The Ford Barn

louisb · 09-08-2013, 04:29 PM

Hi All,

I picked up an 8RT commercial motor to rebuild and I came across something interesting I wanted to run by you guys. I was out cleaning the gunk off the intake manifold surface trying to determine the year of manufacture and I noticed someone had pressed some pennies into the intake manifold seating area.

2013-09-08 17.12.12 by louisfbrooks, on Flickr

2013-09-08 17.12.17 by louisfbrooks, on Flickr

Any ideas why this was done? Will it be an issue with the rebuild? Block passes the visual inspection otherwise. It has been rebuilt in the past with stock parts and a small overbore. Hoping to rebuild it for a future AV8 project.

There was no date code on the block, just the number 8 in a square stamped into the surface. But it looks to be red originally which I think means a '50-'51 block. Came apart real easy with none of the horror stories I have read about on here. Now I need to hold my breath and send it off to be cleaned and magnafluxed.

Thanks,

--louis

HIGHTOWER611 · 09-08-2013, 04:41 PM

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...t=penny+intake

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...t=penny+intake

42merc · 09-08-2013, 04:42 PM

The pennies are used to block the exhaust heat risers to the intake manifold. The thinking is to make a cooler intake and a denser fuel charge. Anymore they are used to make the exhaust bark louder. It really works. Knock them out to return to stock, no problem.
If you wish to reinstall them after the rebuild, make sure they are the older copper pennies, the newer zinc enriched pennies will melt.

louisb · 09-08-2013, 04:46 PM

Thanks guys. So much to learn about these cool little motors. Pennies look to be a '57 & '61 so I think I will keep them for the rebuild.

--louis

pistonburner · 09-08-2013, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louisb

Hi All,

I picked up an 8RT commercial motor to rebuild and I came across something interesting I wanted to run by you guys. I was out cleaning the gunk off the intake manifold surface trying to determine the year of manufacture and I noticed someone had pressed some pennies into the intake manifold seating area.

2013-09-08 17.12.12 by louisfbrooks, on Flickr

2013-09-08 17.12.17 by louisfbrooks, on Flickr

Any ideas why this was done? Will it be an issue with the rebuild? Block passes the visual inspection otherwise. It has been rebuilt in the past with stock parts and a small overbore. Hoping to rebuild it for a future AV8 project.

There was no date code on the block, just the number 8 in a square stamped into the surface. But it looks to be red originally which I think means a '50-'51 block. Came apart real easy with none of the horror stories I have read about on here. Now I need to hold my breath and send it off to be cleaned and magnafluxed.

Thanks,

--louis

yep an old hotrodders trick what year are the pennies

Mike in AZ · 09-08-2013, 05:53 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

welcome to the 'Barn....have fun with flatheads...lol....Mike

louisb · 09-08-2013, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike in AZ

welcome to the 'Barn....have fun with flatheads...lol....Mike

Thanks for the welcome. I have been lurking here for a while trying to soakup all the knowledge on Flatheads. Lots of knowledgeable people here. I am sure I will have more questions as I move forward with the rebuild.

--louis

ken ct · 09-08-2013, 06:16 PM

I would drill an 1/8" hole in both of them to get a little heat under the carb.Other wise it will run crappy till fully warmed up. OMO ken ct.

ford38v8 · 09-08-2013, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louisb

Thanks guys. So much to learn about these cool little motors. Pennies look to be a '57 & '61 so I think I will keep them for the rebuild.

--louis

Louis, the pic shows the 1961 penny to have been staked in. Do this again if there is any looseness to them.

Oh, yes... 1957 was a verry good year!

louisb · 09-08-2013, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken ct

I would drill an 1/8" hole in both of them to get a little heat under the carb.Other wise it will run crappy till fully warmed up. OMO ken ct.

Hi Ken, thanks for the input. I don't think the intake I plan to run has heat risers either so I am not sure it will matter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Louis, the pic shows the 1961 penny to have been staked in. Do this again if there is any looseness to them.

Oh, yes... 1957 was a verry good year!

Yeah I noticed that as well and will do when it gets rebuilt. As for '57 being a good year I will have to take your word for it. I wasn't born for another 15 years.

Thanks,

--louis

ken ct · 09-08-2013, 07:05 PM

What ever you say youngun.i graduated HS 15 yrs before you were born. Do what ever you think is right. ken ct.

Ol' Ron · 09-08-2013, 07:15 PM

Using the pennies will reduce your gas mileage.

louisb · 09-08-2013, 07:57 PM

The pennies popped out easy enough using a piece of 3/8 rod though the exhaust port. I will give some more thought to if they go back in or not. Thanks to everyone for their input.

Thanks,

--louis

59ab · 09-08-2013, 09:20 PM

Welcome to the Barn.

zzlegend · 09-08-2013, 09:25 PM

Good luck Louis. Just my 2 cents

louisb · 09-08-2013, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 59ab

Welcome to the Barn.

Thanks. I was wondering if there were more members from the SE on here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zzlegend

Good luck Louis. Just my 2 cents

Love the RPU in your avatar. I have been on the lookout for one like it to put this engine into.

