The Ford Barn

Rich/Alabama · 05-02-2012, 09:20 AM

Well everyone, I have acquired an 8BA engine that so far has defied positive identification using every source can find. It's a complete engine/3 speed open drive trans combo from a light truck and consists of: 7RT 94 carb, EAB heads (know what they are), 3 6 H stamped into the right rear intake deck, 36 E 4 cast into the right rear bellhousing flange on block. The stamped numbers don't follow the factory letter/number/letter convention so I assme it's from a later rebuild, maybe March 6, 1957? I'm stumped on the casting numbers so can anyone tell me what year it s made and possibly what it originally powered?

Would really like to know before the tear down and rebuild process begins; thanks in advance for any help.

Rich

Scott H · 05-02-2012, 09:44 AM

Maybe its a Heinz 57

Walt Dupont--Me. · 05-02-2012, 09:45 AM

The EAB heads are 52-53 car, thay are good heads, higher comp than all the other 8BA style heads, all those no. on the back of the block and intake don't mean anything to me and probably nobody else. Accually all the 8BA style engines are all the same, all have 3-3/16 std. bore and the Ford has 3-3/4 stroke, the the merc has 4'' stroke. If your going to go into the engine don't be scared, if you have a question when you get inside just post it on the barn. Walt

Rich/Alabama · 05-02-2012, 10:32 AM

Walt,
Already inside and besides the sludge it looks pretty good so far. Those numbers actually do mean something but I haven't found a match yet using all the resources available. I put together the 59L thats in my 40 tudor and it turned out OK so I am sure this will be another adventure like it was. Just like Scott said, it probably is a Heinz 57 and after all those years it wouldn't be a big surprise. I'm the type that likes trivia whether it's important or not. Just hope I got lucky and found a good one this time.

Rich

rotorwrench · 05-02-2012, 12:20 PM

If you have it appart and the numbers on the aft right side of the intake deck don't match for any known date code (since that's all they were ever stamped for), you will have to settle for other clues. The crankshafts have allready been mentioned. There are several distributor/timing cover combinations on the 8BA family. There are cast iron & cast aluminum timing covers. There are cast iron long bearing distributors & cast aluminum short bearing distributors. There are early non-rotator valve assemblies and later rotator valve assemblies. There are different oil pan configurations but they can be changed easily and there are different intake manifolds that can also be changed easily. If it's an early 8BA type it may have stellite seats in all of the valve pockets. In late 51 or early 52 they started putting them in the exhaust valve pockets only. In 1953 they did away with the stellite seats in all but heavy duty applications.

Other than that, I'm afraid you'll have to accept what you have as being manufactured somewhere between 1948 & 1953 (1954 in Canada).

Rich/Alabama · 05-02-2012, 01:03 PM

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Aluminum timing cover and cast iron distributor & truck oil pan. I haven't gone beyond taking the heads and intake off to peek inside so can't give you anymore than that except under all the grunge it's a light green color.

Henry/Kokomo · 05-02-2012, 01:38 PM

I THINK the light green was Mercury . . . . if it's the original color. If its Merc, you may have a 4" crank. Do lots of measuring.

Rich/Alabama · 05-02-2012, 02:10 PM

A Merc? I would never be that lucky, just for it to be a crack free block would be a wonderful thing. Now you have me thinking I might have won the flathead lottery, guess I'll trot back out to the shop and drop the pan. It's really a sludged up mess in there so that won't be fun...

mtflat · 05-02-2012, 03:54 PM

Sounds like the engine I took out of my 48 F1 recently in need of rebuilding. It's a merc, but wearing EAB heads for compression and using a truck oil pan. I cobbled that all together to suit me - so what you have is anybody's guess until you get into it.

I have an EAB block in the shop - the crank in that one has "EAB" cast on it.

btw, Walt is right, none of those other cast numbers mean anything except to the guy who did the casting.

rotorwrench · 05-02-2012, 05:31 PM

It seems like some trucks used the light green as well as the Mercs but I don't know which year or sizes of truck. It may have been the 53 but I'm not certain.

38 coupe · 05-02-2012, 05:37 PM

If you have the heads off you can drop a measuring stick or tape measure down the cylinder with the lowest piston. If the length is 4" or just a little shy you have a merc.

Rich/Alabama · 05-02-2012, 06:06 PM

38 thats a good idea and I might try it but I think rotorwrench is right, its a 52 or 53 truck motor from what I could find so far. I still like the idea of it being a merc disguised as a truck 239 though Sure wish there was a way to tell using the casting oodes on the back of the block like a modern engine but if it was that easy I guess everybody would be doing it, right?

