The Sweet Sounds of a Flathead Ford V8
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2024
- This motor came in as a block with original crank with the machine work completed in preparation for a rebuild. The parts came from Honest Charley Speed Shop, spec'd by hot rodding ace Mike Goodman including custom polished Sharp heads and dual carb intake. Hal Everett spent some quality time assembling the motor and getting the carbs tuned as well as figuring out some distributor and water pump fitment issues. The result is one of the best sounding flathead motors that we have ever heard (and believe us we've heard a whole bunch of them). We threw this video together just to share the sweet sounds of this engine in a short RUclips clip, but couldn't bring ourselves to cut it any shorter. So forgive us, it is a little long, but such an awesome sounding engine, we just had to share.
Technical Specifications for this engine build:
Wayne Pugh's Honest Charley prepared Street performance Flathead. Intended use: 1940 Ford Coupe
Engine: 1946 59AB
Bore : 3 3/8"
Stroke: 4" Merc crank
CID: 286 CID
Heads: Sharp-fully polished
Cam: Isky 400 JR., '49-'53 8BA type
Springs: Isky single 185-G
Valves/Guides: 1.5" diameter, 8BA type. 45 degree seats
Rods: Scat H-beam
Pistons: Ross forged
Rings: Moly-metric
Intake: Sharp 2 x 2. Fully polished
Carbs: Stromberg 97. New. .043 jets
Air cleaners: OTB dome top 4140
Carb linkage : Stromberg premium
Rear breather: OTB 6825
Distributor: Mallory Unilite, '49-'53 8BA type.
Water pumps: modern '49-'53 8BA type. Bypass plugged
Crank pulley: Removed and relocated forward for alignment & to mount stock '40 Ford fan.
Gaskets: Best brand. Graftite head gaskets.
Starter: Powermaster Vintage
Alternator: Powermaster early look
Headers: Reds, open exhaust
All parts, final assembly and startup by Honest Charley Speed Shop.
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My first car was the 1937 Ford V-8 two-door fastback I bought from my father in 1950 when I turned 17. He had replaced it two years before with a new 48 Chevy. The Ford sat, basically undriven except for test drives of our work, as he took me, step by step, through all of that car's issues. I learned things like putting a washer under the cap of the mechanical fuel pump to compensate for wear of the pushrod off the camshaft, tuning the carb that constantly drifted out of adjustment, hand tightening the brake cables (the brakes were mechanical, not hydraulic and cable always stretched), polishing the headlight reflectors (Ford did not have sealed beam headlights) and so on.
We took off the heads, adjusted valves, cleaned valves and cylinders, replaced spark plugs, rebuilt the condenser, replaced wiring, installed a hot water heater (it was bought without one), ditto installed a radio, replaced the windshield because it had been scratched up with use, replaced front wheel bearings and replaced the failing generator with a good rebuilt from Pep Boys.
As a result, when I finally had the keys and full possession, it was not just a car. It was MY car.
Also, as a result, when I was drafted in the Korean War at 19yo, I aced the tests for auto mechanic, graduated top of the auto mechanic school, aced the truck mechanic school, was sent to The Armor School at Fort Knox, graduated top of Tank Mechanic class, graduated top of the training sessions for tank and other track vehicle Instructor - and was appointed, still only 19, as instructor at The Armor School.
All the result of that beautiful 1937 Ford V-8. I wish now I had not sold her the day before I went into the Army.
Sounds similar to the start of my career. Learnt all things mechanical from my step father. By the time I left school I was ready for a career as an aircraft maintenance engineer (1978). Duxed the intake (132 of us) in theory and practical because dad made it a breeze. 131 of the others couldn't grasp the fact that I never studied and never made notes. If I didn't understand what was being taught I'd ask the instructor to explain in another way, if it made sense it stick and therefore I wouldn't need repeating the lesson through books.
Love you dad, you'll kick the big C to the curb in four weeks time I'm sure, I'm with you...
Great story. Loved it.
My ex girlfriend used to tell a similar story about changing the tire on her prius
Scott Leighton what’s a Prius? Is it one of those rental scooters 🛴 always strewn about in the college areas?
@@stopglobalswarming She was from California I'm not sure she could tell the difference
Fuel and air goes in, Liberty and Bald Eagles comes out. What a beauty!
That engine is the sound of the USA, I'm Australian and flatheads are rare here, but they are unmistakable, Ford USA.
