Thread: Need help quick - 47 merc flattie??

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I have a chance to buy a 47 merc flattie tonight for a good deal (i think).

It is a complete motor and trannny. It's not stuck and has been filled with oil for storage. was supposedly running when pulled (several years ago).
24 bolt heads - casting numbers 59A-B
Casting on the rear of the motor is L363 and under that it says 59

I believe this is a 100hp stock motor and one of the best of the flattie family (i hear)

What's it worth?
and what can you tell me about it
Pro's & Cons?

hey steel thats a tough question depends whos buying or selling and where.
i have a 53 mec flattie that is a runner rebuilt in the mid 70s. whats it worh not a clue i am not intersted in selling but i would say 1500.00 canadian 1200 american would let it go.
i may be wrong but its my 2 cents .

I live in the same town where Tony DiCosta had Hot Rod and Custom Supply. Tony is one of the best flathead builders around, in my opinion. He built the flathead that was in Total Performance's pink T bucket, and he sold the engine for $ 9 K when he got it back.

Anyway, Tony told me one time you have to buy 10 flatheads to get one good one. They are prone to cracks in the valve seat area ( I think) and maybe the water jackets. The only way to tell is have one magnafluxed to see if it is ok before you start spending money at the machine shop. The other problem, is that flatheads are not cheap to build.

I know they are the hot setup right now, but they are not without their pitfalls.And they tend to run hot, too.

Don

I wouldn't part with one thin dime until all of it was vatted and magnafluxed. I don't know what the present value of them is, but there is an 8BA block on ebay that has been vatted, magged and bored/honed. Starting price is $550 and there have been not bidders, so that's probably a little pricey.

Canadianals asking price of $1,200 American for a complete motor sound pretty reasonable to me.

thanks for the input guy's. i picked it up last night off ebay for $202 after goign to look at it earlier yesterday. It is as complete as it could be (carb, fuel pump.....), pulled from a car that hasnt seen the road in a long time but was supossedly running, it turns free and looks good on the outside. They were going to use it in a project they have but found a 460 instead cheap.

I think and hope it's good but also figure that if it's cracked i can part it out and make most if not all of my money back.....we'll see

At $ 200 bucks you can't get hurt. Hope you got a great engine.


Don

I fired the flatty up this weekend. Changed the oil and cleaned the old plugs/points and fired it right up. it actually ran pretty good and very little smoke, which was probably from the oil that was in the top of the motor.

steel you got a smokin deal a running flatty for 200.00 what tranny are you going to put behind it.

Originally Posted by canadianal

steel you got a smokin deal a running flatty for 200.00 what tranny are you going to put behind it.

It has the original 3sp behind it now. I'm Probably going to run a C4 or AOD......but i also have a 6sp

now I need some Offy heads and 3 carb intake

I'm jelous. You got a running flathead for a little over $200.00. You know how rare that is finding a flattie without a crack block? You are one lucky guy!!!

Originally Posted by chevy 37

I'm jelous. You got a running flathead for a little over $200.00. You know how rare that is finding a flattie without a crack block? You are one lucky guy!!!

Yeah the more I look the better I feel about buying it. Now I'm thinks about trannies......should I use the 3sp that came with the motor or go ahead with the C4????

Unless your going to build the motor up, the 100HP engine shouldn't hurt the origional tranny.

The pre-49 flattie wasn't near as bad for cracking as the '49-up thin-wall ones were. I have a few that aren't cracked. (Not for sale!)
The 3-speed is okay for a light car, the '47's were overstressing them badly. Even with 3 carbs and heads, it will last pretty good, if you use your head.

I like stirring the stick, so I'd keep the manual, especially, since it is already set up for it. But, that three speed is weak in the first-second gear, and does not like shock loading - like dumping the clutch in second, or speed/power shifting from first to second, and sidestepping the clutch. Even a stock motor will break second gear if you treat it that way. I broke two of them in my '51 with the worn out stocker; then after I rebuilt it and warmed it up considerably, I started collecting the trannys, so I could have a spare, and a ready parts source. I suppose if I'd kept the car, I might have sought a solution sooner or later, but I went off to see the world with Uncle, and my Dad dumped the car. You could get an adapter and put a later model four or five speed in it, but then, unless you're just real fond of shifting, you might as well do the C4 conversion.

is not the early ford 1980s automatic just a od c4. from what i know about flatheads it may like a od tranny as opposed to a 3 spd auto.