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Old 01-05-2011, 05:48 AM   #41
Tim Ayers
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Default Re: Cost of rebuild a flathead

Ron:

The $175 cost for the balance may have been a discounted price since he was doing all of the other machine work. I'll ask him what an off the street price would be next time I'm there.

Tim
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Old 01-05-2011, 08:24 AM   #42
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Default Re: Cost of rebuild a flathead

A fair price is 200.00 to balance a "standard" Flathead, by this I mean one with "standard" replacement pistons, stock conn rods, and stock crank!! It does take some experience with the factory rods to get BOTH the reciprocating and the rotating ends all equal, not all that difficult though!

Ford or Merc would be the same price!

Just to touch on an average rebuild price I would guess $4500.00/$5000.00 would get a very "professional" build with ALL new components!

Based on a recent build with some "fancy" pieces and icluding the oil-filtration mod, aftermarket Eagle crank, Scat rods, Ross pistons, Edelbrock heads, Isky cam, Johnson tappets, Melling pump, etc. I would say you'd be somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000.00/$12,000.00 depending on the entire package.

This type build would definitely require a full dyno test.

Just delivered one to customer in Fla. with all the "goodies"! Made 154 HP @ 4300 and 251# Torque @ 2200 RPM. This was "292" stroker with the new Edelbrock 1116 heads! Customer is extremely satisfied with about 700 miles already on the unit!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Each of these individual "Flattie" builds really needs to be "tailored" to the car, the one mentioned above weighs about 4000#+, being a 49/50 Merc convertible. We simply needed all the available Torque we could muster up at a respectable/driveable RPM band!!! The Isky "stick" was a great help in that department!
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Old 01-05-2011, 10:23 AM   #43
Ol' Ron
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Default Re: Cost of rebuild a flathead

It's nice to see honest Dyno numbers. I like those new Edlebrock heads.
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Old 01-05-2011, 11:55 AM   #44
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Default Re: Cost of rebuild a flathead

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It's nice to see honest Dyno numbers. I like those new Edlebrock heads.
Thanks, Ron.

We will NOT "fudge" numbers here to make thing's look better, they are what they are!

The only real way to get WAY higher numbers is to change the platform to a non-normally aspirated one, like a blower or turbo!!!

I have done a few "blown" units as well with the "B&M" setup! Haven't had the occasion however to dyno one of these. I have numbers in mind but will keep them reserved here for now!

The Edelbrock heads are OK, but we needed add'l cc's from them to hit the "target" C.R. After relieving the valve pockets, both radially and deep, and upon fire-slotting the spark plug holes to unshroud the plugs to the "charge", we were able to end up at the desired number of 78 cc's!!

(Add) Feel free too "poke" around the Flathead parts in the link here!

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/567557661EjkkPG

An interesting build, normally-aspirated, would be a 10:1 "Flattie" running on E-85. We have a number of SB's and BB's using the E-85, some are seeing above 16:1. The cost of the fuel in our area is around 2.70/gal and is very hard to "detonate", haven't lost a single piston yet from the fuel itself!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. The only issue I had with the Edelbrocks is in the fact they drill the head bolt holes WAYYYY too big! I had words with them about this issue and it actually was the main reason for us to devise the "pinned" heads/gaskets (using a pre-fabbed addition to our block-plate) similar to the SBC's!! Worked really well with keeping the heads more stabile and
should extend (copper) head gasket life some with the ARP stud kits!
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Old 01-05-2011, 12:23 PM   #45
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Default Re: Cost of rebuild a flathead

Gary, On that 292 stroker, what cam and intake were used?
Thanks
jim
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Old 01-05-2011, 01:08 PM   #46
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Gary, On that 292 stroker, what cam and intake were used?
Thanks
jim
Hi Jim, the cam was the Isky "800" I believe, no paperwork where I am at the moment, the carb was an Edel 500 4-brl, and the intake an old "Offy"!

(Add) For a "lighter" ride I would have picked a different cam, like I stated above, we were "chasing" Torque more than HP.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. During the timeframe of the build the customer was awaiting for a "new" tri-power intake, linkage, and the carbs. They weren't here in time for the test so he opted to finish the unit with the 4-brl setup! I would suspect now he actually has some add'l HP and Torque, but it would only be a "guess-timate". Probably around 10/15 or so, in that area! Would liked to have had the intake setup for the test but that wasn't "in-the-cards", this was solely the customer's choice!
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Old 01-05-2011, 09:39 PM   #47
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Default Re: Cost of rebuild a flathead

Thankyou Gary
regards
Jim
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Old 01-05-2011, 11:35 PM   #48
Ol' Ron
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Default Re: Cost of rebuild a flathead

Gary, do you have a copy of JWL's book? There is allot of dyno information comparing different modifications. I have found that the Flathead peeks at about 46-4800 RPM reguardless what cam, valves, porting, and carbonation you put on it. There are exceptions of coarse and I talking street engines. I'll be interested in your blower tests. I've spected out a 294 (3 5/16 X 4 1/4) blower motor for a friend of mine. This includes the Edelebrock heads and A Can Technique blower cam. Blower will be the Magnason Eaton system. Waiting for the blower.
Good luck Ol' Ron
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Old 01-06-2011, 07:17 AM   #49
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Default Re: Cost of rebuild a flathead

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Originally Posted by Ol' Ron View Post
Gary, do you have a copy of JWL's book? There is allot of dyno information comparing different modifications. I have found that the Flathead peeks at about 46-4800 RPM reguardless what cam, valves, porting, and carbonation you put on it. There are exceptions of coarse and I talking street engines. I'll be interested in your blower tests. I've spected out a 294 (3 5/16 X 4 1/4) blower motor for a friend of mine. This includes the Edelebrock heads and A Can Technique blower cam. Blower will be the Magnason Eaton system. Waiting for the blower.
Good luck Ol' Ron
Hi Ron, negative on the JWL (?) book, the only "Flattie" book I have here is one written by a close friend, Bill Sinclair of "Thunder-Road Flatheads". He campaigns a nostalgic stock-car up here in the Northeast! Did his "Flattie" build some years ago, still running strong!

As I stated earlier here, I never had the opportunity to dyno a blown Flathead unit but I do have a general idea about the power numbers!

With respect to building the "blown" units, keeping in mind the purpose of the blower is to greatly increase the Torque numbers, I'd be inclined to run a shorter (3.750"/4.000") stroke when built on this platform! We find the Chev's like the strokes/rod-lengths somewhat on the shorter side! This is NOT "etched-in-stone", only a general "rule-of-thumb"!! This would also require ALL pertinent input, vehicle weight, intended purpose (street or strip only, or both) rear gearing, tire height, trans, etc. to do an effective build.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. We enjoy doing the "one-off" builds, such as the "Flatheads", the old iconic "Nailheads", and many others. I have a very respectable pump-gas "Nailhead" powered Henry-J running out of Massachusetts. Customer does well with his ride, 11.1's @ 117/118! This is a "streeter", not a track only deal!
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