@Herman Lipshitz Always plenty of cold beer ready.
Liberal tears are the sludge on the bottom of the oil pan that gets drained out and thrown away.
@@indridcold8433 So only conservatives can like the sound of a flathead? Now that's a stupid comment. Do you understand what the word conservative means? Ya it describes someone who bangs the bible and doesn't like his kids listening to that Devil music called Rock and Roll. Conservative whiny tears crying about liberals are hysterical. And I'm a damn Independent for Christ's sakes.
Ciro Singleterry hell yeah brother.
My Dad, who passed away at 91, 9 months ago, said nothing sounded better than a flathead. I wish I could have sent him this video. 👍
Who needs a radio when you can listen to a great motor while you're cruising down the road!?
Dentists like small electric motors
Both true
The best sound I've heard since my wife told me she was leaving me !
Both Sounds are glorious.. freedom + put putt puttt broaaaaa fart lol ;)
Was she a flathead?
@@Rob-jh3eo flat chest
44wetwater 44wetwater best comment
😁😁😁
That may qualify as music, Chevy guy but love those flatheads!!!
I'm a Chevy guy inside & out but the sound of a flathead Ford v8 is just magical.
I built automatic transmissions 35 yrs (also chevy guy).2 guys doing chev vs ford thing chevy guy said..."tell him best automatic transmission ever made.....OK Ford C-6....how about TH 400 yep great transmission but I personally think C-6s are nearly bulletproof...Chevy guy mad@ me...lol
@@packingten Most Chevy guys like Ford stuff. 300 six cylinders, 351 Clevelands, 5.0s , 9 inch rear ends to name a few. It's usually cheaper to make Chevy HP, but each their own.
Chevy guy too but the purr and roar of that flathead was beautiful :-)
There has never been a better sounding V8 than the Ford flathead...bar none. It is to gasoline engines what the 2 stroke Detroit's were to diesel engines. That's a fact...not an opinion !!!
Had a 1949 Ford with a flat head just like this one. Ran it with twin 36" glass packs. The sound was so sweet when cruising.
I remember those glass packs and drag plugs
Flatheads should be in the engine hall of fame.
I'm a Chevy guy that also loves the Ford flat head V8.
With you Eric, Chevy dude here too, but our gang started out with flatheads, so I cannot ignore them. Rode around town many miles just cruisin' in several of them.
From an engineering stand point it's not that great, and that's important to be in the engine hall of fame.
But in pretty much every other way, it's a cool engine.
IMNOTA From an engineering standpoint it was the best performing bang for the buck from the 1930’s until a GM introduced the OHV V-8.
@@Boss429.. Yeah I guess price of manufacturing was something I didn't really take into consideration. You could also say that the ease of maintenance and fixing is great engineering. But I was talking about efficiency, those engines having very low power outputs despite the quite large displacement and high compsumption and that's something quite important. Anyways it still has it's place in the engine hall of fame because I'm sure it had it's role in making engines and cars in general evolve.
Despite Fords flaws the Sound of their engines keep me coming back
That really does sound nice. There is no hesitation when you open the throttle, just instant response.
that's the best sounding flathead I ever heard
wonderful ring tone
I’m 64 years old now. And I can still remember the pure unadultered sound of Dad’s ‘54 pickup truck fitted with a Flathead.
I am residing in South Africa, where they were as popular as in the ‘States.
Don't worry about the video being long, I could listen to that idle all day! It has the same lope at idle as a Curtis Wright 3350 radial aircraft engine. I love it!
Rode many miles in cars&trucks with flathead V8..Dad had a small trucking/moving service we had a 50 ford 11/2 ton truck...it would haul ANYTHING loved that low gear whine...Then. We had a 53 Ford wagon....w "Ford O Matic"...ugly car but a good one..Sure miss those days with my Daddy...RIP Dad...You never get over losing you father when your a boy...
I am going to put these engine sound on a continuous loop and let the sound lull me to sleep.
V8's will never go away because of the music they make.
I love that "loping cam," ha, ha, ha. Had a couple of these old flatheads, back in the day. 1955-56
Jeez that thing sounds MEAN....im an LS guy but man do i love these 53 and older fords
Spent many hours of my misspent youth working on V8 flatties. My best friend had A '35Ford three window coupe, A '49 Ford 1.5 ton flatbed, A ' 51Ford coupe and A '52 Murc coupe. Wish I could have bought all of them from him but I was too young and poor. I did buy A 60 T-Bird from him but that one had A 352 in it.