05-02-2012, 09:20 AM	#1
Rich/Alabama Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Enterprise, Al Posts: 47	Engine ID (again) Well everyone, I have acquired an 8BA engine that so far has defied positive identification using every source can find. It's a complete engine/3 speed open drive trans combo from a light truck and consists of: 7RT 94 carb, EAB heads (know what they are), 3 6 H stamped into the right rear intake deck, 36 E 4 cast into the right rear bellhousing flange on block. The stamped numbers don't follow the factory letter/number/letter convention so I assme it's from a later rebuild, maybe March 6, 1957? I'm stumped on the casting numbers so can anyone tell me what year it s made and possibly what it originally powered? Would really like to know before the tear down and rebuild process begins; thanks in advance for any help. Rich

05-02-2012, 09:44 AM	#2
Scott H Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wheaton, IL (west chicago) Posts: 558	Re: Engine ID (again) Maybe its a Heinz 57 __________________ 36 1/2 ton pickup on 38 car frame with 1940 v8 24 stud

05-02-2012, 09:45 AM	#3
Walt Dupont--Me. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gardiner Me. Posts: 4,200	Re: Engine ID (again) The EAB heads are 52-53 car, thay are good heads, higher comp than all the other 8BA style heads, all those no. on the back of the block and intake don't mean anything to me and probably nobody else. Accually all the 8BA style engines are all the same, all have 3-3/16 std. bore and the Ford has 3-3/4 stroke, the the merc has 4'' stroke. If your going to go into the engine don't be scared, if you have a question when you get inside just post it on the barn. Walt

05-02-2012, 10:32 AM	#4
Rich/Alabama Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Enterprise, Al Posts: 47	Re: Engine ID (again) Walt, Already inside and besides the sludge it looks pretty good so far. Those numbers actually do mean something but I haven't found a match yet using all the resources available. I put together the 59L thats in my 40 tudor and it turned out OK so I am sure this will be another adventure like it was. Just like Scott said, it probably is a Heinz 57 and after all those years it wouldn't be a big surprise. I'm the type that likes trivia whether it's important or not. Just hope I got lucky and found a good one this time. Rich

05-02-2012, 12:20 PM	#5
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Engine ID (again) If you have it appart and the numbers on the aft right side of the intake deck don't match for any known date code (since that's all they were ever stamped for), you will have to settle for other clues. The crankshafts have allready been mentioned. There are several distributor/timing cover combinations on the 8BA family. There are cast iron & cast aluminum timing covers. There are cast iron long bearing distributors & cast aluminum short bearing distributors. There are early non-rotator valve assemblies and later rotator valve assemblies. There are different oil pan configurations but they can be changed easily and there are different intake manifolds that can also be changed easily. If it's an early 8BA type it may have stellite seats in all of the valve pockets. In late 51 or early 52 they started putting them in the exhaust valve pockets only. In 1953 they did away with the stellite seats in all but heavy duty applications. Other than that, I'm afraid you'll have to accept what you have as being manufactured somewhere between 1948 & 1953 (1954 in Canada). Last edited by rotorwrench; 05-02-2012 at 12:26 PM.

05-02-2012, 01:03 PM	#6
Rich/Alabama Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Enterprise, Al Posts: 47	Re: Engine ID (again) Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Aluminum timing cover and cast iron distributor & truck oil pan. I haven't gone beyond taking the heads and intake off to peek inside so can't give you anymore than that except under all the grunge it's a light green color.

05-02-2012, 01:38 PM	#7
Henry/Kokomo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kokomo, Indiana Posts: 1,731	Re: Engine ID (again) I THINK the light green was Mercury . . . . if it's the original color. If its Merc, you may have a 4" crank. Do lots of measuring.

05-02-2012, 02:10 PM	#8
Rich/Alabama Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Enterprise, Al Posts: 47	Re: Engine ID (again) A Merc? I would never be that lucky, just for it to be a crack free block would be a wonderful thing. Now you have me thinking I might have won the flathead lottery, guess I'll trot back out to the shop and drop the pan. It's really a sludged up mess in there so that won't be fun...

05-02-2012, 03:54 PM	#9
mtflat Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kalispell Montana Posts: 344	Re: Engine ID (again) Sounds like the engine I took out of my 48 F1 recently in need of rebuilding. It's a merc, but wearing EAB heads for compression and using a truck oil pan. I cobbled that all together to suit me - so what you have is anybody's guess until you get into it. I have an EAB block in the shop - the crank in that one has "EAB" cast on it. btw, Walt is right, none of those other cast numbers mean anything except to the guy who did the casting.

05-02-2012, 05:31 PM	#10
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Engine ID (again) It seems like some trucks used the light green as well as the Mercs but I don't know which year or sizes of truck. It may have been the 53 but I'm not certain.

05-02-2012, 05:37 PM	#11
38 coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,631	Re: Engine ID (again) If you have the heads off you can drop a measuring stick or tape measure down the cylinder with the lowest piston. If the length is 4" or just a little shy you have a merc.

05-02-2012, 06:06 PM	#12
Rich/Alabama Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Enterprise, Al Posts: 47	Re: Engine ID (again) 38 thats a good idea and I might try it but I think rotorwrench is right, its a 52 or 53 truck motor from what I could find so far. I still like the idea of it being a merc disguised as a truck 239 though Sure wish there was a way to tell using the casting oodes on the back of the block like a modern engine but if it was that easy I guess everybody would be doing it, right?