The Ford Barn

Fibber Mcgee · 05-16-2014, 08:05 AM

Anyone read the article about the 50 Tudor? According to the article the guy put 216500 miles on it before any overhaul was needed on the engine. One interesting note was the guy said he didn't want a 49 because of problems of the redesigned models. I understand that for the body but they list several engine problems such as piston slap and valve noise. Has anyone ever heard of those problems on the 49s as I didn't think the engine had any major design changes for 49.

Ralph Moore · 05-16-2014, 08:51 AM

49 was the first year of the 8BA, maybe that's what he's referring to?

Fibber Mcgee · 05-16-2014, 09:20 AM

Maybe, I thought the changes were mainly the heads and distributor. I'm a little lost on the piston slap comment

Marv · 05-16-2014, 08:15 PM

I think the engines that had the piston slap were the ones with steel pistons, but i am not sure of what year. I have some piston exspander kits for them.

tubman · 05-17-2014, 10:16 AM

I remember seeing adds that said "1950 Ford, better in 50 ways". Seems that Ford realized there were problems as well.

1942deluxe · 05-17-2014, 10:34 AM

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I know the door handles and latches were an issue before the cars got very old. Met some guys in the 70's when I was the washboy at the local Ford dealership that told me they would never buy another Ford. In almost every instance their first new car was a 1949. I think they rushed the car to production because of the financial condition of the company. The 50 had the pushbutton door handles,ect. and was probably a much better car.

s55mercury66 · 05-17-2014, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marv

I think the engines that had the piston slap were the ones with steel pistons, but i am not sure of what year. I have some piston exspander kits for them.

Marv, could you post some more about the piston expanders? Sorry Fibber for the hijack, but I have never heard of these.

corvette8n · 05-17-2014, 03:15 PM

My first car was a 50 tudor my Dad paid $5.00 for it in 1964, smoked some,drove it home pulled the heads and two pistons had holes in them. I bought 2 pistons, a set of rings, rod bearings and gaskets for $50 bucks my how times have changed. I also wish I was smart enough to keep the car.

Ross F-1 · 05-17-2014, 03:26 PM

I always take those owner comments with a grain of salt. Especially when it comes to "I got 216K miles with just oil changes" kind of stuff. Back when VW Beetles were common (60's) people would make those kind of comments, then I'd see their car running, with 2 maybe 3 cylinders firing, tappets clearly out of adjustment, oil dripping everywhere. Much as I love flatheads, I have to wonder what shape one would be in after that many miles.

I can't imagine what problems a '49 8BA would have had; the engine had been in trucks for a year already and without any specific problems I've ever heard of (relative to later ones).

rotorwrench · 05-17-2014, 05:41 PM

The 8BA 239 cid engines starting in 1948 stayed pretty much the same until the valve rotators came out in 1951. There were subtle changes for belt widths on frontal accessories and the 255 cid crank in the Mercury cars but that's about it. We ran 8BA/8CM cars normally when I was a kid and they would be smooth worn out by the time they had 150K miles if they even made it that far and that's with 2000 mile oil & filter changes. I'd be sceptical about any mileage above that.

The lever latch on the 49 doors was a one year only thing. They went to the rotating star wheel after that with only the trunk latches still having the lever type on some cars.

05-16-2014, 08:05 AM	#1
Fibber Mcgee Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Callahan Fla Posts: 1,149	Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car Anyone read the article about the 50 Tudor? According to the article the guy put 216500 miles on it before any overhaul was needed on the engine. One interesting note was the guy said he didn't want a 49 because of problems of the redesigned models. I understand that for the body but they list several engine problems such as piston slap and valve noise. Has anyone ever heard of those problems on the 49s as I didn't think the engine had any major design changes for 49. __________________ Wanted, a car with a " Dynaflex Superflowing Unijet Turbovasculator which is Syncromeshed to the Multicoil Hydrotensioned Dual vacuum Dynomometer. "

05-16-2014, 08:51 AM	#2
Ralph Moore Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 1,470	Re: Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car 49 was the first year of the 8BA, maybe that's what he's referring to?

05-16-2014, 09:20 AM	#3
Fibber Mcgee Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Callahan Fla Posts: 1,149	Re: Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car Maybe, I thought the changes were mainly the heads and distributor. I'm a little lost on the piston slap comment __________________ Wanted, a car with a " Dynaflex Superflowing Unijet Turbovasculator which is Syncromeshed to the Multicoil Hydrotensioned Dual vacuum Dynomometer. "

05-16-2014, 08:15 PM	#4
Marv Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 875	Re: Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car I think the engines that had the piston slap were the ones with steel pistons, but i am not sure of what year. I have some piston exspander kits for them.

05-17-2014, 10:16 AM	#5
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,361	Re: Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car I remember seeing adds that said "1950 Ford, better in 50 ways". Seems that Ford realized there were problems as well.

05-17-2014, 10:34 AM	#6
1942deluxe Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Albion, PA Posts: 719	Re: Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I know the door handles and latches were an issue before the cars got very old. Met some guys in the 70's when I was the washboy at the local Ford dealership that told me they would never buy another Ford. In almost every instance their first new car was a 1949. I think they rushed the car to production because of the financial condition of the company. The 50 had the pushbutton door handles,ect. and was probably a much better car.

05-17-2014, 03:15 PM	#8
corvette8n Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: 36 miles north of Albany NY Posts: 2,957	Re: Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car My first car was a 50 tudor my Dad paid $5.00 for it in 1964, smoked some,drove it home pulled the heads and two pistons had holes in them. I bought 2 pistons, a set of rings, rod bearings and gaskets for $50 bucks my how times have changed. I also wish I was smart enough to keep the car.

05-17-2014, 03:26 PM	#9
Ross F-1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: NM Posts: 2,438	Re: Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car I always take those owner comments with a grain of salt. Especially when it comes to "I got 216K miles with just oil changes" kind of stuff. Back when VW Beetles were common (60's) people would make those kind of comments, then I'd see their car running, with 2 maybe 3 cylinders firing, tappets clearly out of adjustment, oil dripping everywhere. Much as I love flatheads, I have to wonder what shape one would be in after that many miles. I can't imagine what problems a '49 8BA would have had; the engine had been in trucks for a year already and without any specific problems I've ever heard of (relative to later ones). __________________ '52 F-1, EAB flathead

05-17-2014, 05:41 PM	#10
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,466	Re: Tudor in July Hemmings Classic Car The 8BA 239 cid engines starting in 1948 stayed pretty much the same until the valve rotators came out in 1951. There were subtle changes for belt widths on frontal accessories and the 255 cid crank in the Mercury cars but that's about it. We ran 8BA/8CM cars normally when I was a kid and they would be smooth worn out by the time they had 150K miles if they even made it that far and that's with 2000 mile oil & filter changes. I'd be sceptical about any mileage above that. The lever latch on the 49 doors was a one year only thing. They went to the rotating star wheel after that with only the trunk latches still having the lever type on some cars.