The Ford Barn

bwood53 · 03-29-2013, 11:28 AM

8ba rt imtake. merc cm heads. Where is block marked? Tryn to pit A history to the truck

Dale Fairfax · 03-29-2013, 12:03 PM

For all practical purposes, the block carrys no markings that will tie it to a particular car or truck or model year. The basic block casting was the same for all '48-'53 Trucks and '49-'53 Ford And Merc passenger cars. There may some foundry date codes cast in but they are largely meaningless. 8CM heads are Mercury but the manifold is Ford. You'd haave to remove a head and measure the stroke to determine if the engine assembly is a Merc.

Barlea · 03-29-2013, 12:58 PM

Could be a date code stamped into the top surface of the block between the head and the intake, passenger side toward the rear. The Ford Canada date code is different to the US code. In '51 the Ford Canada block marking at the bellhousing changed from C8BA to C1BA to show the changes in valve design and the crankshaft change for the Fordomatic. ..B.

Torchie · 03-29-2013, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barlea

Could be a date code stamped into the top surface of the block between the head and the intake, passenger side toward the rear. The Ford Canada date code is different to the US code. In '51 the Ford Canada block marking at the bellhousing changed from C8BA to C1BA to show the changes in valve design and the crankshaft change for the Fordomatic. ..B.

Date code key is this.

M=0,G=1,B=2,L=3,A=4,C=5,K=6,H=7,T=8,R=9,S=10,E=11, F=12

If there is a date code it should start with a letter,then a 1 or 2 digit number , than a letter.
First Letter is the month. 1 or 2 digits is the day date. Last letter is the year in the decade.
G 20 B reads as Jan-20-52.
As was stated it will give no info as to the model or year but just the manufacture date of the engine. Plus beaware of the fact that supposedly not all engines were stamped.
Torchie.

bwood53 · 03-29-2013, 03:11 PM

U guys are great
Thanks again

bwood53 · 04-07-2013, 02:56 PM

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Finally talked to seller. Motor is 53 merc flattie. Was rebuilt 30 years ago. Then sat for 29 years. He told me to replace rings and bearings. Has a tap. Valve hitting head? Any suggestions?

37 Coupe · 04-07-2013, 03:18 PM

Find and replace with 8RT heads unless you want to work on heads you have,should be marked if that is where the tap is coming from. I wish I still had my 53 F-100 and I wish I had kept it more stock. This was 30 years ago,Edelbrock heads out of the box new,Mercury crank ran okay but not great,thermostat stuck shut overheated and warped head. Was not right after that and I sold. Tried to buy back just recently guy never drove it after he put it in garage,same gas I had in tank in 1991 but he watched a lot of Barrett Jackson auctions and had a ridiculous appraisal,10 times what I had in it and that was plenty.

bwood53 · 04-07-2013, 03:38 PM

Heads say 8cm. Not rt. Mercs use cm? 37 coupe ain't hard to take though. Thanks for your help.

bwood53 · 04-07-2013, 03:41 PM

Damn I can't read. RTS are better than cm? Higher compression? Should I go aluminum heads? Better cooling or compression? Thanks again.

ford3 · 04-07-2013, 03:53 PM

find out which side the tap is coming from, remove that head, lay it on the block and turn engine over, the head should not lift up, if it does look for a shiney half circle on the combustion chamber just over the valve, you can have the head fly cut there to give the valve clearance, no need to change head, but unless the head has been milled a bunch or a high lift cam installed or both, it should not happen

Henry/Kokomo · 04-07-2013, 05:30 PM

bwood53 - If you're going to change heads, be advised that the 8cm heads are the lowest compression ratio of all the "common" FoMoCo flatheads. I'd be very tempted to consider a pair of EAB's which have the smallest combustion chamber and, therefore, the highest compression ratio. If you're going to use a blower, keep the 8cm's as they have a large combustion chamber. Personally, I like the iron heads for an engine that will have some miles put on it and be run "enthusiastically". Fewer leakage problems account similar metal in block and heads. FWIW

Also head shims are available if you have interference issues and don't want to or can't get the machining done.

bwood53 · 04-07-2013, 05:45 PM

Prob stick w iron unless a cheap pair aluminum ones come to me. Rt. Eab. Etc.? Looking for good reliable performance from my 53 merc motor. Thanks for all your 2 cents. Just learning as I go.

bwood53 · 04-07-2013, 09:36 PM

Eab or eac heads? Eac for 125 HP merc?

