please convince me to keep my flathead!!!!

[Wayfaring Stranger]

i am starting this thread from an "aint broke, dont fix it" angle.  hoping people weigh in regarding, souping up the 103hp, trans options(lotta lost power in that fluid drive), etc.  

the poll is just a gage of the peanut gallery. 

WS

Edited July 26, 2014 by Wayfaring Stranger

[pflaming]

I like an old car to be stock so I wlll keep the flathead. When I open the hood so interested people can see under it, they all say to the effect. . . "Wow, you kept the flathead".

Edited July 26, 2014 by pflaming

[MaineP15]

Ronald Reagan Republican it!

[Dave72dt]

You'll probably find your poll results in the first and last option being fairly close, second choice next and few for the third choice. These guys love their flatheads, no reason not to. They're as reliable now as they were 50 to 60 years ago and are still being used for long distance travels, same as they were years ago.

I don't fit into any of those categories. My choice for power would depend on the intended application. A car destined for restoration would, of course, get the stock flathead. No need for the power boosters, they didn't come that way and and the increases are relatively minor compared to dropping in a more modern engine and then enjoying it for what it is, including it's limitations. A car to be rodded, in this case a Mopar, would get a Mopar power plant. Something like a Packard or Hudson, Studebaker. etc could get almost anything since alternative engines aren't being specifically made for them or are readily available.

You have a parts car you want to rod- go ahead, cut it up, make it what you want. Just do quality work on it. Anything you swap into it other than another flathead is going to require some cutting, grinding and fabrication. None are easy, some are less difficult than others.

[Wayfaring Stranger]

I agree with your order of finish on the poll. To bad we can't bet the superfecta!

I agree there are different builds for different applications, I think you voted 3 "diehard car guy". Can't disagree.

WS

[James_Douglas]

i am starting this thread from an "aint broke, dont fix it" angle.  hoping people weigh in regarding, souping up the 103hp, trans options(lotta lost power in that fluid drive), etc.  

the poll is just a gage of the peanut gallery. 

WS

Can you tell me what you mean by "lotta lost power in that fluid drive" ?

 

James

[Wayfaring Stranger]

i just meant different trans or rear end gears could get more output from the stock flatheads.

[Dave72dt]

I agree with your order of finish on the poll. To bad we can't bet the superfecta!

I agree there are different builds for different applications, I think you voted 3 "diehard car guy". Can't disagree.

WS

No, didn't vote. Someone else is the diehard car guy.

[Wayfaring Stranger]

Added a choice, so you could vote.  The Dave option. 

[rusty_apache]

 My motivation for a conservative build is just flat-out laziness. It's already a lot of work just fixing the broken stuff, then there's the bodywork, paint and upholstery that I never bother with. Bolt on mods are no big deal since they can be reversed. To each his/or her own, but for me the genuine article is what will stand the test of time. I've known guys who tried to make daily drivers out of fully modified air cooled Volkswagens but have no clue as to why they overheat and seize with normal use. The more you over engineer something to make it faster, the shorter it's usable life span becomes. It also makes them suck more gas.

Chop top, slice and dice all you want guys. The work can be admirable, imaginative and ingenious, but please save the junkyard refugees from the crusher. They make rust repair panels for most old cars now so you no longer have to gut clean, well cared for low mileage cream puffs like they did in the old days.

 

 My $20.02 adjusted for inflation.

[st63]

Lots of options for the drive train on these, and all worth considering, but your response to Plyroadking on your initial thread probably limited your responses on this thread.  Probably most people don't really care what you do at this point. Just sayin....

[Frank Elder]

 

 

 My $20.02 adjusted for inflation.

 

The 20 is the "new penny" and 100 is the 20........at least that is what it seems to me.As to the engine choice, Knuckle under to peer pressure, or do your own thing.....? Same as high school, you gotta make the decision on your own.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Frank Elder

[rusty_apache]

The 20 is the "new penny" and 100 is the 20........at least that is what it seems to me.As to the engine choice, Knuckle under to peer pressure, or do your own thing.....? Same as high school, you gotta make the decision on your own.

 I'm having no trouble deciding what to run, but rather explaining my particular warped logic for not messing with a good thing.

 

 I drove a '59 Belvedere to high school, and kept the flathead then too. With giant fins and leopard print seat covers, that car was epitome of "doing your own thing" no matter what was powering it.

 

 The "cool" kids at the time had jacked up mud trucks, Trans Ams, and Camaros. Daddy didn't buy me a shiny new car but instead taught me how to earn my ride, and how to keep it on the road.