Lost track of the guy about 20 year's ago. He taught me every depraved thing I know!
AHH, our teachers. they were the best.
He was your best friend and you lost track of him? Man..? In your entire life, you'll never have more "TRUE" friend's than you can count on (1) hand...should look him up ..
My dad and I rebuilt one of these in the winter of 1960. I learned a lot from him that winter. When we finished the engine, it went in a 1933 B Model Ford Pickup. Drove it just enough the next year or so, then went into the Air Force. Dad passed it on to someone else. Good days.
They say Clyde Barrow liked the Flathead Ford V-8s because they could easily outrun the cops. I think he liked them because their sound kept Bonnie horny.
She even wrote a poem about it:"When Clyde winds out that flathead V8, panty pudding it does create".
Bruce Walters i
Bruce Walters You do know that they were cop killing criminals.
Bruce Walters - Congratulations! You have just retroactively won the Internet with that comment, despite it having been made over a year ago!
Bruce Walters clyde would only steal a ford...flathead v8!
I pulled lumber on a green chain as a 15 year old kid...Lumber carriers hauled the finished load over to the kilns and they were all powered by flathead V-8's with a flex pipe exhaust....Never got tired of hearing those cool little motors cackle!
That sound brings back memories. Just awesome.
Nice job sir, thanks for keeping em alive.
Back in 1960 I had a 1951 Ford Convertible with a Flathead V-8 in it. Bad ass car. I wish I still had it.
My memory goes back to the Hixson Drag Strip and my '53 Ford I use to run there in 1958/9. WOW, I want one !!
My first car was a 1953 Mercury with a flat head......never, ever sounded as sweet as this!
that things runs so well it's incredible. excellent rebuild!
One of my friends was curious why I loved the Flathead so much. I showed him this video, and he fell in love a little bit himself. I gotta say though, I wish the engine had been revved up gradually, I'd love to use this in a sound pack for a truck in a game. It's just so... Meaty. Doesn't get much better than a Flathead!
Nice job sir, thanks for keeping em alive. - Back in the sixties in Norway, my father had a Simca Vedette(Ariane) Wth a V8 flathead. I still remember the sound.
That is flat out BADASS!! Never ever heard one run that good.
There is no other sound on the planet that sounds better than a V8 Engine.... Flatheads sound Phenomenal.... This new crap v6 engines will never give you the vibration, sound or the thrills... If it ain't got a V8 it's got nothin.....
totally true
the new v6 not sound cool
anyway i dont get a hard one from it
but this beauty makes everything awake hahahaha
Dentists like small electric motors
Best sound ever... I had a 48 coupe with the flathead, loved the car
Sounds like a ww2 fighter plane interceptor at idle. Damn sounds great
That is the best lumpy idle I have ever heard.
The flatheads I build in my garage when I started racing in the 60's sounded like that and pulled damn near as good as a small block Chevy engine.
I personally built the hopped '47 Merc that's in my A-V8 highboy. 1/8th x 3/8ths, 1939 McCulloch top hat blower (no boost, but it looks fabulous!) with dual 97's, L100 cam, aluminum f/wheel, etc.. It pulls like a locomotive up to 5500, and has every bit as much grunt as a stock 4bbl 283 Chevy! So much torque I can start out in 3rd. LOVE that old side-valve V8!
Ok don't get carried away. I love these engines too but to say they compare to a small block chevy ?
WHAT A SWEET GLORIOUS SOUND FROM FORD AND CHARLY'S SPEED SHOP - That is what a proper 1930s hot rod should sound like!
Goosebumps all over, damn what a nice running engine....
This engine helped build America!
Always loved the look and sound of this engine!!!!
Very soothing music to my ears. I use to have a 302 cleveland standing alone, I'd start it up just to listen to the music.
I had a sluggish V8 engine in a ute as well, when it was idling the exhaust pipe would be hitting the panel which sounded very musical (until it warmed up).
most beautyful v8 sound i ever hear
and i love the way that engine looks
just simple
no electronic computer shizzle just simple clean nice
i would love to have such engine in my mitsubishi colt😊🤠
I got lucky on my 51, the stock rebuilt Flathead in it is a real sweetheart and sounds just like this!
Gotta love a flattie. (Not in girlfriends ) I didn't know Honest Charley was still around. That was my "go to" catalog back in the 60s.
