The Demize of the Flathead

[Ol' Ron]

Back in the late 80's I made my first trip to York Pa East coast nationals of the NSRA. WE drove there in George Perry's 1942 Ford Ambulance with a 276 L-100 cam engine I just built and finished the night before. While there we counted about 5 or 6 Flathead powered cars. Soon after I published my Book "Nostalgia"by the late 90's the number of Flathead cars reach well over a hundere. However, Last week the number dropped to ton more than 5 or 6. George said I should write another book. But I think the era of the Flathead the passed. The cost and availability of usable engines ahs forced the price beyond the casual builder now. Not many of us flathead lovers left and very few are joining lately, especially when you can have a dressed craye motor for less than half the price with twice the power. I don't think the Flathead is done yet, as there are a few of us that will keep the torch burning as long as we can.

[GOSFAST]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

Back in the late 80's I made my first trip to York Pa East coast nationals of the NSRA. WE drove there in George Perry's 1942 Ford Ambulance with a 276 L-100 cam engine I just built and finished the night before. While there we counted about 5 or 6 Flathead powered cars. Soon after I published my Book "Nostalgia"by the late 90's the number of Flathead cars reach well over a hundere. However, Last week the number dropped to ton more than 5 or 6. George said I should write another book. But I think the era of the Flathead the passed. The cost and availability of usable engines ahs forced the price beyond the casual builder now. Not many of us flathead lovers left and very few are joining lately, especially when you can have a dressed craye motor for less than half the price with twice the power. I don't think the Flathead is done yet, as there are a few of us that will keep the torch burning as long as we can.

Hi Ron, how you doing up there!

Those words ring very true, let me say why.

Back in the early to mid '80's we were doing more than 15 Flatheads per year, probably closer to 20, most of these were for a single customer who specialized in these units. He did nothing but Flatheads, period. This was the start with us keeping a fairly large inventory of the parts for them. By today's standards I still have a decent inventory, for instance, always have a minimum of at least 5 stroker kits at all times, bronze-lined guides, valves, lifters, gasket sets, brgs, etc.

My customer was known in our area as "Flathead Bob", had a high number of followers for sure. I do know at the time he was being contacted constantly by the guy's at Detroit Flathead, seems they were sort of interested in what he knew! He eventually tired of this setup. He passed away in the mid '90's, I considered him a really true friend rather than a customer! I had begun working on a "tuned-port" build with him long before his passing, never happened unfortunately however.

I'm not sure today how much of this will get replaced as used, I really don't know?? What I do know is I still enjoy building them and dynoing them, this will never pass for me anyway!

We are probably way down on the number of builds today compared to where were, but as you said above, time is moving on and so are all the people.

(Add) Just found one of the plaques Bob would install on many of his builds, was a nice finishing touch on many! Photo's below!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. In have a lot of appreciation for guy's like yourself, really. I still learn new things almost every day! For us at this stage building these "Flatties" is a "walk-in-the-park" so to speak. We see the same pattern happening now with the SBC units, the old-style 23* builds are being replaced by the "LS" units, it's just inevitable really.

[petehoovie]

Your 'truth' hurts....

[hb32]

Just getting acquainted with the flathead and have a C69A that was built by a barner in Regina. When it came time to replace the banger in my 32 pickup, I had no idea that there were other options then a flathead.
Uncle Max fixed up a pair of 97 barn finds for it as well.

[skidmarks]

How many 69 Camaro and 57 chevy's did you see at York this past week? The gold chainer shows I know dominate a lot of the magazine coverage but I don't think the flathead is gone for good. Atleast I hope not!

[36tudordeluxe]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

May have to rethink this.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I think mass production builds of flatties has wained but there are many more first timers attempting a build, probably figuring it might be cheaper that way .... imho

[oldandtired]

I am afraid it is not just the flathead going away, it is the original pre-1939 Ford. There is a 40 mile long yard sale on the road in front of my home the first weekend of June each year. I have a 37 Ford half-ton stake streetrod that sits in the carport. I belong to no car clubs, do not go to car shows, so the only people who see it are here in town when I drive it around. People who like old cars frequently ask to see it when they stop by during the yard sale and they are more than welcome to do so.
The people who chat for a while and seem genuinely interested I take out to the shop where I have 3 flathead powered vehicles I have been working on off and on when the spirit moves me. The 37 pickup is as stock as I can make it...6-V, positive ground, cable brakes, stock 37 flathead with maybe 10 minutes on the rebuild, wide-fives, bias ply black wall tires, etc. A lot of them love the way it looks and then immediately start talking about if it was theirs, they would change out the brakes, make it 12-V, change the head lights to halogens or seal beams, put in electric wipers, etc. The 1935 pickup is 6-V, positive ground, mechanical brakes, 37 engine with block-offs with maybe 5 minutes on the rebuild. and 35 heads and intake, and except for setting up the fuel system for a 36 electric fuel gauge and the 37 engine, as stock as I can get it...no box at the moment. Same comments about the '35....looks great, but....
The 39 panel has maybe 5 minutes on the stock engine rebuild, I took out the 4-speed and replaced it with a 3-speed, and they like the juice brakes, but would change them to discs, change it to 12-V, would be better without the wide-five stock wheels, etc.
All of them know someone in their car club who would be interested in buying them. One even offered me $3000 for the 35....cash.

