Rarest Flathead motor??

[Jembow]

Not all of you will know that the V8 60 was introduced in Europe in 1935 and the first 3000 odd motors were a 4 main brg design with 15 stud ally heads. It was not a succes and was superceded by the tin-side 60 in 1937. My car has a tin-side replacement with a July 37 date stamped in the inlet manifold, as does the Cabriolet of my friend Roger. This makes me think Ford did warranty replacements in 37.

But here is a youtube video of a 1936 French Matford Model 62 with a 4 main motor, offered for sale in July 2017, apparently in good condition. If so it may be the last running 4 main V8 60. I don't know of another.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eV5...32DD5ADFD5DFAF

[pooch]

How were the 4 mains configured?

It seems that a 4 throw V8 should have 5 mains.

[Jembow]

I'll have to dig out the archive to find the drawings - there was a story some years ago in the Early Ford V8 club magazine and I have a photocopy somewhere.

[petehoovie]

Just 4??? What pooch said above ^

[4 MAINS V8]

Jembow, Don’t know if Ford replaced engines foc, however, the French Matford on YouTube is not the only surviving car with this engine. I too own a model 60 which still retains it original 4 main bearing, fifteen stud, 2 exhaust ports on each side and “tin sides”engine, although it hasn’t ran since 1967. Not sure how reliable the engine were but this one had covered over 140 thousand miles with one owner. The tin worm finally forcing it off the road. The car came with two more incomplete engines and gearbox. One problem, nowadays, with the engine is the alloy heads, they turn to powder over time, a iron head was not produced for this engine. Spares are also very rare. I have also attached a cutaway engine to show how the bearings are configured.

[V8COOPMAN]

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Man, that there is a weird rig, but I see only FOUR mains! DD

[Fordestes]

Very Interesting, thanks for sharing.

[Bored&Stroked]

Interesting, the two cylinders in the center are CLOSE together and the space for the two center mains is between those two cylinders and the two outer ones. Quite interesting design. Thanks!

[GordonC]

I know a fellow who imported one of these many years ago from Europe. Its a cabriolet model. A cool car. He is an elderly fellow and wants me to buy it but I just don't have the room, money, or time, at this point to take it on. It is all restored already and doesn't need much but has been sitting for a while. He wants to make sure whomever gets it that they keep it original and don't hot rod it.

[Jembow]

4mains: Is your saloon the one Eric Bamford owned? He told me he could never get his running because one head leaked like a sieve.

GordonC: do you know if the cabriolet has the early engine?

Mileage on my car is well documented. I reckon the engine was changed after no more than 10,000 miles, possibly a lot less.

[4 MAINS V8]

Jem
Yes I purchased the car off Eric a few years ago mainly for spares. I didn’t realise at the time how unique and rare it was. The head in the photos was the cause of the offending water leak! It was possible to see the piston through the hole, after a jet wash.
John

[rotorwrench]

Those little 22 HP engines had the large counterweight in the center to make up for the four mains. There has been some info on here about these before. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...8763&showall=1.
The two exhaust port set up likely made it run warm. They were problematic so that design only lasted for one year before the redesigned engine was produced. I believe the first model 60 motors were made in the US and shipped to Dagenham.

Here is another link. http://www.curbsideclassic.com/autom...pre-war-years/