I made the same comment in a different video. I didn't know they were still in business either. It's good to see they. The grandfather of the speed shops.
Sounds So Beautiful 😍
Small tits rule
"flat is justice"
Yeah, too bad it's owned by a guy who sell's FLAT SPOT TIRES!! SNICKER, SNICKER!!
my father raced in the fifties flathead era up here in the northeast. that motor sound brought back a flood of memories. one night in 1958 at Chemung Speedrome. he came up in the stands and told us (me 8 years old) they were turning stock cars away because they had 105 stock cars already in the pits. that was the golden age for the flathead.
Very nice. I love the sound of controlled power.
I have a 21 stud LB that gets down like that. I love cruising it around in downtown letting it talk to everyone.
Used to be an outfit called the ,"N.A.A.F.H." The National Association for the Advancement of Flatheads." They had some drag race get togethers back in the '60s. My '51 Ford 2-door and I belonged. I still have an unused decal. It's cool. It shows a '34 Ford coupe with a full-race flathead chasing a '55 Chevy and chewing the butt off it. Anybody else remember?
FLATHEADS FOREVER!
That is now what I call motor music. It is really soothing to listen to. If you are feeling down, listen to the sound of a well tuned V8.
learned to drive in with a flathead. sounded as good as that one. dual glasspacks. best
It was always nice to run into one of the old guys who were building these back when the engines were new. Not that many of them left now so if you meet one, then enjoy what he has to tell you. It was their knowledge being passed down is why shops like this exist now.
Those old flatties sound SOOOO good. Nothing like them.
The revving sounds beastly.... but the low rpm idle shakes you on the inside. My goodness.... can't wait to lock two of these together inline with each other and fit them into my extreme custom 63' Fairlane hot rod.
Wow! Sounds like something Ed "Big Daddy" Roth might have put together as a show car.
i have a 63 fairlane
I put a 289 in my 62 Fairlane and love it.
Those old flatties were real sweethearts, and capable of excellent performance. One of my sister-in-law`s ex-husbands had a `54 Ford coupe with a worked-over flatmotor, the car consistently ran 14.0 @ 101 mph, which was a little quicker than the 5.0 Mustang GTs from the late `80s....
Most likely the 83 haters never heard of a flat head
They all have 4 cylinders with Borla mufflers.
They probably thought it was a fish.
No, it is more likely that they are aware of how unreliable these engines were and the poor output due to the design.
No, they thought it meant their date had a flat head, as In a place to set Ur beer while she was workin. LOL
@@davidkeller2832 I hear they're very reliable. And you have to keep in mind when they were made
Who could possibly dislike this????
Now just crate it up & send it to my guy in Longbeach so we can get it to Australia. Thanks a lot!
My Vedette- 57 only have 80 Hp but the sound it makes is so sweet to my ears.
you're right, that thing sounds great.
That sounds awesome! Nothing beats the sound of a 8 cylinder motor.
My top 3 hot rod engines
1) Chrysler early Hemis
2) Flathead Ford V8
3) Buick Fireball (Nailhead)
A built 300 six
This has to be one of the sweeeeeetest sounding engines i have ever heard!!!!!!! WELL DONE SIR!!!!!!
the deceleration almost sounds like it has jake brakes haha
Lol
Little brother, I beamed the sound to speakers so I could really enjoy.
Love that lope.
Lop lop lop lop.
You can hear the ponys tott'in.
Imagine Bonnie and Clyde hearing that seconds before their deaths.
Love the chop! So many times I'm less than impressed with people's choice with camshafts in flatheads. This one sounds legit.
The flathead V8 is good looking engine.
I agree, the simplicity and clean lines, why they looked so dang good in open bonnet hot rods.
The sound of the sixties to me, Our car club built a Mercury flat head, put three deuces on her, a high lift cam and offenhauser heads! It sounded similar to yours. It was bad in the 32 deuce we put it in.Thanks for bringing back some old memories!
Sounds so nice keep up the good work.
Lovely. It makes me happy to hear that. I grew up on a street with two serious hippy dudes who both had old custom hot rods built by their fathers when they were kids. One had a Chevy 350 in it and the other used a flathead Ford. They talked shit all the time over the F v C rivalry, and they would race some (at a local drag strip) but mostly they drank beer and wrenched on their cars. This was in like 1968 or so, and I am guessing they both were about 18 or 20 years old at that time. I was one of a passel of little kids on bicycles who would hang out in the driveway when these two would have friends over to help install something or just tune the engine or generally fart around. They were cool as hell and all us little kids thought they were car gods. This video and its sounds take me back to that time. Thanks for sharing, man. My smile is a mile wide...
