In defense of 6 cylinders

[38 coupe]

I'm going to be a bit blasphemous, I’m going to talk up the lowly Ford six cylinder engine in the 32-53 V8 forum. I have had, and still own, flathead V8 powered early Fords, and they are good vehicles. With a bit of tinkering all but the worst worn out engines have started quickly, run smoothly, and provided that flathead torque curve that makes it fun to drive. So if the V8 is so good, why bring up the six cylinders, particularly when no amount of pretending will make that inline six exhaust sound like a flathead V8?

Simple, I just looked at my log book for what is probably the least sexy car on this forum, my 1953 Ford four door six cylinder sedan. Since rebuilding the 215 six cylinder in 2013 it has logged almost 21,000 miles, many at highway speeds. I don’t have records from the first thirteen years I owned the car, but I think I have put around 50,000 miles on the car in the last twenty years. Who else is having a great time driving a six cylinder Ford from the early V8 years?

[RalphG]

I won't disagree that the Ford six was a fine engine but for me a six just does not excite me like a V8. Partly because, as a kid, any Ford we ever knew up to 1955 was a V8. Far as I know the six was not an option for cars here in Canada til 55. I have no doubt your 215 six would outrun my old 255 flathead Mercomatic but for me, theres just no replacement for that V8 rumble.

[drolston]

To each his own. Your "plain Jane" '53 is a sweet ride. For what I spent to get my flathead V8 souped up from 95 to maybe 160 horsepower I could have dropped in a 500 horsepower crate engine. But it would not have sounded like a souped up flathead.

[Newc]

I have been driving a '53 215 six trouble free for 20 yrs. absolutely love it- 'Old Reliable' Never a bit of trouble, always starts and goes. Newc

[corvette8n]

Thats a sharp looking car, the main thing is to enjoy whatever you have.

[skidmarks]

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A motor i wish i never let go, was a 262 ford, hard one to find

[mfirth]

My first car was a 50 Ford 2 door with a six. It siarted smoking so i had it rebuilt. It outran
V8s, but sure didn't have "that sound". Next was a 55 I-Block which had a 2/4 split manifold. Kinda sounded like a Ch*** 348. Drove it across country in the mid 60s & it never missed a lick. That being said, i still would rather have a FLATHED V8.

[Frank Miller]

Is your car an overhead six?

[Zax40]

I also have a '53 with a 215. Even though I have an 8BA in storage I honestly have no desire to swap it out. Don't get me wrong, I love the flathead in my '40. But the old 215 runs great and requires less maintenance.

[old31]

Here is my formula: 6 cylinder = YUCK!

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by drolston

To each his own. Your "plain Jane" '53 is a sweet ride. For what I spent to get my flathead V8 souped up from 95 to maybe 160 horsepower I could have dropped in a 500 horsepower crate engine. But it would not have sounded like a souped up flathead.

I hear you and same here.

I love flathead V8's, but one day I will own a '35/'36 with one of those 427 aluminum SBC, 6 speed trans and a 9" rear. Total tire fryer sleeper.

[hotrodart]

I had a 6 cylinder/Fordomatic '52 Sunliner many moons ago......always started and ran well, particularly in the winter in New England. My guess is that car would be desirable these days.

[rotorwrench]

The 215 wasn't around long before it evolved into the 223. They were reliable and had the advantage of the overhead valves to get a 101 HP rating. Notice that the horse power is pretty close to the 239 flathead V8. I always got a kick out of the glass bowl Holley carb on the early ones. They had plenty of power for the street and weighed less than the flathead V8. They would get off the line pretty well depending on gearing and application.

[tubman]

Wen I was in high school, I had a friend whose folks had a '54 with a 223 and Fordomatic. That car was faster than any of our flatheads. I do have to say it was almost new and most of the flatheads were, let's say, a bit "tired".

[russcc]

I like sixes. We had '51 Ford that was great car. Other great sixes were the "Blue Flame", and the big GMC. Some of those sixes would give the V8 fits in a race.

[Alaska Jim]

I had a 52 Ford 4dr. with the 215 back when I was about 18. we put a dual carb fenton intake manifold with 2 glass bowl holly carbs on it. that 6 with 3 on the tree would out run most all flathead 8's . it was a great car, and a great eng.

[39portlander]

Six in a row make it go with out the evolution of the 215 we never would have had the 300 six. Great thread to talk about those old 6's.

I had plenty of F series with the 300 engine and Ol'reliable always kept us go'in down the road. I hated to see that engine go away.

There seems to not be a lot of cars or trucks in this area with the 6.

[Newc]

The heavy duty 262, had a heavy crank shaft. Cause the M series flathead 6 [254] used the 223 crankshaft and had problems. California Bill's book had a description of an M engine taken to 304" ! Inliner also. Newc

[meric42]

Agree completely, I loved my '42 Ex Army Staff Car, its G-series 6 always started easily and ran great, very smooth and quiet with lots of low end torque too. I always wondered if it might have been even better with a two barrel Holley in place of the single... I suppose I'll never know as this car is in the hands of a new owner now.

