1932 ford coupe
 

I have a 1932 Ford 5 window coupe that was converted to a hot rod in 1949 and driven until Dec.1956 when it was placed in storage along side a 1957 Chev. V8 powerpac that was purchased as a total wreck with the idea of replacing the 8BA with the powerpac V8.A complete Hurst conversion kit was in the trunk of the 1932 but the car owner got married in 1957 and the old hot rod was forgotten as higher priorities occurred.Do I diminish the value of the coupe by installing the Chev V8 with the Hurst kit or leave the flathead,wich runs well in the car.The car is a full fendered ,original paint car.I don't know what to do !

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Leave the flathead in it! Enjoy the unique character of an early Ford. something that cannot be duplicated. If you want to use the Chevy, buy a fiberglass kit '32 from Speedway to put it in. Otherwise, some rich Chevy nut will pay huge dollars for that original 283!

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Take a look a Dennis Lacy's conversion of a virgin 32 pu to a small block Chevy. Nothing changed that couldn't be changed back. Nothing wrong with a Flathead but also nothing wrong with a 283 if done right.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Flathead. Plenty of chevy powered cars out there already

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Leave the flathead if it runs good. Clean everything up and drive it.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

The car ain't stock no matter which way you go. You won't diminish the value either way. You one lucky bastard to have this dilemma .

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Please keep the flathead engine in the car.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Yeah, X 2!!

Please post some pics of your dilemma.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

The majority of the Ford Barn will say to keep the flathead but the 'HAMB' would want the Chev. Depends where you ask the question but it is a hot rod so which engine do you want?

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

[QUOTE=Bob T;1149323]The majority of the Ford Barn will say to keep the flathead but the 'HAMB' would want the Chev.(/QUOTE]

I highly doubt that statement. I bet the majority of the HAMB would also say keep the flathead. Which is what I'd say too. Post some pics of this time-machine!

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Run the flathead

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

No, No, No, to the Chevy. Keep it all Ford.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

The Chevy thing has been done so much it is becoming less popular all the time. Just too many out there and a lot of folks have tired of them. Having a period correct flathead will bring much more interest and value as I see it. The uptick in authentic flathead powered hot rods has raised the value significantly. So much so that BBM in Denver who has just started making and marketing new Ford FE 427 aluminum and cast iron side oiler blocks, is said to be at work on the Chrysler 392 with rumors of a new high quality flathead block could be in the air. Stick with the flathead, you'll be glad you did.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

If value is the concern the body is worth more than a whole stack of engines. If it's for your pleasure why not restore it?
The HAMB guys are kind of getting tired of the Chevy thing. Every other rodded car you see has the same conversion. Flatheads are in.
Anyway sooner or later in the future somebody will get ahold of it and whack the top about 6 inches...........:eek:

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Chevy powered deuces are a dime a dozen, keep the flattie !!

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

The majority says to keep flathead at this point,all well and good however this car will never keep up with my fellow EVille Iron Club members on a rod run 65 t0 70 is really pushing it especially on those 90 degree + hot summer days . I can cruise all day at 55 but they leave me behind.The 8BA has 2 Stromberg 97s + Offy heads and a Columbia 2 speed .At this time thinking of a new aluminum trailer and pulling it !

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

In the 60s in socal you didn't have a hot rod if it didn't have a chevy in it. Something is wrong with me now as I am building a banger. You are the owner do with it what you want and enjoy it.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Keeping the flathead would be my first choice, if it was my car, but don't get rid of that Chevy stuff either. If the flathead needed a rebuild you could temporarily drop that sbc in and keep on going until, if or when, you wanted to switch back. If it was my car, my main concerns would be keeping everything else on the car as original as possible.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

If you are worried about cruise speed change the rear axle ratio.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

I would keep the flathead.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Nothing cooler than a flathead!

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Only 55? I can run 65-70 effortlessly in my stock (except milled heads) 59A. Yes, I have overdrive, but you have a Columbia so presumably same result.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

I wish I had a dollar for every Chevy powered "street rod" we have blown past on the highways and byways of the southeast in our Flathead powered cars. The funniest part is that these bastard cars have blowers, big cams, big carbs and all sorts of aftermarket innards. All that to conform to some silly ideal that "you have to put a Chevy in it to make it run". That had to be one of the biggest lies ever foisted on a certain segment of the population. Those always seem to be putting around in the slow lane.

I say keep it a Ford, make sure your ancillary components are in good condition, gear it properly and "let it eat!"

