Pros and cons of Lincoln flatheads

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Henry Floored

The 337 Lincolns were raced in '50 and '51. While they didn't win overall they ran very competitively with the new OHV Gm V8's most notably the Olds 88.

Those Olds V8s were ONLY 303 CU IN. DD

[Jason in TX]

The Conforth Lincoln racer was the car to beat at TROG. Fast as lightning.

[Newc]

Hi Ken Austin developed the Lincoln parts in the '50s, and sold the product line to H&H. It's all good stuff for your Hot Rod Lincoln. Those 337's are cheap to purchase to get started. Newc

[V8COOPMAN]

Ready to get serious! DD

[Henry Floored]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Those Olds V8s were ONLY 303 CU IN. DD

Don't know what to make of this. The Hudson Hornets used to give 'em fits.

[Henry Floored]

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Originally Posted by Jason in TX

The Conforth Lincoln racer was the car to beat at TROG. Fast as lightning.

Very cool. So I take it this car did well against the tough Chevy six powered Chev roadster? Not sure of the fellow's name.

[skidmarks]

Originally Posted by Henry Floored

Don't know what to make of this. The Hudson Hornets used to give 'em fits.

49 to 53 were 303 ci. 54 it went to 324

[jagnweiner]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Ready to get serious! DD

Does anyone else see the irony of all those lightening holes in that axle holding up that heavy Lincoln mill?

[drfrankenklein]

This guy is smoking some good stuff wanting $800 for a 2x2 intake! LoL! The guy he gotten the molds from originally had these for $300.00... Look around you find parts and some speed parts for the 337's....

[Henry Floored]

Originally Posted by jagnweiner

Does anyone else see the irony of all those lightening holes in that axle holding up that heavy Lincoln mill?

That's an effort to reduce "unsprung" weight. This would help the axle react to bumps on the road easier as an example.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

Originally Posted by skidmarks

49 to 53 were 303 ci. 54 it went to 324

Then they went to 370, I worked for the Olds - Cad Co. in 57 to 60. Walt

[Henry Floored]

Originally Posted by Walt Dupont--Me.

Then they went to 370, I worked for the Olds - Cad Co. in 57 to 60. Walt

Walt I mean this with all due respect either OHV Ford engines were actually terrible or they they had an undeserved terrible reputation during the 50's because it appears to me that hot rodders would convert to any brand OHV except for Ford.

This has bothered me my whole life. Seems like a shame that Ford let their reputation as a V8 company go to hell after the Flathead era.

It is kind of an ironic twist that for two years straight a Ford Y-block has taken top honors in the "vintage engine" class at the Amsoil Engine Masters competition. The class is only two years old.

Now the winners were pretty well built Y-blocks obviously created by two different true "engine masters", but there were also solid performances by less aggressive combinations and even a surprise result from a 368 Lincoln and a 430 MEL.

What was wrong with OHV Fords in the 1950's?

[Henry Floored]

Originally Posted by Jason in TX

The Conforth Lincoln racer was the car to beat at TROG. Fast as lightning.

Someone forgot to tell this guy that the 337 Lincoln sucks and is too heavy.

[Ol' Ron]

I'd love to hear a V12 Lincoln with an L-100 cam.

[big job]

Whats wrong with early Y blocks. Answer = junk oil, lack of oil changing. I remember
those so sledged up when they were only 4-5yrs old. Sad as it is, many back then
poured #90 gear oil in them. On or about 1964 the PVC valve came in, big improvement. I look back and people did stupid things back then - putting saw dust
in rear axles corn and pepper in radiators molasses in the crankcase. oh well thats
what was done. I have 4 big Y blocks 332's clean no problem at all. They really have
more power than my 460 injected 'dog' in a late F350. So now If one has a $30,000
vehicle would you do those things to your engine? NO

[big job]

We have 3, 337's in stock of which one has 12,000 miles. My above reply on the
460 'dog' I have been working time to time milling an adapter plate 337 to AOD
4x4. Thinking re drilling 460 to 337 flex plate keeping starter housing. Why, can't
deal with 3mpg down hill 460 fuel injected junk. Yes gone back to dealer with no avail.
Snow Sat plowed & got 4 hrs, tank of gas. thats not acceptable.. Meanwhile a F6
sander runs all night and use couple three gallons

[rotorwrench]

FoMoCo came out with the FE block in the late 50s but it didn't really come alive until the 390 cid was developed. That was one of Ford's "light bulb on" better ideas. The Y-blocks were good torque engines and could be built to be even better but the later 390 FE block was good right out of the box.

[cretin]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

I'd love to hear a V12 Lincoln with an L-100 cam.

The '36 roadster we built recently has a Lincoln V-12, and before going to GNRS we didn't have the chance to get mufflers on it, so it was just straight piped.
I loved how it sounded, it sounded like an airplane.
However, I don't know what cam is in it. Are there performance cams available for it?

Hearing that engine really solidified my want to do a lakester with a Lincoln V-12 in it.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by Henry Floored

Walt I mean this with all due respect either OHV Ford engines were actually terrible or they they had an undeserved terrible reputation during the 50's because it appears to me that hot rodders would convert to any brand OHV except for Ford.

This has bothered me my whole life. Seems like a shame that Ford let their reputation as a V8 company go to hell after the Flathead era.

It is kind of an ironic twist that for two years straight a Ford Y-block has taken top honors in the "vintage engine" class at the Amsoil Engine Masters competition. The class is only two years old.

Now the winners were pretty well built Y-blocks obviously created by two different true "engine masters", but there were also solid performances by less aggressive combinations and even a surprise result from a 368 Lincoln and a 430 MEL.

What was wrong with OHV Fords in the 1950's?

Well, they were low on HP compared to other engines and as someone said, a little sludge clogged the oil passages to the top end and that would quickly kill the valve train.

I have a Snap-on tool used to forcibly eject the sludge out of the top end oil passages for Y blocks, so it was a known problem.

It really wasn't until the 312 did Ford get their OHV engine worked out. Unfortunately, their reputation preceded them. Plus, weren't they heavy and long compared to other OHV engines?

It's hard to even compare a 283 SBC to any Y block. Shortly after the 283 came out, guys had a lot of tricks to wake up those 283's. Plus, there was a host of A/M support for the Olds and SBC engines, not so much for the Y-block.

Ford's OHV engine was a day late and a dollar short.

I think that about sums it up.

[Henry Floored]

I wasn't there but here is a '57 Ford putting some work in. This is a Y-block pure stock drag racer against a 60's muscle car.

https://youtu.be/LS37qHLtVrs