03-29-2013, 11:28 AM	#1
bwood53 Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lincoln Park Posts: 80	53 f100 8ba rt imtake. merc cm heads. Where is block marked? Tryn to pit A history to the truck

03-29-2013, 12:03 PM	#2
Dale Fairfax Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 250	Re: 53 f100 For all practical purposes, the block carrys no markings that will tie it to a particular car or truck or model year. The basic block casting was the same for all '48-'53 Trucks and '49-'53 Ford And Merc passenger cars. There may some foundry date codes cast in but they are largely meaningless. 8CM heads are Mercury but the manifold is Ford. You'd haave to remove a head and measure the stroke to determine if the engine assembly is a Merc.

03-29-2013, 12:58 PM	#3
Barlea Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: West Central Alberta Posts: 441	Re: 53 f100 Could be a date code stamped into the top surface of the block between the head and the intake, passenger side toward the rear. The Ford Canada date code is different to the US code. In '51 the Ford Canada block marking at the bellhousing changed from C8BA to C1BA to show the changes in valve design and the crankshaft change for the Fordomatic. ..B.

03-29-2013, 03:11 PM	#5
bwood53 Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lincoln Park Posts: 80	Re: 53 f100 U guys are great Thanks again

04-07-2013, 02:56 PM	#6
bwood53 Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lincoln Park Posts: 80	Re: 53 f100 Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Finally talked to seller. Motor is 53 merc flattie. Was rebuilt 30 years ago. Then sat for 29 years. He told me to replace rings and bearings. Has a tap. Valve hitting head? Any suggestions?

04-07-2013, 03:18 PM	#7
37 Coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,835	Re: 53 f100 Find and replace with 8RT heads unless you want to work on heads you have,should be marked if that is where the tap is coming from. I wish I still had my 53 F-100 and I wish I had kept it more stock. This was 30 years ago,Edelbrock heads out of the box new,Mercury crank ran okay but not great,thermostat stuck shut overheated and warped head. Was not right after that and I sold. Tried to buy back just recently guy never drove it after he put it in garage,same gas I had in tank in 1991 but he watched a lot of Barrett Jackson auctions and had a ridiculous appraisal,10 times what I had in it and that was plenty. __________________ "Never complain,never explain"... Henry Ford II

04-07-2013, 03:38 PM	#8
bwood53 Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lincoln Park Posts: 80	Re: 53 f100 Heads say 8cm. Not rt. Mercs use cm? 37 coupe ain't hard to take though. Thanks for your help.

04-07-2013, 03:41 PM	#9
bwood53 Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lincoln Park Posts: 80	Re: 53 f100 Damn I can't read. RTS are better than cm? Higher compression? Should I go aluminum heads? Better cooling or compression? Thanks again.

04-07-2013, 03:53 PM	#10
ford3 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: oroville calif. Posts: 1,453	Re: 53 f100 find out which side the tap is coming from, remove that head, lay it on the block and turn engine over, the head should not lift up, if it does look for a shiney half circle on the combustion chamber just over the valve, you can have the head fly cut there to give the valve clearance, no need to change head, but unless the head has been milled a bunch or a high lift cam installed or both, it should not happen

04-07-2013, 05:30 PM	#11
Henry/Kokomo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kokomo, Indiana Posts: 1,731	Re: 53 f100 bwood53 - If you're going to change heads, be advised that the 8cm heads are the lowest compression ratio of all the "common" FoMoCo flatheads. I'd be very tempted to consider a pair of EAB's which have the smallest combustion chamber and, therefore, the highest compression ratio. If you're going to use a blower, keep the 8cm's as they have a large combustion chamber. Personally, I like the iron heads for an engine that will have some miles put on it and be run "enthusiastically". Fewer leakage problems account similar metal in block and heads. FWIW Also head shims are available if you have interference issues and don't want to or can't get the machining done. __________________ Henry

04-07-2013, 05:45 PM	#12
bwood53 Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lincoln Park Posts: 80	Re: 53 f100 Prob stick w iron unless a cheap pair aluminum ones come to me. Rt. Eab. Etc.? Looking for good reliable performance from my 53 merc motor. Thanks for all your 2 cents. Just learning as I go.

04-07-2013, 09:36 PM	#13
bwood53 Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Lincoln Park Posts: 80	Re: 53 f100 Eab or eac heads? Eac for 125 HP merc?