Thread: Opinions wanted regarding '36 Ford Slantback

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You guys have made me curious. I have ridden in several "pumped up" flathead powered rods before, and was very sadly disappointed in the perfomance. What kind of reasonable horsepower can you make on pump gas?

Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT

You guys have made me curious. I have ridden in several "pumped up" flathead powered rods before, and was very sadly disappointed in the perfomance. What kind of reasonable horsepower can you make on pump gas?

Power claims are like liar's poker.............deal away Jay!!
Let's take this 21 studder as an example. Stock it's rated at 85 hp, that's in the day when they quoted "gross" ratings, meaning without any accessory drag figured in. Do the typical stuff, "high" compression heads (8.5 to 1 ), headers, two 94s or 97s, some ignition work, and a "3/4 race" cam you can expect what? Maybe double? Still under 200hp. I'm sure we'll hear about some manner or other of claims from magazines, "my best buddy", and other anecdotal "evidence", but it takes a lot of work (translate to $$$) to get bigger numbers from a flatty. They exist, they're just rare and expensive.

Agree with Bob. 150 to 175 is real. You can make more than that of course, but it won't be streetable.

Mike52 wrote:

Dade City?? Don't tell me you're coming down to visit Dixie (Jim), I smell trouble if that's the case.

Actually Mike I will be about 4 doors west of Dixie. Same road, same side of the street. Got too much to do on Sunday, with my daughters B-day party and festivities at my in-laws place, but will probably walk over and see if the old coot is around on Monday.

I just saw an interesting comment on another forum and it struck me as funny but true. Someone questioned the cost of building a good flathead, and the person who responded said "you will never spend so much money to go so slow." That statement is pretty accurate IMO, if a person is concerned with performance a flathead is kinda at the bottom of the list, but if you are looking for traditional cool, then it is a different story.

When I was young the OHV V8's were just starting to show up in junkyards, and we couldn't remove the flatheads fast enough to put in an Olds, Caddy, Buick, or even Studebaker V8 in it's place. That being said, I am still going to build a car around the flathead I bought recently, just for the cool factor.

Don

PS, I hope the weather down here changes in time for Turkey Run, it was 48 last night and only 65 today. They are predicting 75 during the days of the show in Daytona, so it might be ok.

[QUOTE=Itoldyouso]

PS, I hope the weather down here changes in time for Turkey Run, it was 48 last night and only 65 today. QUOTE]


Forgive me if I don't shed any tears, Don!!!!! Almost made it up to 40 today for a high temp!!!!

I do hope you guys have great weather for the turkey run, already looking forward to bunches of pics!!!!!

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

When I was young the OHV V8's were just starting to show up in junkyards,........

That would be the first Chev V8s of 1917?

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

That would be the first Chev V8s of 1917?

Why no, Bob, I was in my 50's when THOSE CAME OUT!!


Don

Time to dig out my Geezer Crossing picture again.

Never did one, but I was just thinkin' that one way to extract some decent hp and torque from a flattie using a streetable cam would be 5 psi with one of the smaller blowers or a vintage Paxton/McCulloch with a blow-through carb.