Thanks,

--louis

Rand · 09-08-2013, 09:51 PM

My Dad used to tell me...back in his day they used to match the year of the penny with the car for " Good luck"... strange why they would want the exhaust to pop in a commercial motor though? A Hot rodder that was a truck driver too I guess?
Randy

louisb · 09-08-2013, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rand

A Hot rodder that was a truck driver too I guess?
Randy

Even weirder than that since it didn't come out of a car but was powering a piece of equipment. Of course who knows what it originally came in. It also came with a set of Johnson lightweight adjustable lifters. Too bad it didn't have a merc crank as well.

--louis

ken ct · 09-09-2013, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louisb

Even weirder than that since it didn't come out of a car but was powering a piece of equipment. Of course who knows what it originally came in. It also came with a set of Johnson lightweight adjustable lifters. Too bad it didn't have a merc crank as well.

--louis

Watch your fan,some industrial units used a fan in which the blades were angled opposite to a pass car or truck and blew the opposite way,ive run across one before. Easy to mistake you got to compare a pass to one to see the diff set to the blades. Good luck in your project. ken ct.

37coop · 09-09-2013, 04:08 AM

welcome to the barn Louis,i,m pretty new to it ,around march when I imported my 51 fi truck to the u.k and had lots of problems I didn't know the answer to,along with my 39 coupe all questions have been answered and all the problems sorted ,at first I was reluctant to ask certain questions as I thought the answers are probably so obvious and I would feel little small asking them but all questions answered with knowledge and sometimes some humour which I like , good luck, regards jim.

09-08-2013, 04:29 PM	#1
louisb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 175	Pennies in block Hi All, I picked up an 8RT commercial motor to rebuild and I came across something interesting I wanted to run by you guys. I was out cleaning the gunk off the intake manifold surface trying to determine the year of manufacture and I noticed someone had pressed some pennies into the intake manifold seating area. 2013-09-08 17.12.12 by louisfbrooks, on Flickr 2013-09-08 17.12.17 by louisfbrooks, on Flickr Any ideas why this was done? Will it be an issue with the rebuild? Block passes the visual inspection otherwise. It has been rebuilt in the past with stock parts and a small overbore. Hoping to rebuild it for a future AV8 project. There was no date code on the block, just the number 8 in a square stamped into the surface. But it looks to be red originally which I think means a '50-'51 block. Came apart real easy with none of the horror stories I have read about on here. Now I need to hold my breath and send it off to be cleaned and magnafluxed. Thanks, --louis

09-08-2013, 04:41 PM	#2
HIGHTOWER611 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 176	Re: Pennies in block https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...t=penny+intake https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...t=penny+intake

09-08-2013, 04:42 PM	#3
42merc Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Buchanan, MI Posts: 697	Re: Pennies in block The pennies are used to block the exhaust heat risers to the intake manifold. The thinking is to make a cooler intake and a denser fuel charge. Anymore they are used to make the exhaust bark louder. It really works. Knock them out to return to stock, no problem. If you wish to reinstall them after the rebuild, make sure they are the older copper pennies, the newer zinc enriched pennies will melt.

09-08-2013, 04:46 PM	#4
louisb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 175	Re: Pennies in block Thanks guys. So much to learn about these cool little motors. Pennies look to be a '57 & '61 so I think I will keep them for the rebuild. --louis

09-08-2013, 05:53 PM	#6
Mike in AZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waddell, AZ Posts: 2,540	Re: Pennies in block Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) welcome to the 'Barn....have fun with flatheads...lol....Mike

09-08-2013, 06:16 PM	#8
ken ct BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: stratford,ct Posts: 5,971	Re: Pennies in block I would drill an 1/8" hole in both of them to get a little heat under the carb.Other wise it will run crappy till fully warmed up. OMO ken ct.

09-08-2013, 07:05 PM	#11
ken ct BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: stratford,ct Posts: 5,971	Re: Pennies in block What ever you say youngun.i graduated HS 15 yrs before you were born. Do what ever you think is right. ken ct.

09-08-2013, 07:15 PM	#12
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,985	Re: Pennies in block Using the pennies will reduce your gas mileage.

09-08-2013, 07:57 PM	#13
louisb Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 175	Re: Pennies in block The pennies popped out easy enough using a piece of 3/8 rod though the exhaust port. I will give some more thought to if they go back in or not. Thanks to everyone for their input. Thanks, --louis

09-08-2013, 09:20 PM	#14
59ab Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Huntsville,Alabama Posts: 247	Re: Pennies in block Welcome to the Barn.

09-08-2013, 09:25 PM	#15
zzlegend Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Reseda, Calif. Posts: 2,191	Re: Pennies in block Good luck Louis. Just my 2 cents

09-08-2013, 09:51 PM	#17
Rand Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 380	Re: Pennies in block My Dad used to tell me...back in his day they used to match the year of the penny with the car for " Good luck"... strange why they would want the exhaust to pop in a commercial motor though? A Hot rodder that was a truck driver too I guess? Randy

09-09-2013, 04:08 AM	#20
37coop Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: kent , u.k Posts: 519	Re: Pennies in block welcome to the barn Louis,i,m pretty new to it ,around march when I imported my 51 fi truck to the u.k and had lots of problems I didn't know the answer to,along with my 39 coupe all questions have been answered and all the problems sorted ,at first I was reluctant to ask certain questions as I thought the answers are probably so obvious and I would feel little small asking them but all questions answered with knowledge and sometimes some humour which I like , good luck, regards jim.