Flathead Fun this Weekend

[Vic Piano]

Well it took us a little over five hours to get the new Flathead in the '53 Panel but she's resting between the frame rails now. All that is left to do is install the starter and starter plate and hook up the headers and front motor mount. I'll hopefully get most of that done tomorrow. Thanks to Mike, Don & Steve for all your help, as always it is much appreciated. Here are a few photos of the transplant.

[jdl]

Nice... great picture, making progress is always good. keep us posted please.

[Steves46]

Hi Vic. I really enjoyed helping out and hopefully will be able to do the same next Saturday. I can hardly wait to hear that baby fire-up!

Originally Posted by Vic Piano

Well it took us a little over five hours to get the new Flathead in the '53 Panel but she's resting between the frame rails now. All that is left to do is install the starter and starter plate and hook up the headers and front motor mount. I'll hopefully get most of that done tomorrow. Thanks to Mike, Don & Steve for all your help, as always it is much appreciated. Here are a few photos of the transplant.

[Henry Floored]

Hey Vic, not only do you have a cool panel truck, but your friends are incredibly handsome too! ; )

[Tommy Gun]

Nice panel! I like the progress. Some nice goodies in the background also.....

[Vic Piano]

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Originally Posted by Henry Floored

Hey Vic, not only do you have a cool panel truck, but your friends are incredibly handsome too! ; )

Mike, that's why I posted the photo of you and Steve and not me...

[Vic Piano]

Almost ready to fire up...

[oldbugger]

I dont know , Vic the color just, well , would look better in my car

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by oldbugger

I dont know , Vic the color just, well , would look better in my car

I don't particularly care for the original Ford red but the Flathead looked too nice to paint over. Anyway, I'm leaving it basically stock. We'll rebuild the one that we pulled out and pump it up a little bit and put it back in the Panel with the '49 Merc three speed W/O tranny that I got. Should make the Panel an excellent boulevard cruiser...

[oldbugger]

Vic, I think you guys are having too much fun. I was tring to find an excuse that you might put that pretty orange motor in my barn, for one of my projects. Have fun!

[PeteVS]

Is there any difference between that engine color and that seen on other types of engines?

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by oldbugger

Vic, I think you guys are having too much fun. I was tring to find an excuse that you might put that pretty orange motor in my barn, for one of my projects. Have fun!

I lucked out when my friend Pete called me and let me know the Flathead was available, saved me some time in having to rebuild the one we pulled out of the Panel Truck. We're rebuilding an 8BA for my '53 Convertible right now and I also lucked out when another friend sold me a 221 ci., 85 H.P. crate motor (he found in an old Ford Dealership), now I've got an extra Flathead for our '39 CS when the time comes.

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by PeteVS

Is there any difference between that engine color and that seen on other types of engines?

That color is original Ford Red however; it has been mistaken for Chevy Orange

[Vic Piano]

Ok, it's Saturday and Steve is here. We hooked up the starter, etc. and were ready to crank the motor to make sure we have oil pressure but the battery is dead. We've got it on a charger now so we'll see if she will crank in just a bit... Time for a cold glass of southern table wine (ice tea).

[Vic Piano]

Now I've got an enigma wrapped in a puzzle... We put the "new" Flathead in the '53 Panel and I hooked up the wiring (same as it was). I had to get a good 6 volt battery and I installed a solenoid with a push button for remote starting. We tried to fire it up several times using the starter button on the dash but no go... Yesterday I went out to give it another try and discovered that the dash mounted starter button would not work so I had to use the button on the solenoid and still she won't fire. I'm getting spark (although not as strong as I would like) and I'm getting fuel and still no go! Any ideas as to what could be wrong

I should mention that the stock '53 starter button is a two wire type not the one wire as earlier cars and trucks were.

[Pete Fl/Wi]

Vic, Should not be a factor, but I had it set up on 12 volts. Did you switch coil?
Pete

[Vic Piano]

Hi Pete, Yep, I put a 6 volt coil in it. I'm confused because everything worked just fine (as far as the electrical system goes) before I pulled the sick Flathead. Why the in dash starter button worked one day and not the next is a mystery

[Pete Fl/Wi]

Vic, Good luck. I will be watching your progress. Flathead Fun???
Pete

[Vic Piano]

Pete, I don't have time to mess with it during the week so it'll have to wait till Saturday. I keep telling myself that this is fun

[Steves46]

Vic, when you get back to it on Saturday, let me offer a couple of other suggestions: remove the distributor cap and while you hit the start button on the solenoid, see what the points are doing; next, pull the top wire of the coil and hold it close to the block and see if you are getting a good spark; if you are getting a weak spark, you may want to change the condenser and see if that makes a difference. Good luck and hope you find the cause. Steve.