Love that sound!!!
I never liked ohc/dohc v8 engines but flatheads have special place in my heart
Music to my ears!!
Nothin’ sounds as good as a Flat Head Ford. I’m 78 years old,and I’ve watched as cars progressed.Still love the flat head Fords and Mercury’s 👍
The sound of 150hp from a V8 lol.... can't beat it.
Would be closer to 200hp in reality :)
@@RusteeUte In the 70's and 80's that was more power than your average factory "muscle" car
@@RusteeUte that's what is was thinking. I had a 336 lincoln flattie and it was about 160hp and it run smoother (tamer) than that one.
That's one healthy sounding flatty. Outstanding build job. That would be right at home in a 33 Miller Indy car.
Looked like fuel was leaking onto the bell housing from the red pipe.
One of my customers has a 1937 Ford, still in original condition in every way - even the paintwork, which is showing its age, but he won't repaint the car because then it would not be original any more. He keeps the car mechanically perfect and that beautiful flathead motor is so quiet that we sometimes don't hear him arrive until he honks the horn and laughs at us when we jump.
Awesome sounding and looking
I know nothing about flatheads, but that thing sounds freaking awesome, if I had a little old 32 coupe with that in it that would be too cool. Excellent job.
1:14 almost lost his combover lol
Flat heads and 348s
Love the sound of them all cammed out
Why does it... I don't know how to describe it... "sigh" after you let off the throttle? It almost sounds like a horse. It's a great sound though, I love it
it does that cause once the throttle closes back to idle the engine is spinning way too fast for it to burn the small amount of fuel and air it gets till it slows back down to idle and it comes back when it slows down, thats why you get that VRRAAA. . . OOooom
Very impressive. The sound of youthful years.
I know it's a V8, however; I only see 3 exhaust ports on each side.
I love the lope.
Ports were in the head casting. Ford was trying to keep cost down. Keep it looking modern.
The exhaust ports are in the block; ports from two cylinders have to pass between the middle two cylinders into the middle exhaust pipe.
The exhaust ports from the middle two cylinders are joined inside the head, so you can use a single exhaust for them. It's what we call siamese ports in the UK, and was also used on the Mini A-series engine. It does effect the performance of the engine in tuned form.
2 out of 3 commenters stating exhaust ports in the head? Incorrect! It's a flathead! The ports are in the block as are the valves. Center 2 cylinders Siamese into center exhaust port.
@@gregorytimmons4777
Correct, and gives it both tendency to run hot and it's very unique FH Ford sound.
I'm in Australia and never heard one. Does sound really cool. Great looking engine too.
is that the original soundtrack from "Bonny and Clyde" ?
Stefan Richter I
Oh. My goodness! That little flathead Ford V 8 sounds soooo beautiful! I had a 1950 model
love the smell of carbon monoxide in the morning
Carbon monoxide is odorless
Hey, a free buzz is a free buzz!
@@bcubed72 But death is eternal!
Right out of MadMax, gotta love that sound!!
YES! nothing finer sounding! Or maybe getting it up to around 2500-3000+ in a cool deuce cpe in second gear. off the gas and listen to it rappp!! off the cam.
Great looking project. The heartbeat of early hotroding.
Nice plug wire looms.
Even a stock flat head with glass packs has its own sound. Very cool !
Rrrupp rrrupp rrrupp rrrupp rrrupp
that is a great sounding motor sweet! i had to listen to this again ..................
1:48 big drip of fuel from the area of the pressure regulator
at 2:11 also
hey this video is 4 years old and we tell him about a drip lol thats funny,, it sure sounds good thoe
Ken Chorney yep i saw that too lol
@@tcply9450 Probably wasn't leaking 4 years ago. Maybe the line has perished a bit? ;-)
I haven't heard a flat head since my mate drove his family's WW2 Blitz truck through his service yard in 1966. Always thought the flathead sounds fabulous even in standard form
its sound like a rr merlin on runway taxi
the spitfire was way better than the me109, btw while the germans got their ass kicked in the sky over england
The Merlin was an excellent engine! The Spitfire is easily one of the best Allied fighters! The Packard V-1650 is an American production of the same engine, which went into later versions of the P-51.
Hot rod power that everyone, regardless of anything can enjoy the sound of