Any demand for 3 3/4 8BA cranks

[Steve in Denver]

I know they are too heavy to ship, but I put a 4 inch mercury crank in my 8BA. I have no use for the 3 3/4, 20 under I think. Should I try to sell it locally or let it go to the scrapper?

[Krylon32]

I had a NOS French 3 3/4 crank and finally got 400.00 out of it. Forgot I had to throw in 8 new 8BA rods.

[bobH]

My local flathead machine shop/rebuilder has offered these for free. 'Course, this was at least five years ago.

[Tim Ayers]

At guy at Hershey had twelve 3 3/4" cranks as tent weights. When I asked him about it, he said, "What the hell else am I going to do with them?"

I got a chuckle out of that.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Steve in Denver

I know they are too heavy to ship, but I put a 4 inch mercury crank in my 8BA. I have no use for the 3 3/4, 20 under I think. Should I try to sell it locally or let it go to the scrapper?

Scrap

[tubman]

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I have one good 8BA crankshaft "under the stairs" in my shop; well, just because I wouldn't want to be in the position where I didn't have one available.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Steve in Denver

I know they are too heavy to ship, but I put a 4 inch mercury crank in my 8BA. I have no use for the 3 3/4, 20 under I think. Should I try to sell it locally or let it go to the scrapper?

What the heck would be wrong with making a standing offer, FREE of charge, to anyone who might need one? I mean .....if you're willing to toss it anyway.....! DD
.

[Newc]

They are perfect for a loow buck $ engine. Used parts thru out or someone planning on high rpms- Ron will tell us. Newc

[RBRanche]

I'm by far a expert on flatheads but seems to me a guy could offset grind a 3 3/4 crank to come close to the same stroke as a mercury crank and use early rods. Giving the price and availability of merc cranks, is this an option that's been explored?

[Mart]

Good for use in a low buck rebuild of a 59A. Use with the 8BA rods to use the cheaper later bearings.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by RBRanche

I'm by far a expert on flatheads but seems to me a guy could offset grind a 3 3/4 crank to come close to the same stroke as a mercury crank and use early rods. Giving the price and availability of merc cranks, is this an option that's been explored?

I have not purchased pistons for an 3 3/4" offset ground crank, but I'd think those would be a special order piston due to wrist pin height. Add that to the cost of the machine work, I would think you would be at or over the cost of finding a 4" crank.

That was the trick prior to Ford making the 4" crank. I think that fell out of favor once 4" cranks were readily available.

[mfirth]

I'm with V8COOPMAN & Mart. Keep or give to someone. Mount it on the wall as "art"......

[alanwoodieman]

I use them to convert 59a blocks and even an A block can be converted , I pull the sleeves bore to 239 standard piston use the 19a rear seal adapter and get a good running original looking 29 to 41 engine

[Kube]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

What the heck would be wrong with making a standing offer, FREE of charge, to anyone who might need one? I mean .....if you're willing to toss it anyway.....! DD
.

I did make this type of offer on cranks, cams, radiators, starters, generators, etc. NO takers.
I did have a few folks suggest that if I shipped them for free, they'd take them.

[1937sedandelivery]

don't know how to post actual picture....

[19Fordy]

1937: Neat idea. When you get time, paint your mailbox crankshaft black.

[tubman]

Actually, that not a flathead crankshaft because they are too short for this actual purpose.

Straight eight cranks are best.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 1937sedandelivery

don't know how to post actual picture....

[Alaska Jim]

My brother had one ground to 3 7/8 several years ago. still has not used it, and does not know if he ever will.

[Ronnieroadster]

Originally Posted by RBRanche

I'm by far a expert on flatheads but seems to me a guy could offset grind a 3 3/4 crank to come close to the same stroke as a mercury crank and use early rods. Giving the price and availability of merc cranks, is this an option that's been explored?

There had been some racing organizations in the mid west that allowed the Ford crank to be offset ground so pistons were once available for this purpose. The 3 -3/4 crank would end up becoming 3-7/8 stroke. The problem with this today is that a custom set of pistons needs to be made for this odd offset so this would pretty much eliminate any value to the idea.
As for giving away the Ford cranks to anyone wanting one for free its great for a local give away where its picked up in person. The game changer is the shipping cost for that free crank its going to be very expensive. Shipping would be a couple hundred dollars easily.