[19Fordy]

Gee Whillikers! This thread is depressing me.
I'm 73 and can remember when flatheads were free.
Now, it seems, they have to grow on a "money tree".

[RalphM]

Oh I don't know, each time I go out into my shop I see flatheads everywhere!

[trevo]

Maybe time is catching up,here in New Zealand some 45 years ago I had a 30 Model A Tudor when an engine gave out I would travel out to farm where a mate had spotted an engine in a chassis sitting under a tree paid the farmer 20 bucks brought it home cleaned it up got it going.Flathead V8 engines were still in demand in the 70s.In the 80s I put a 48 Fhead into my Model A much cheaper than a 289 or 302 which were in demand then in the 90s 289 and 302 engines got cheaper now no one wants them so easy to get a crate engine these days I'm 65 and and the young guys are not interested in flatties or the early OHV engines sadly everything has its day the engine rebuilders are seeing less and less flatties they tell me

[Charlie ny]

I revere everything Ron says and remember our fabulous day together last year.....
HOWEVER
From my perspective the Flathead urge is as strong as ever, I'm booked solid thru
August, seriously. I just delivered a 274 cu in Flathead, the customer came to hear it
run and was on cloud nine when it fired up...Max 1 cam, a pair of new UK chrome 97's
blessed by Uncle Max, etc, etc.
This Flathead cost him 2 1/2 x what a Speedway crate 350 goes for but that's not
what's important. What is important is the history of speed and that is forever wed
to the Flathead........let's see how attendance goes at the RACE OF GENTLEMEN.
OMHO
Charlie ny

[flatjack9]

I'll echo what Charlie says. I'm still running my plumbing business, but am backing down and doing more flathead stuff. I seem to get pretty regular requests for engines or even information, which I am more than happy to give out. I think I've got about seven engine builds in line now. Thankfully everyone is patient as I tell them if they are in a hurry, I'm not the guy. And Charlie, I'll be in touch soon for more distributors.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Presently I have 3 flatties waiting for freshening. I have the hot rod engine that was in my roadster that us a 59 AB, 4" crank, L-100 cam, 30 over - should be a great little runner but I literally have nothing to put it in! I a French block also 4" crank, probably find some pistons and bore it to match, another L-100 can, Bubba's 8ba style distributor - another engine that gas no place to go. Finally, I have a 39 block bored 30 over, 3 3/4 crank, isky 77B cam, fresh valve job, just waiting on some new heavy wall sleeves to be installed and hone them to match the pistons. Once done I will probably sell this one. So much to do, so little time.

The way I see it a running flattie is what everyone is looking for. Just look at the number of AV8s being built on the HAMB. Just a dollars and cents issue that usually ends up in a rebuild anyway. Flatties are just a different animal that is not for every one, especially the uninformed, not-so-knowledgable person.

[35fordtn]

I personally don't think the flatheads are dying off. I do think the restorer crowd is though sadly. 90% of the flatheads are being built for hot rods it seems. It's crazy when a nice freshly replated original 32 radiator cap brings half that one with "patina" brings.

[tubman]

Ol' Ron, if you're right, I am in the process of making a couple of huge mistakes as we speak. I have a couple of more mistakes to make next year as well!

[1931flathead]

the problem is a lot of the older guys are not working on them and a lot of the younger guys don't under stand them there was only couple guys around me that worked on them and one guy quit do to his sick ness the other guy don't do as good work his motors don't seem to run as good

[41LjH]

I have about 2000 miles on a modified 8BA in my 41 pickup. I can't stop anywhere without drawing a crowd. I think the rarity of the Flathead will keep a certain part of the population interested for years to come.. As a friend's father once said:
"If a Flathead had 5 main bearings we would be driving them today !"

[Ol' Ron]

I'm really glad to hear this. I'm sure there will be flatheads running as long as we have gas to put into them. And yes I still have people calling me to build an engine for them, I usually send them to Want. I know he's pretty busy. I hope to get the roadster running, but it won't be this year. Good news id George is putting the Ardun back together.

[Pete/Ct.]

As lomg as we are around the flathead will live. Don't let anyone tell you any thing different. Pete/CT.