Thread: High Power Flathead

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Originally Posted by nitrowarrior

I deal with 341.7 cubes.

...not out of any standard Ford car based flathead that I ever saw without wet sleeves and an impossible 3.56 bore and something like an unbelievable 4.375" stroke - not when you start with a 3.188 x 3.75 or 4 inches!!!!

Maybe if you start with a 336 cid Lincoln or F8 truck engine - it's possible since that one started with a 3.5" bore and a 4.375 stroke and a whopping 150 Hp or so out of a boat anchor weight engine still with a three bearing crankshaft having the harmonics of a floppy rubber band.

Ken - looks like you and I are the nay sayers on this one

Well, seeing as how I've built and ran a total of one (1) flathead in my entire life I'm probably not anywhere's near an expert on them.... But I do know that mine had Edelbrock heads, two deuces, and a mag----it put a whopping 103hp to the wheels.....

IMO, 400 horse flat heads that live more then 1 pull on the dyno are probably just as common as 9 second street machines...everybody has one!!!!

Let's try 4.5 inches of stroke. No POS factory rods, work the geometry using today's components to complement the combo.
Nay say all you want. Build one out of your pocket and see how affordable it is to create dependebility with great HP.

Got a dyno sheet and some pics of this setup going together??????? Curious to see where the extra main bearings were added........

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Got a dyno sheet and some pics of this setup going together??????? Curious to see where the extra main bearings were added........

My customers pay for their dyno sheets why should I hand out their info for free on here? How come every body thinks that running old blocks that have nothing to ofeer in the HP range is where the limitations are?
Extra mains? work the mass geometry out. 400 HP is a small amount to squeeze.
The attitude is not achieving 700 HP naturally aspirated.
If Ken was serious when he PM'd me about the build, he could drag the options out here in the open.
It'd be great ammo for the cause.

Well, Whatever...... But when I get a good dyno sheet i can't get home fast enough to post it up!!!!!!

Ok, so what's the shop that is putting them together, and what are they basing the build on?????

Not accusing anyone of telling stories, I just want to see it!!!!!!!!!!! We're talking Hot Rods, not Rocket Science---doubt any of it is classified, is it???????

"THEY" is me. I build them.
Like my customers, you pay for the dyno sheet.
Go and do the "Proper" research and find that
First; We did put a man on the moon.
Second; What you're asking me to do is more than possible without hurting the bottom end and keep it fed with oil and fuel.
Third; You're also asking me to divuldge free information with customer's builds that they paid good money for.
How stupid does a business man have to be to stand on his soap box and thump his chest, handing out the livelyhood he works on?
Ever wonder why those magazines everybody believes in, only produces moderate numbers?
Or, everything that went on during the build was not divuldged?
If "Anybody" could create the seemingly inpossible builds, it would lose it's luster and these little ego beat downs would be meaningless.
Horsepower building and the sport/hobby of rodding/racing would have died a long time ago.

Well, I guess if it's all classified and I don't have a need to know...... anyway, it's your story, tell it however you want..........

My goal to help guide the builder of a flattie died when Ken T and Bob P started jerking the chain.
You've joined the band wagon I see.
Quite doubting, get off of your dead butt and on your lazy feet and build one. Or do the "PROPER" research.
You're right, it's not rocket science.
Simply, the stuff you should've learned had you been paying attention when the time spent mattered.
Classified? Not everything you don't understand is classified or a big mystery.

I've already had my flathead----don't see any reason to ever have another one...

If your shop can build them with 600 horse and they get 35 mpg in a 4000 pound car, that's fine with me.....

I just like to see pictures of things, then they make a whole lot more sense to me then "research" and theories.....

Guess I'll just bow out of this one, but you just keep building them 400 horse flatties with whatever it is you use in wherever this shop of yours is at and sell them to those customers who will never tell the rest of us about them.....!!!!!!!!

Dave, Not 600.
The point was 400 and the level dropped to 300 for the nay sayers.
Not me.
You're building a half breed 'Maro that raise the eye brows of builders and your buddies.
You bet it can be done the way you're doing it.
Can everybody understand it or why? NOPE!
There's the most simple things in life because of the technology we are afforded in today's world.
Most of that tech is now affordable to us because we're not the only ones doig it so it's readily available at an affordable price.
I have only a couple of middle men to deal with. It makes things better for me to pass on to the customer.

Yup, and the pictures and details are available for all to see.....I guess I just like to see what people are talking about.....after all, a picture is worth a thousand words....

PS--all my builds are a bit off the wall and open to the scrutiny of anyone who cares.....I don't have to defend anything I build---it's just being built for me anyway---not some prissy customer who wants the details to remain all hush hush.....

Now, that is funny!
Customers of mine have a unique build and need their "Ace in the hole".
Let me just flush away the integrity they have intrusted in me and sit around wondering what I'm going to do next.
Including the race cars and street rodders and those who want the "edge" just for the mere bragging rights of their own.
You could've easily PM'd me for a basic set up to see better for your understanding.
Hhhmmm....but you didn't.
If nothing else comes of this, there's nothing anybody can't do if they set their mind to it and dig for the learning it takes to accomplish.

Originally Posted by Mike P

“……….Okay brother Patterson, your turn at bat!......”

Gee Uncle Bob I really don’t know what to say (but you know that has never stopped me before )

I hope this does not come across as snipping because it’s not intended to. I looked over Maxb49’s posts and all I can come up with is he wants to build a hot rod from scratch and doesn’t want to use a SB Chevy. Some of the engines he’s looked at are the 331 Caddy, flathead and now 426 based HEMI. That covers a LOT of potential territory. All of those engines and several others are good candidates depending on what exactly the car is going to be and what he expects to do with it.

I’d like a little something more to work with than a general HP figure. Size and weight of the car, INTENDED USE and transmission preference (to help figure where the torque needs to be at, gearing and useable RPM range) etc.



(and you thought I was asleep )

Yes, I've wanted to build a hot rod for quite some time. I've taken the time to learn the basics of engines, transmissions, etc. before I jumped into any project. I'm sure you understand that I want to carefully think and plan out my car because this is a large financial commitment. I don't mind if it takes a couple years to build, I want to do it right. I want to build a powerful car that can be drag raced. I would like the car to perform at least in the high 11 to low 12 second range, be distinctive, perform in the high RPMs.

Thanks.

With that criteria, one of the most overlooked engines around with a ton of potential is the 340 Mopar's..... Not a lot of them being used in Hot Rods, but when they're put together right with the right parts, they will show some very respectable performance numbers!!!!!!!

I've also spent some time studying a couple of others, the Caddy Northstar's and the Ford V-10's..........