[38 coupe]

Originally Posted by Frank Miller

Is your car an overhead six?

Yes. Ford started selling OHV six cylinders in 1952 (and OHV V8s too, but in Lincolns and big trucks). Don't judge, the engine is pretty grimy right now.

I find it interesting to read stories about 215s and 223s outrunning flathead V8s. I do pretty well in overdrive in the flatlands of Texas. However, higher elevations and long hills are a different thing altogether. I vividly remember driving on the tour during the 2013 Early Ford V8 Club Grand National meet in Lake Tahoe. I was the slowest old Ford up Nevada Stage Route 207.

[GB SISSON]

[QUOTE=38 coupe;1958810]Yes. Ford started selling OHV six cylinders in 1952 (and OHV V8s too, but in Lincolns and big trucks). Don't judge, the engine is pretty grimy right now.

That may be so 38, but this red H six I picked up with a bunch of V8s a few years ago has always intrigued me. I have a nice 4 speed crash box and yet another tonner pickup to put it into.... Like I need another... Maybe it's just those chrome head bolt covers and the color. It needed a ring gear and I finally found a guy that makes them! I am a fan of Low End Torque, in big one lung motorcycles, tractors and other stuff that isn't particularly fast, but torquey. I like going zero to 40 in a short time, but going over 60 for any period of time in this old stuff isn't my cup of tea.

[frnkeore]

When I was 14 (1959), my best friend (17yrs) had a '50, with H6 in it. We street raced, as often as possible. All races with V8's were close but, we won more of them.

Who in there right mind, would race for "Pinks" (CA term) against a bored 262 (271 ci or more), even if they had a 296 V8 with 3x2's and a cam?

That said, a V8, with 3x2's, does look much better and I've never been a "sound" guy, just fast and loud!

[Tinker]

I don't think anyone ever bashed the flat sixes. Not a lot of speed stuff (bore and mill) for flat sixes or ohv 223. I had a 53 with a first yr 215 ohv straight six. Bullet proof motor. Ya you weren't going to the drag strip, but you could drive to all of them.


https://cliffordperformance.net/


this guy ran inline dual ford 6 ohvs on a rail. did fine up on the hemi. I liked the sound of the 6. or the 6s


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjZq5d_hTxA

[mercman from oz]

It is interesting reading this Thread on Ford Six Cylinder Engine. Did you ever wonder why Ford introduced the OHV version of the 6 Cylinder Engine in 1952, but it was not until 1954 that they introduced the OHV for the V8? That is because Ford Management had decided to cease production of the V8.
Read all about it in this great book:- "The Man who saved the V8" - by Chase Morsey Jr.. It is great reading.

[39portlander]

Originally Posted by mercman from oz

Read all about it in this great book:- "The Man who saved the V8" - by Chase Morsey Jr.. It is great reading.

Always looking for some good automotive reading, will try and get one of those in my stocking this year

Another good read is Disaster in Dearborn: the story of the Edsel. My dad had one, actually not a bad car un-like the Pinto's we had in the 70's

The energy crisis of the 70's really gave us some ugly lemon's after being spoiled with 351's C/W and M.

[49fordv8f4]

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My Mom and Dad had a '52 station wagon with a 215 six and 3 speed overdrive when I was a kid. I wish I had the car today. Dad scrapped it when they bought a new Ranch Wagon in '66 with a 390.
Mark

[amodel25]

I've got a couple of flathead sixes in shoeboxes that might take exception to some of this talk. Just cannot figure out how to attach pictures.

[amodel25]

I have a couple of flathead sixes in shoeboxes that might take exception to some of this six bashing. Sorry about the double post. Tried to delete one of them.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by amodel25

I have a couple of flathead sixes in shoeboxes that might take exception to some of this six bashing. Sorry about the double post. Tried to delete one of them.

Now that is some rare speed parts.

[frnkeore]

The reason that the G&H 6's did so well against the V8's, is that the intake and exhaust ports were so much better. The V8 ports where designed in '32 for a 221 ci engine and they were never revised, even for the 255. All of them are 1.312" in diameter and they are very hard to make flow any better.

The exhausts, for the 6's, were just way better, period and didn't heat the water.

But, again, the V8 with 3x2's, finned aluminum heads and a crab dist, look WAY better.

[amodel25]

I've got a 1950 Mechanix Illustrated Magazine where Tom McCahill compares a '50 Ford six with a V8. In a quarter mile, the six will consistently outrun the V8 up to the last 200 feet and the V8 passes it. Good article.

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by amodel25

I have a couple of flathead sixes in shoeboxes that might take exception to some of this six bashing. Sorry about the double post. Tried to delete one of them.