Considering how frugal most barn member's are I don't see any cranks being shipped.
Ronnieroadster

[38 coupe]

Years ago I was given a 59A crank stroked to 3 7/8. I wouldn't mind using it, but I am too cheap to pay for custom pistons. Anyone have a good set of 3 7/8 pistons they want to get rid of?

[Straightpipes]

I have a half dozen 3 3/4 cranks. Anybody wants them can come here ( Ballston Spa, NY) and take all of them. All or none.

[Brian]

You guys with 3 7/8 cranks; why not simply use std 3 3/4 stroke pistons? Sure, they'll slightly pop up [.060" or so]. Big deal. With the amount you need to plane off of stock heads in order to achieve .040" squish, I'd say if you had some stock heads, you'd not need to open up the domes very much at all to get a nice tight piston/head measurement. Would be a cheap build. Alternatively, use cometic head gaskets, they'll make them any thickness you desire, but aren't cheap!

[Ronnieroadster]

Originally Posted by Brian

You guys with 3 7/8 cranks; why not simply use std 3 3/4 stroke pistons? Sure, they'll slightly pop up [.060" or so]. Big deal. With the amount you need to plane off of stock heads in order to achieve .040" squish, I'd say if you had some stock heads, you'd not need to open up the domes very much at all to get a nice tight piston/head measurement. Would be a cheap build. Alternatively, use cometic head gaskets, they'll make them any thickness you desire, but aren't cheap!

A better choice for head gaskets that cost less than the cometic and are reusable for a lifetime would be solid copper made by Clark gasket company. Clark could make them thicker thus reducing the interference some. Clark solid copper gaskets seal the cylinders of the Ford flatheads used to power the fastest flathead roadster to date at 219 MPH.
Ronnieroadster

[bobH]

Originally Posted by Ronnieroadster

As for giving away the Ford cranks to anyone wanting one for free its great for a local give away where its picked up in person. The game changer is the shipping cost for that free crank its going to be very expensive. Shipping would be a couple hundred dollars easily.

Considering how frugal most barn member's are I don't see any cranks being shipped.
Ronnieroadster

I've always thought I was the cheap one. But, case in point, I bought a Merc Crank from Walt Dupont (right coast), and he shipped it to me (left coast). 'Course that was a few years ago. So, my take is, if a guy really needed/wanted a crank, he ought to be able to face the shipping. (And, on the other hand, not worth shipping, if it's a stock 3-3/4 8BA crank, IMO)

[Steve in Denver]

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Thanks everyone. I talked to one of our local flat head guys. He has 8 in the corner and does not want a 9th one. I might get a nickel for it at the scrapper.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Steve in Denver

Thanks everyone. I talked to one of our local flat head guys. He has 8 in the corner and does not want a 9th one. I might get a nickel for it at the scrapper.

SOMEBODY is gonna want that thing just as soon as you throw it in the junk pile! DD

[tomcarman]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

SOMEBODY is gonna want that thing just as soon as you throw it in the junk pile! DD

So true. I understand that everything has a usable life until it is worn beyond repair, but if perfectly good flat head parts keeping getting scrapped because they have no monetary value or demand at what point does the supply dry up for the future? Seems like if this trend continues soon enough we'll only be seeing pictures of these sort of things in a magazine or at a museum. Please think again before scrapping it.
Tom

[GB SISSON]

I have four great and hardworking kids raised in the THICK of this FHV8 world, and they will never need a 3 7/8 crank and my freshly ground 10/20 merc crank will also go for maybe a quarter. Sniffle. I better get onto that 255 8ba I keep blabbing about....

[flatford8]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

I have four great and hardworking kids raised in the THICK of this FHV8 world, and they will never need a 3 7/8 crank and my freshly ground 10/20 merc crank will also go for maybe a quarter. Sniffle. I better get onto that 255 8ba I keep blabbing about....

I’m in the same boat. My wife and I have three sons between us. They all understand my obsession, but only have polite interest in listening to me go on about my hobby. I have hope for my grandson. Somebody is gonna get a hell of a deal on a bunch of stuff before I go tits up.......Mark

[Ross F-1]

You never know if you'll need one. One of the flywheel bolts on my crank got galled and stripped the hole. If I ever have the engine out again I'll throw a spare crank in. For now it's got a larger bolt in it.