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

I agree. I can cruise all day at 60 to 65 in my basically stock '35 fordor w/221 engine, 0.030" over, milled heads, and 3.78:1 rear gears. Now getting stopped at these spesds, in a real panic situation, may be a different story :).
I would tell my traveling friends to slow down a bit, or maybe find new friends :D :D

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Even a 85hp flathead will run highway speeds in a 32 and definately fast enough to kill you. The 32 with a flathead will handle better than one with a garbage truck engine and as an anned bonus, parts fit properly.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Since the flatty is running so good, drive it with that.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Do your own thing is what I'd say, mine is Ford 302 powered,& while I have a ready to go flathead & prefer to lean toward the traditional when up dating, the f.h. will find it's home in another 32 project.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

What do you want the car for? If its for show and occasional cruising on slow weekends then the old flathead would be good for that. But if you intend to actually drive it a bunch then the Chevy would make more sense. Could you go to the local Autozone in West Podunk and get a broken part for a Ford flathead engine? No.
If it were mine, I would keep the flathead in in because you never see an original 32 with a flathead anymore. I wanted to keep the original in my 34 but it would cost too much to rebuild so I put a Chevy in it. I guess you could hot rod the flathead for more get up and go. Streets are too dangerous in most places if you are underpowered and have marginal brakes.
EDIT: I missed the part where you have the engine modified. In that case, I say run the flathead by all means. Cool factor out of sight. Sell that Chevy engine to a Chevy restorer.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Serious question: When you decided to "upgrade" to an OHV , why did you choose an engine that is produced by Ford's arch rival? I think Ford had built about 10 million OHV V8's that could easily power an early Ford. Just curious as to why a Chevrolet is the "default" choice?

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Because it fits.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Because a chevy is the easiest to install. You can bolt a v8 chevy into most early ford with store bought adapters and most not have to cut anything.
You seem to have a real issue over anything chevy. How about a model T engine with a chevy head?

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

I didn't choose the Chevrolet V8,the original builder initially built car with modified flathead and 39 transmission with 2 speed rear end. And then he purchased a totaled 1957 Chev.with a power pac engine and intended to install it in the 32 even purchasing the Hurst kit but never got around to it.2 years ago I purchased both cars at the same time.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Even a totaled '57 Chev will have value to the tri-5 community. You might be surprised what your totaled car is worth . . intact.

The rest is a no brainer. Nothing makes a prettier sound than a healthy flathead. Why would anyone switch. The chebby motor would probably break the Columbia.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

If the car has survived this long without having the chevy swapped in, why do it now? A 1932 ford with a warmed over flatty - especially backed up with an overdrive (columbia) axle, is a pretty sweet combo.

Numbers matching Chevy stuff, even in a totalled car is very sought after by the chevy buffs. (I would guess).

It sounds to me like you were very lucky to be in the right place at the right time to pull off that deal (don't know the details). What I'm trying to say is that is something that doesn't come up every day.

Mart.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Well I have three early Fords in the shop right now as I write this. A '32 window, a '33 Sedan and a '34 Cabriolet all with abc/ auto drive lines. The butchery to get those so called "made to fit " chevrolets is an absolute sin. The width of the turbo 350 and or Powerglide trans obliterates the K and X members on those cars. They fit like crap. The dizzy is buried in the firewall on all three of those cars.

The short deck 8.2" Ford is more narrow than any sbc and the C4 trans is tiny compared to the fat bloated gm slush boxes. The dizzy is up front. It's 100 lbs lighter. The challenge is getting a short water pump (easily available) and matching pulleys.

I think I'd rather source some proper components than hack the backbone of my chassis out.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

I'll give you a little food for thought. I used to sell mostly used early Ford parts at a large swap meet here in Florida on a monthly basis. I consigned a batch of '60's chevy parts once. There were all kinds of guys scanning over those parts checking " numbers" to make sure it complied with their "pure" gm muscle car was not bastardized by the wrong parts.

That struck me funny if only Ford could muster that kind of fanatic loyalty maybe 95 % of the early Ford fleet wouldn't have been screwed up with all those cheesy gm parts sourced from the junkyard.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Why dont you do what makes "you" happy and to hell with the rest of us!!!!!

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Oh in the end I will,just searching for opinions,I did run the car at the Newport Hillclimb last year on Sat.but was told if I ran on Sunday it would be disqualified because front and rear tires were different sizes.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

I'm old school. keep the flathead.

Re: 1932 ford coupe
 

Sorry I should have said a chevy is a real simple fit with a 39 transmission . guess the Ardun guys were butchers that helped cause the abuse of so many early fords.