Did you fabricate those intakes? Cool stuff!

[Frank Miller]

Originally Posted by amodel25

I've got a couple of flathead sixes in shoeboxes that might take exception to some of this talk. Just cannot figure out how to attach pictures.

Wish I knew who you were last October. I saw that car at a cruise night in Crowley. Met up with Al Mosley there.

[amodel25]

The 2x1 intake is a Nicson. I found it at the old Pate Swap Meet in the early 90's. The exhaust on that engine is a stock manifold that I split for duals. That engine is in my street driven '51 that is my avatar.


I built the four barrel intake from square and rectangle tubing. Sort of a tunnel ram. That engine is in my '49 Club Coupe car I run XO/PRO at Bonneville. The exhaust on that one is a modified header originally built for a 170/200 cubic inch Falcon engine. Still working out the bugs on the car. At 2018 Speed Week I was at about 115 mph by the tach when I lost a freeze plug and melted a hole in a Cyclone aluminum head. The official speed was 107 at the 2 mile. In 2019 we waited 4 days to make one shake down run on a wet course. Official speed was 102. The record is 139. Did not run in 2020 but hope to be there in 2021.


Both cars have Knudsen heads, about 8.25 to 1. The street car has a Nielsen 3/4 regrind cam. The race car has an Isky 400Jr regrind.

[mfirth]

amode25, i L O V E your avatar.......i'd take it any day over a V8. I love both, but........
really cool !!!!!

[flatford8]

I got a 300 six in ‘81 F 100. Most dependable vehicle I’ve ever owned. Also have a 292 out of one-ton Chxxx. Great running motor if anybody needs one. Love the sixes!... Mark

[mercman from oz]

It is hard to tell, but this 1953 Ford Prime Mover with a load of new 1955 Ford Station Wagons appears to be a 6 cylinder model. That emblem on the grille looks to be a three pointed star, the emblem that the 6 cylinder trucks got. It does not look like a V8 emblem? What do you think?

[mercman from oz]

1953 Ford F600 Prime Mover with the 6 cylinder engine. The truck in the background is a V8 model.

[GB SISSON]

I guess everybody got over the 'blasphemy' part. Good info and good fun here!

[38 coupe]

Originally Posted by mercman from oz

It is hard to tell, but this 1953 Ford Prime Mover with a load of new 1955 Ford Station Wagons appears to be a 6 cylinder model. That emblem on the grille looks to be a three pointed star, the emblem that the 6 cylinder trucks got. It does not look like a V8 emblem? What do you think?

Looks like a six cylinder truck to me.

Interestingly, Ford did not stop production of flathead 6 cylinder engines at the end of 1951. Ford apparently decided that the F-6 (1952) and F-600 (1953) still needed a bigger engine than the 215 six or 239 V-8, and continued production of the 254 "Big Six" flathead engine. Kinda makes you wonder why a truck version of the 255 flathead V-8 was never offered in the USA. Maybe Ford wanted more than three main bearings in an up-rated engine for the two ton trucks?


I'll also sidetrack my own thread and show my ignorance of old trucking: why so many license plates on the front of the truck?

[skidmarks]

Today, trucks use an apportioned tag with a cab card that shows what states a commercial truck is legal to haul in and you have to keep mileage documents so at the end of the year each state gets their chunk of the taxes . Also involves your IFTA sticker usdot number, icc ,mci blah blah blah Prior to that you had to register and tag your rig for each state your ran in hence all the license plates and fuel stickers.

[amodel25]

Somewhere I read that the 254 flathead six was used in school busses as well through 1953.

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by 38 coupe

Looks like a six cylinder truck to me.

Kinda makes you wonder why a truck version of the 255 flathead V-8 was never offered in the USA. Maybe Ford wanted more than three main bearings in an up-rated engine for the two ton trucks?

We never saw six cylinder engines in Ford trucks here til the mid fifties. I've read that the 8 EL 337 Lincoln flathead was offered in the big Ford trucks and later on they also got the Y block before Ford cars did.

[Als48]

Does anyone know what engine a '50's White semi tractor used? I remember seeing one a few months ago, that a friend had repainted and flipped. Don't think he rebuilt the drivetrain. If I remember correctly, it was a flathead six, with over 500 cubic inch displacement. Probably a torque monster!

Al Hook

[frnkeore]

Originally Posted by Als48

Does anyone know what engine a '50's White semi tractor used? I remember seeing one a few months ago, that a friend had repainted and flipped. Don't think he rebuilt the drivetrain. If I remember correctly, it was a flathead six, with over 500 cubic inch displacement. Probably a torque monster!

Al Hook

If you can give me a closer year, I may be able to find it.

Irrelevant but, I had a White "city tractor" in '78. It had a 200 hp, OHV, 400 6.