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Putting aside the later 60 HP 136, only the 1932-1934 221 flathead did 65 HP. The flathead got more powerful every couple years, with improvements in breathing and fuel delivery, and of course, increases in cubic inches. The 221 peaked at around 90 HP, the 239 got to 125 HP as did the Mercury 255, and the 337 got up to 155 HP when the flathead was discontinued in 1951. Being low compression engines, the flathead takes to turbo- and supercharging very nicely, and a blown one will produce 300+ HP, with some drag and salt flat cars putting out even more still. But even so, HP isn't the whole equation...A 65 HP car can do 200 MPH with the right gearing. It won't get there fast, but with enough road they can still get fast enough to melt the tires.

@@barrysnell6775 Melting the tires refers to initial acceleration rather than high speed. Thanks for the very detailed flathead history lesson.

@@johngallagher912 Sure, but your point in using that phrase was the implication that Ford Flatheads didn't have enough power. But even then, 60 HP is still enough power to spin the tires in a light car with the right gears...And T/A roadsters were about 1,200 pounds with the straight 4, so they'd probably be 1,400-1,500 pounds with a flathead V8. That's not very heavy. And with skinny vintage tires with a small contact patch, a good first gear, not to mention most of the weight is up front, you could smoke the tires all the way down the block on 60 horses. Teenagers didn't start putting flatheads in Model Ts for nothing, after all. 😉

Great grandad to the Barra

That's what the mesh coverings over the carbs are for!

Thanks John !!!

Well it’s rumoured the first auto race happened five minutes after the second car was made