The Ford Ad-V8-antage

[Admiral]

Question for all of you old-timers, or at least those who are old at heart, like me. How much of an advantage was the flathead V8 back in the day? Was it a huge plus for Ford? Was it something buyers were climbing over each other to obtain? From a performance standpoint was it that much better than Chevrolet and Plymouth’s contemporary offerings? I’ve read anecdotal reports on other websites that the popularly priced three were all pretty close in performance with the Ford engine perhaps being a little less reliable. Additionally, I’ve read “Ford in the Thirties” by Paul R. Woudenberg and he touches on some of the differences between these cars but doesn’t really comment too much on performance. Do any of you guys have first-hand experience with these vehicles?

[2tudors]

Ask Bonnie and Clyde....I suppose they would have a good reason to drive fords!

[Seth Swoboda]

I may opine here and say the flathead V8 was a huge advantage. The power of the V8 combined with the pricing of the ford cars and trucks & the reliability were big. Simplicity in design and the ruggedness of the ford car and truck all were reasons why ford outsold all other manufactures for many years. There are many more early fords driving around today as compared to other makes because of these reasons. My opinion. Now I'm only 32 years old. The fellas that actually drove these cars during the 30's, 40's and 50's will chime in soon with first hand knowledge/experiences.

[Cool Kat with Hot Car]

The Fords with the V-8 were light, quick, extremely durable, and handled well compared to their contemporaries. Not many cars of any price range could out perform a V-8 in the thirties. One can look at the success of the Ford roadsters verses all others in the early stock car races such as Mines Field or Elgin for an example. The V-8 could easily be modified for more horsepower and obviously became the engine and car of choice for the hotrodders of the 30's, 40's and early 50's.

[Admiral]

Originally Posted by Seth Swoboda

I may opine here and say the flathead V8 was a huge advantage. The power of the V8 combined with the pricing of the ford cars and trucks & the reliability were big. Simplicity in design and the ruggedness of the ford car and truck all were reasons why ford outsold all other manufactures for many years. There are many more early fords driving around today as compared to other makes because of these reasons. My opinion. Now I'm only 32 years old. The fellas that actually drove these cars during the 30's, 40's and 50's will chime in soon with first hand knowledge/experiences.

Yeah, that's one thing I always notice, the number of old Fords with their original powertrains. It's relatively easy to find running and driving cars with flathead V8s under the hood, but when's the last time you saw a Chevy powered by an original babbitt-pounder, or a Plymouth with a straight six? Honestly, I can't even remember.

[jerry grayson]

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The Chevrolet and Plymouth were good family cars and had good reliability, but if you wanted a car that would "get out of its shadow" quicky you chose Ford.

Ford was in second place most of the v8 years except in 1935. No one make had a huge advantage over the others in this time period for lots of reasons and personal preference was one reason. Style had lots to do with which car a person chose and Ford was more "sporty" to some customers. Young people liked the open cars that Ford offered and the company offered more models than the other two. JMO

[2tudors]

I watched a neat youtube vid on the FBI actually testing guns till they found bullets that would actually pierce a Fords skin....Best getaway car of the time!

[fomocoloco]

Fords climbed hills.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Ford killed stock-car racing in the Elgin Mines field period...someone started a stock series involving stock roadsters, slightly stripped, in '32-34. Engines were torn down and inspected for stockness, though I doubt that this was a very sophisticated inspection...but everything at least had to look right.
Every race was won by Fords, and apparently in some of the races all Fords finished ahead of whatever was next. It was a commercial disaster as there was no actual competition between makes...
At one of the better documented races, a course that was an oval on one side and more of a road course on the other, the winning 1933 Ford was timed at 100MPH on the straight and was lapping at 80.
This is more than a power story...I don't think anyone else had the handling to be driven flat out. Others did have better brakes in many cases...there is a Bugatti quote that would actually be applicable to Ford here!

[NYfatboy]

there is a Bugatti quote that would actually be applicable to Ford here![/QUOTE]

Please tell!

[2tudors]

I have a bone stock 35 chev sedan,You have to phone ahead and tell someone you are about to pass.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Approximate Bugatti quote, when someone complained about the wretched brakes:
"I make my cars to GO, not to Stop!"

[Ken Arms]

As far as power, my tired 8rt in my f1 can smoke my buddies 52 chevy truck all day long!

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by Ken Arms

As far as power, my tired 8rt in my f1 can smoke my buddies 52 chevy truck all day long!

plus sound better, than a Babbitt Beater Six

[Henry/Kokomo]

I know the early Chevy sixes had a nasty habit of loosening rods if you drove them "enthusiastically" for any extended period. I believe Ford's pressure oiling was a big asset and contributed materially to their longevity and toughness.

[4t8v8]

I can still remember in the early 50's (yeah, I'm old) when the dirt track races were advertized as "Ford" and "non Ford races". 2tudors is right when he refers to Bonnie and Clyde. Read the letter Clyde wrote to Henry thanking him for making cars nobody else could catch.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Oiling system and stout lower end, check! I think for rodders and/or just motorists with heavy feet, the flathead was one of the first engines to have reasonable durability when run frequently at its limits and, like the SBC later on, enough strength to take major souping without major lower end work. That, and the suspension was good enough to allow those categories of people to have reasonable chances for survival!

[Admiral]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lancaster

Oiling system and stout lower end, check! I think for rodders and/or just motorists with heavy feet, the flathead was one of the first engines to have reasonable durability when run frequently at its limits and, like the SBC later on, enough strength to take major souping without major lower end work. That, and the suspension was good enough to allow those categories of people to have reasonable chances for survival!

That's a great point about durability. It's pretty amazing, without too much effort you can basically DOUBLE the output of the flathead V8. I don't think modern powerplants can handle that abuse!