[wayfarer]

...anyone who 'convinces' you to keep the L6 is then on the hook for any and all results... You won't have many takers.

 

Let me ask the question(s).

•what is the end goal? How flexible are you in that regard?

•what is your level of mechanical-electrical-sheetmetal expertise?

•what facilities do you have to work in? How complete is your shop?

•how big/small is your budget?

•are you doing all of the work yourself?  or hiring out 'X' process/component?

•what is you timeframe for completion?

 

Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick any two....

 

BTW, this also applies to your other thread.

[Wayfaring Stranger]

Lots of options for the drive train on these, and all worth considering, but your response to Plyroadking on your initial thread probably limited your responses on this thread.  Probably most people don't really care what you do at this point. Just sayin....

Respectfully, I think you are looking at this wrong. What he did was spam and rude. It was very clear the flathead was a NON option in that post.

Think of it like this; if "Johnny Hotrod" went on every " how do I replace my fluid coupler" post and said," get an O/D tranny", it would not be much fun to read "Johnny Hotrod"'s Overdriven opinion with oily fingers on his keyboard(worse touchpad), while just wanting to find his coupling answer.

It like being in a restaurant and saying to your friend, "what should we do today?". Your friend says, "anything but the park, we ain't going to the park." And man from another table over hears you, leans over and says, " you know what you two should do,...go to the park!"

I just wanted a thread to rattle thru different engine possibilties, not to defend agaist the "keep it"s.  I have read quite a few swap threads and evryother post is "you know what you should do.....keep the flathead!"

And in regards to limited responses....uhhhh,....duhh!? That was the point, Limit the response from people who want to say "keep the flathead" in that post.  i started this thread so people could tell me what a turd i am for swaping out a flathead.....(and others could like their post when they do)....of course, I only asked the question about swaping, because I had used parts of one wayfarer to make a stock wayfarer and was contemplating what to do with the restover car.  The irony is, I wouldnt have the restover car if i didnt have the bone stock one.  different ones, different kinds, stock, Modified, I like em all.

Spam is bad in a resturant, but it's much worse on a blog, it's over and done with in the restaurant, but in the blog it lives much longer....

a few years later, in a garage far far away, defeated, the Wayfaring Stranger lays down his wrench, wipes a swath of coupling fluid across his sweat ridden forehead with a battered knuckle, head hung low, begins the long sad walk to the local Kia dealership......Damn that Johnny Hotrod!

[Wayfaring Stranger]

 

 

Not sure what you mean by " ...anyone who 'convinces' you to keep the L6 is then on the hook for any and all results... You won't have many takers."

could you explain?

[Wayfaring Stranger]

Deleted by moderator.

[Frank Elder]

 I'm having no trouble deciding what to run, but rather explaining my particular warped logic for not messing with a good thing.

 

 I drove a '59 Belvedere to high school, and kept the flathead then too. With giant fins and leopard print seat covers, that car was epitome of "doing your own thing" no matter what was powering it.

 

 The "cool" kids at the time had jacked up mud trucks, Trans Ams, and Camaros. Daddy didn't buy me a shiny new car but instead taught me how to earn my ride, and how to keep it on the road.

Only the 20 was directed to you rusty apache....the rest to the OP.

[Robert Horne]

i am starting this thread from an "aint broke, dont fix it" angle.  hoping people weigh in regarding, souping up the 103hp, trans options(lotta lost power in that fluid drive), etc.  

the poll is just a gage of the peanut gallery. 

WS

Well anyway, with my 38 Coupe, I did not soup up the flathead, but did modify the trans with a TK5 Ford

Ranger 5 speed to make the Coupe more driveable for me.

On my 37 Coupe or 37 sedan, I have other options, Jeep inline, or Ranger V6, or Chevy 350. Just waiting

on cool weather to get started.

There are plenty of threads on here where the guys here have installed a lot of different engines, and

transmissions.

[Labrauer]

Well I went ahead and voted to keep it but really it is all up to you and if you don't keep it I will surely take it off your hands. LOL.

 

I have kept mine and would not think of replacing them unless I could not find another one if something happens to mine that I can't fix.

[Phil363]

I am keeping my flathead six in place ... for now ... kind of cool ... and so easy to work on.

[james49ply]

I will keep mine, runs like a watch and keeps going. Plenty of torque, and horsepower to keep up with traffic. the only change I will make is to go with OD or higher gear rear to drop the RPM's. Most of my driving is in the low to mid 60's and I don't like to spin the motor at 3000rpm's Just my Pennies worth!