What is the story with this flathead block? Raised intake area

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by Mike in AZ

hmm...so center round hole with keystone on bottom means Merc?? vs Ford with center and bottom round holes??...took a better look at Big Z's last pic? with unpainted flathead, it has center and bottom round holes, with outline from gasket of keystone??....so that makes it a Ford vs Merc??....still wondering whether 59 is on bellhousing....now i'm totally confused..lol....Mike

I see now. I just took a quick look and thought the bottom hole was a keystone. Two round holes would indicate 59 AB and should have 59 on the bellhousing. By the way, the 8Ba has the same hole pattern as the 59 AB.

[Ball and Chain]

I didn't feel like pulling the heads off my perfectly running 41 motor, i saw on van pelts site that fords in this year were green and mercs were blue. I very carefully scraped some of the now black paint off (a few different spots on the motor itself as well as the back of the crank pulley) and i see blue. Can anyone confim this?

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Ball and Chain

I didn't feel like pulling the heads off my perfectly running 41 motor, i saw on van pelts site that fords in this year were green and mercs were blue. I very carefully scraped some of the now black paint off (a few different spots on the motor itself as well as the back of the crank pulley) and i see blue. Can anyone confim this?

In 1940, Ford was installing the Merc engines in the Ford cars - albeit very few. From my research, there is no indication the engines placed in to Fords were anything but green.
My belief is Ford did not want this unofficial "swap" becoming public knowledge and thus, would have "disguised" the Merc engines by painting them green.
While I realize this may clash with common sense wisdom, that's what the research had shown to be the case.

In 1940 the installation of Merc engines in Ford cars was NOT officially sanctioned by the company. Still, they did allow it to happen on an unofficial basis. To obtain such an installation, a request seeking permission had to be made by a police department, sheriff, fire marshal, etc. on official letterhead.
I can't speak with absolute authority for 1941. It appears sometime during the '41 production the installation of Merc engines in to Fords was approved by the company.
Whether or not the company continued their effort to disguise the engines is at this pint open to speculation.

[Neal]

The 59 is cast into the top of the bellhousing. More likely yours has 99 or 95 on the bellhousing. I have one that looks just like yours and it has 95 on it. Mine is 3 3/16 bore.

Neal

Originally Posted by Ball and Chain

I have a 41 motor and it doesnt say 59 anywhere on it, all the heads say is A

war time merc

[/QUOTE]

[Ball and Chain]

Originally Posted by Neal

The 59 is cast into the top of the bellhousing. More likely yours has 99 or 95 on the bellhousing. I have one that looks just like yours and it has 95 on it. Mine is 3 3/16 bore.

Neal

[/QUOTE]

mine doesnt have a 59 a 99 or a 95 it has like a 5 digit number a an x

like 18042 X

[flatjack9]

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I have never seen 99 cast in the bellhousing. It was stamped on the intake surface, but not in all cases.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Early US 99's had the designation STAMPED up front, later prewar engines were entirely without external mark...supposedly they dropped the stamping when 239's went to blue paint to avoid assembly line confusion!
Canadian engines were well marked, with designation cast into block up front.

[dude]

This came with a 221 bore,Post WWII block,raised manifold surface,Round water hole,59 cast on bell housing. Very thick cylinder walls. Is now 239 bore with room for more.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

dude, That engine looks like a new one for me. I have had a few blocks with the 59 cast on the bell and 3-1/16 bore, but not with the raised intake, and I cain't remember if it passed the pencel test, your's look like it will hold the pencel on front like earlier engines. Walt

[G32]

Dude, unique flat block! Did it have 221 small rod journal crank/rods? 2 pre-war
features 41 raised intake deck & pencil lip front. Others?
Pan rail casting cores/with 2 ridges on each side of block?---
Flat block sides with raised exhaust port pads? --or bowed convex sides from exh port
surface to port surface?
Good pictures--thanks! Gene Tulsa

[G32]

Dude,

My question re the block sides between exhaust port surfaces should be -is it
bowed in (concave not convex).
There have been previous posts about a C59A Canadian block that had several
pre-war external casting features. Like to see pictures of that block.
Those C59A pictures are stated to be on Jalopy Journal.
I have trouble finding those pics / using that site --any tips?

Gene