The Ford Barn

cuzncletus · 05-16-2011, 09:18 AM

I just got my 59A back from the speed shop. Though this engine was supposedly fresh when I got it, I decided to go through it completely as the shop that did the initial work had already ruined two sets of heads for me. In retrospect this turned out to be a good idea as binding in the oil pump/distributor would have caused major problems. Precision Machine Service in Sevierville, Tenn. had already built one engine for me and their work is very good and reasonably priced. Dennis, the owner, is an excellent machinist and studied porting under the late Joe Mondello. I gave them the green light on the flathead. Here's the specs:

Merc crank
Ross pistons +.125
Edelbrock heads/ studded
Eddie Meyer high rise intake
dual 94's
Mallory unilite converted by Bubba
1.6 stainless valves, both ways/ hardened seats
Lincoln springs
Red's adjustable hollow lifters
Sig Erson cam/ .380 lift i&e, 235d at .050
Melling oil pump
center main support
21A rods (Don't ask; I don't know why. They were in the motor.)

Machine work:
bored
balanced
decked
line bored (it needed it)
intake ported/ polished/ gasket matched
port and polish intake runners and exhausts, lots of it.

Here's the numbers:
209.2 peak horsepower at 4300 rpm/ starts tapering off at 4500
299.6 peak ft/lbs. at 1910 rpm/ 255 ft. lbs. at 4300
Torque curve is very flat. HP starts climbing quickly around 3200.
It was all in by 4500 so we didn't twist it any harder.

The test was done through stock exhaust manifolds. I'm hoping for a few more through open headers though I think the present figures are realistic for a full exhaust system. This project started with a free motor and a $100 crank so I had a real leg up on costs. Even so, I won't tell my friends (and especially my wife) what the final bill is. Suffice it to say I could have easily had a crate motor with twice the horsepower for the same price. My answer to that rationale is, in the old car hobby there is no rationale. We're not doing any of this because it's practical. We do this because it's what we want to do.

At any rate, this engine will have a T-5 behind it and go into my 39 tudor. It should move it down the road pretty smartly. Feedback is read, and if positive, appreciated.

05-16-2011, 09:18 AM	#1
cuzncletus Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sevierville, Tenn. Posts: 391	Good HP numbers? I just got my 59A back from the speed shop. Though this engine was supposedly fresh when I got it, I decided to go through it completely as the shop that did the initial work had already ruined two sets of heads for me. In retrospect this turned out to be a good idea as binding in the oil pump/distributor would have caused major problems. Precision Machine Service in Sevierville, Tenn. had already built one engine for me and their work is very good and reasonably priced. Dennis, the owner, is an excellent machinist and studied porting under the late Joe Mondello. I gave them the green light on the flathead. Here's the specs: Merc crank Ross pistons +.125 Edelbrock heads/ studded Eddie Meyer high rise intake dual 94's Mallory unilite converted by Bubba 1.6 stainless valves, both ways/ hardened seats Lincoln springs Red's adjustable hollow lifters Sig Erson cam/ .380 lift i&e, 235d at .050 Melling oil pump center main support 21A rods (Don't ask; I don't know why. They were in the motor.) Machine work: bored balanced decked line bored (it needed it) intake ported/ polished/ gasket matched port and polish intake runners and exhausts, lots of it. Here's the numbers: 209.2 peak horsepower at 4300 rpm/ starts tapering off at 4500 299.6 peak ft/lbs. at 1910 rpm/ 255 ft. lbs. at 4300 Torque curve is very flat. HP starts climbing quickly around 3200. It was all in by 4500 so we didn't twist it any harder. The test was done through stock exhaust manifolds. I'm hoping for a few more through open headers though I think the present figures are realistic for a full exhaust system. This project started with a free motor and a $100 crank so I had a real leg up on costs. Even so, I won't tell my friends (and especially my wife) what the final bill is. Suffice it to say I could have easily had a crate motor with twice the horsepower for the same price. My answer to that rationale is, in the old car hobby there is no rationale. We're not doing any of this because it's practical. We do this because it's what we want to do. At any rate, this engine will have a T-5 behind it and go into my 39 tudor. It should move it down the road pretty smartly. Feedback is read, and if positive, appreciated.