Moving on from the cracked block to an undocumented rebuild

[revkev6]

Hey guys, I'm a member of some Facebook flathead groups and on the same day that I found my "old" motor was cracked in the exhaust ports i happened to see a post about a motor that was supposedly fresh ready fire. I went to look at it last night and it was as advertised. pulled the pan and she was clean as a whistle. pistons and valves brand new. looks to have stock EAB cam and johnson adjustables in it. .040 over with 3 3/4 stroke. guessing it has stock type 4 ring pistons also.

here is my current thoughts... should I leave it as is and swap my edelbrock heads and offy 2x2 over and just run it, or should I pull the cam and swap it?? this is going in my 28 roadster and the cracked motor I pulled out was a .030 bored 3 3/4 stroke with an isky 77b cam. otherwise exactly the same as this one. never really felt it lacked power before. I'm kinda leaning towards just dropping it in.

[deuce_roadster]

I would run as is at first to verify it is good. You can always change out stuff later. Easy to get the motor in and out of a model A so it wouldn't be a big deal.

[revkev6]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

I would run as is at first to verify it is good. You can always change out stuff later. Easy to get the motor in and out of a model A so it wouldn't be a big deal.

I was thinking of putting it on a run stand before I install it because I cant get a torque wrench on the heads when it's in the car.

[tubman]

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I would initially keep the stock cam, especially since it's an "EAB". After some study and a little reflection, I left the stock "OCM" cam in the Merc engine in my '51 after initially planning to put in an aftermarket cam. The fact that this is a heaver car was what swayed me.

[rotorwrench]

The EAB cam was a pretty good improvement that followed fuel quality improvements of the time. A light body car like that should still perform pretty well with decent reliability to boot.

[Jason in TX]

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If you have a run stand, I'd fire it up and listen to it just because I was excited to hear it run.

I would then put that Isky 77b in it since the new engine has adjustables and run it again. I think you'll get more lope than stock.

or yeah, just drop it in and go for a drive. Chances are you won't take it out again though because you're having so much fun with the car.

[revkev6]

Along with the 77b I have this max 1 on the shelf. One lobe looks a little rough? Thoughts?

[revkev6]

[qmdv]

Boy those are big lobes.

[revkev6]

sorry about the size... not sure why the forum doesnt resize them.

anyway... I've been informed that the max 1 cam is not worth using. I still have the 77b but I'm considering keeping the cracked block it is in together and running some stop leak through it for another project. The 28 roadster needs to be done right though so a motor I depend on is key.

so if I buy a cam what would you run?? this is a .040 over 239. what cams can use stock ford valves and springs?? i'm guessing with the small motor I don't have to go to a cam that would need chevy valves and better springs??

just trying to weigh cost vs performance and sound

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by revkev6

sorry about the size... not sure why the forum doesnt resize them.

anyway... I've been informed that the max 1 cam is not worth using. I still have the 77b but I'm considering keeping the cracked block it is in together and running some stop leak through it for another project. The 28 roadster needs to be done right though so a motor I depend on is key.

so if I buy a cam what would you run?? this is a .040 over 239. what cams can use stock ford valves and springs?? i'm guessing with the small motor I don't have to go to a cam that would need chevy valves and better springs??

just trying to weigh cost vs performance and sound

Go on youtube and search for 'flathead V8', 'AV8' or something similar. You will get to hear a lot of different cam sounds!

[revkev6]

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe

Go on youtube and search for 'flathead V8', 'AV8' or something similar. You will get to hear a lot of different cam sounds!

true, but they don't give you the build in a lot of cases. I have a set build already and would be just trying to swap a cam if possible.

[tubman]

I see the words "depend on" in your post. Since you already have the EAB, I think that changing the cam (especially to a regrind with a smaller base circle) would be a waste of time and money.

[Bulligen]

I agree with tubman

[revkev6]

Originally Posted by tubman

I see the words "depend on" in your post. Since you already have the EAB, I think that changing the cam (especially to a regrind with a smaller base circle) would be a waste of time and money.

not like I'm doing road trips in it but I want another 25 years before I mess with it. I have been limiting myself to around town trips because the radiator was getting very leaky. I have a new walker to drop in and solve that problem. the 77b that was in the other motor is a mild cam and runs good. it's in a light car so it doesn't "need" big bottom end like the stock cam would provide. something with a little more lope than the 77b would make me smile... I drive this car with open pipes most of the time as it is too quiet otherwise, my son bless his heart will ask me to take off the dump covers if I put them back on... I tell him "nope! but you can if you want!" he gets a big smile and breaks out the tools. love having my 7 now 8 year old boy wrench on it.

rest of the bolt on items are
mallory dual point from 1991
offy regular dual intake with two 97's
edelbrock heads that I will make sure are at the recommended .040 clearance
39 trans with ford gears and a 3.78 banjo
11" truck clutch

[rotorwrench]

A lot of folks like the L100 grind from Kiwi Kev.

[JSeery]

I would for sure replace the 11 inch clutch setup! I would go to a 9 inch or a 10inch at least. That 11 inch will really hurt performance.

[RalphM]

Originally Posted by JSeery

I would for sure replace the 11 inch clutch setup! I would go to a 9 inch or a 10inch at least. That 11 inch will really hurt performance.

Especially in a T bucket!

I'm running a 1007B grind on an original cam, 8BA 265 ci in a AV8.. not super lopey, but runs good.

[revkev6]

Ok.. pulled the timing cover off and what I thought was an eab cam based on the casting is stamped as an 8rt...

[tubman]

OK, I give you permission to change the cam.