The Ford Barn

whatdoyouwant · 03-26-2023, 09:29 AM

Let me say that I don't know much about fords prior to 1954 and almost nothing about flat heads. I picked up a 1948 mercury from a barn where it had been since 1961. After reading about possible cracks in the blocks, I pulled the engine and set it aside for later. I then heard about a guy who built flatheads for hot rods. I went to talk to him only to find he had passed away. I purchased a 8BA engine cheap from his widow, and she gave me his notes on the engine.
It has a 4" crank, bored to 3 3/8 and has 7" rods. The crank and rods have been polished and balanced. It has a high volume oil pump. It has 8RT water pumps. It has a ISKY 400 JR cam with solid adjustable lifters, and Ross racing pistons. His notes state that the engine was never in a car but was run 3 hours on the test stand. It had no heads or intake when I purchased it. Now my problem.
I want to put this in my merc and use the existing 3 speed trans and running gear. I purchased a cast bell housing and starter plate on this forum so that should work. The wear on the 8BA flywheel measures 10" but I think the flywheel bolt holes are for a 91/2 in PP. I am attaching some pictures ot the flywheel and of the PP from my original engine. My original engine has a 10" clutch disk but different hole spacing. Can you help me get a clutch and PP to work with my existing 3 speed. I have a 13/8 10 spline input shaft. Notice the one tooth on the engine side of the flywheel. It looks like some kind of a timing or line up mark.
I guess I will also need to do something about an oil pan, but that will be after this is decided.

thanks

19Fordy · 03-26-2023, 09:34 AM

I think you need a 49-51 Merc. 10 in clutch with matching Merc flywheel. You can use the 48 Merc throwout bearing. Here's some good info.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...0+merc+40+ford
and
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...+8ba+1940+ford

You will also need a 49-51 Merc rear sump oil pan. Or a rear sump truck oil pan.

Bored&Stroked · 03-27-2023, 07:50 AM

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Did the new engine have a flywheel with it? If so, then it probably would have been balanced as well. Regardless, whatever new clutch/flywheel you put in the engine should be balanced as a pair (even if neutral balanced). Hopefully you have some local flathead friends/experts to assist you in what you're doing - so you get the right combination of parts to finish the job and insure they're installed correctly.

You'll need the correct water pumps (believe they're truck pumps) - that mount like the original engine mounted. What I can't tell you is the necessary front of the engine stuff (to fit in a 48 Merc). You need to know what parts to run as far as fan, generator/mount, etc.. Also, if you don't already have a distributor designed for this performance engine, you'll NOT want to run the stock distributor - you'll need an aftermarket one or a custom one built for a non-stock 49-53 engine.

03-26-2023, 09:34 AM	#2
19Fordy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Coral Springs FL Posts: 10,985	Re: Flywheel and clutch I think you need a 49-51 Merc. 10 in clutch with matching Merc flywheel. You can use the 48 Merc throwout bearing. Here's some good info. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...0+merc+40+ford and https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...+8ba+1940+ford You will also need a 49-51 Merc rear sump oil pan. Or a rear sump truck oil pan. Last edited by 19Fordy; 03-26-2023 at 09:47 AM.

03-27-2023, 07:50 AM	#3
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,125	Re: Flywheel and clutch Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Did the new engine have a flywheel with it? If so, then it probably would have been balanced as well. Regardless, whatever new clutch/flywheel you put in the engine should be balanced as a pair (even if neutral balanced). Hopefully you have some local flathead friends/experts to assist you in what you're doing - so you get the right combination of parts to finish the job and insure they're installed correctly. You'll need the correct water pumps (believe they're truck pumps) - that mount like the original engine mounted. What I can't tell you is the necessary front of the engine stuff (to fit in a 48 Merc). You need to know what parts to run as far as fan, generator/mount, etc.. Also, if you don't already have a distributor designed for this performance engine, you'll NOT want to run the stock distributor - you'll need an aftermarket one or a custom one built for a non-stock 49-53 engine.