chapter in one of my books regarding some performance upgrades that the author did.

[Young Ed]

Hey Reg you found where I read about that ring gear change from 56-57! I knew I had it somewhere. Anyone got a 56 plymouth starter for sale

[BobT-47P15]

Ed, would that have a green tag on it?

I can't recall if I have a generator or starter with a green tag

that may have come off a 57 engine. Would have to do some

looking when the snow gets to be less. Think it may be in my

storage building.

[Young Ed]

Yes I believe both should have a green tag. I'm looking for a 12v generator too but that doesn't have to be 56 specific. If I got a 57 and later starter I'd have to hunt down a ring gear or flywheel.

[Don Coatney]

Anyone got a 56 plymouth starter for sale

I have one. Comes with everything except insurance and a driver. $20,000 or best offer and I can deliver it for a fee. It can be seen in the picture below if you raise the hood.

[moose]

Here's a chapter in one of my books regarding some performance upgrades that the author did.

Excellent article! Thanks.

[hkestes41]

Here is a little info from an August 51 Hot Rod magazine. (wonder where that came from)

[Cpt.Fred]

thanks a lot, all of you!

those articles are great, thanks for sharing!

i won't do anything in the area of tractor pulling, this is not a race car

(well that doesn't mean i race it anyway:eek:) and will never be.

but all this exhaust and intake stuff we're into here right now has to have

a certain direction, so i want to learn as much as possible from literature before i decide what kind of engine i want to built afterwards to add a little

spirit to the car.

this is an engine rarely chosen around here, and do not know a single one

with a decent hop up job done to it.

i don't expect miracles and i know i am going to sink lot's of work and money

only to get trimmed by some french ford flatty afterwards, but if i really do it

that's alright with me.

reading doesn't cost anything...

best,

fred

[austinsailor]

I was feeling pretty good about the article Reg posted until I read the part about Dodge truck engines with dual carbs in the 3 tons being a good choice for the dodge car motors as an upgrade.

The Dodge engine is 23" (25' in some trucks) The 3 ton is a 6 intake port, (not 3) 30" long motor, and it is not even remotely close. For him to say it works well loses all his credibility.

[greg g]

Fred have you given any thought to finding a 230 engine??? My theory is the building a 201 gets you about what you get from a stock 218, and building a 218 gives you about what you'd have with a stock 230, and building a stock 230 gives you something to beat the French Flatties.

But here is something to keep in mind, the French flatheads were installed in Simca's, the late 50's chrysler bought Simca, and began manufacturing the flathead engine.

So if you do get beaten by a Flat 8, you are in reality loosing to another MOPAR.

Besides there is some literature that details a test by a police dept between I think 1940 Ford, chevy and Plymouth considered for the departments purchase. the plymouth with is 21 second 1/4 mile beat both the ford and the chevy by 2 or 3 seconds. The 0 to 60

time also went to the plymouth by a second or more.

[Reg Evans]

I was feeling pretty good about the article Reg posted until I read the part about Dodge truck engines with dual carbs in the 3 tons being a good choice for the dodge car motors as an upgrade.

The Dodge engine is 23" (25' in some trucks) The 3 ton is a 6 intake port, (not 3) 30" long motor, and it is not even remotely close. For him to say it works well loses all his credibility.

I think he was referring to the 25" long engines and these parts found in some 1.5 to 2 toners.

These parts are going in my 52 1/2 ton with a transplanted 251 this spring.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Reg Evans

[Cpt.Fred]

nice parts, reg! i love the "spitfire" claim on the head...

but those are only available for 25" blocks, right...?

greg, of course you're right, and i guess i didn't express myself clear enough here.

must be my english... the whole intake and exhaust stuff is going to be on the 201 first,

but hopefully no longer than 1 or 2 seasons.

i am planning to buy a 230 and then give it a treatment, so this whole literature thing is for planning this operation.

when i say "rare engine over here" i mean the whole mopar flathead business!

i have to decide what characteristics i want and then make decisions.

i want start with the most cui possible in a 23" block, because i have decided

against swapping a long block in there. the body is in a perfectly original and rustfree condition,

so i don't want to do any mods that require cutting things up, i guess.

then we'll see what we can do, but valves, cam and higher compression ratio will be on my list,

as soon as i have gathered the money.

Edited February 5, 2011 by Cpt.Fred

[austinsailor]

He specifically said the 3 ton truck, which is an entirely different motor.

I also noticed he said the early motors had 4 bolt crank flanges, later ones had 8. heavier trucks and fluid drive had 8. I don't think it had much to do with year of manufacture.

Bottom line is you should get a second opinion or check closely before blindly following something like this. The turning of the oil grove in the main bearing seems to make sense, but I have to wonder about increased oil flow vs lost bearing surface area.

Part of the problem is that many people assumeif you're published, you're an expert and know it all. I know this from personal experience. I have maybe 30+ articles published in the sailing/sailboat cruising area. You'd be shocked how many people want my advise and insist I know it all since I have many articles published. This includes people who've sailed around the world and have years and thousansds of miles more experience than I do.