I'd like to start a new thread on the components used in building a flathad

[Ziggster]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

Yes a stock flathead is a very good running engine, however, some want alittle more from it. I like the 2GC upgrade, however you need to bore the intake ports under the carb to match the throttle bores. Just bell mouthing won't do much. Also the stock distributor won't work with this setup. The best distributor up grade is the converted GM unit.. But the crab will work just fine in the earlier blocks.
A.060" bore will give you 248ci and a 1/2 point increase in CR. By angle milling the head yo can add another point and with the 2GC carb allot of torque, and much better fuel mileage.
I'd like a survey her what's the price for boring the block and fitting the pistons. Also milling the heads in your area,.

Machine shop cost for my assembled short block was CAN$2,417.48. I provided all the parts. Engine was delivered disassembled and was cleaned, bored 0.020” over the existing 0.040” previous re-bore/rebuild. Block was pressure tested, decked (not sure how much, same for the factory cast iron heads). I think he said he just “skimmed” over the heads. One or two head bolt threads were repaired. Cost included crank regrind and shipping costs to Montreal where they did the regrind. I think that alone was about $300.00. Curious to see what equivalent cost in USA is for same work.

[Grease348]

As I mentioned I’m working on a 8ba. I’ll be boring the block .030 to .060 stock stroke. What would be a good cam selection? I’m thinking of putting this in a 27 coupe.


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[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by Grease348

Could I get some more information on the angle milling on the heads? Like angles ect. I run a Bridgeport at my work. I might be able to squeeze a job like that in on a Saturday. Steve


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I'd like info on angle milling also. How much angle? What about the head bolt holes? Do you start from the top of the head or from the bottom side? I imagine you could relocate the head a little, depending on how you set it up in the mill.

[hop up]

I would love to hear more on the milling of the heads as well and have a Bridgeport and or surface grinder that can do it. Plus I have a set of heads that have been repaired . Ron did you make a jig to do this or just shim the head to get her flat.

[Frank Miller]

Think of building a flathead like baking a cake. You know you want a cake but you need to determine what kind of cake you want and then you figure out the ingredients.
Do you want you motor to look stock?
Are you going to drive it a distance or just show it off at the cruise nights?
Do you have a budget or unlimited funds?
When I see someone say, "I want a cam with a nice lope" to me they're basically saying, I want a cam that only works in an RPM range I'll never see.

If you're running 12 volts your options open up for tuning purposes in that you can add O2 sensors and get some real feedback as to what your engine is doing. Also fuel injection but that may be a little elaborate.
Ron did some extensive testing in getting a flathead to turn in some good economy numbers as well as more power. I think it was done with rich in Florida.

[Ol' Ron]

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Why angle mill a cylinder head??To raise the compression, right. So that means we want to remove most of the metal from the combustion chamber. On the machine at the local rebuilders the head, block is placed on a flat surface and clamped in place. It then rides over a 12" diameter r cutter which removes the material. When clamping the head to the fixture we place shims under the side we want to remove the LEASST amt of material with two .060" shims we're ready to cut the head thus removing .060" over the combustion chamber and very little over the dome in the head. Now we take an extra .010" off the head to make sure everything is flat.
On an 8BA head we reduced the chamber volume from 72cc to 66 cc or about the same as a 65 cc Edelbrock head. Checking the clearance for the valves I found that the >350" lift would clear. Now for the bolts. I don't think the angle has changed enough to consider re drilling the holes. I do believe the spot facing the boss on the head to be important. Using a Dremel tool to clearance the piston to head clearance. The shop charges 150 to mill the heads

[19Fordy]

Wow! It's easy to see how one modification leads to lots of dough being spent as other changes usually follow.

[Grease348]

Thank you Ron. Now I got my work cut out for me.....Steve


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[3739ford]

Mercury block cleaned, tested, bored 3 5/16, cam bearings installed.........$340.00
Mercury crankshaft polished..........$40.00
8BA rods checked for roundness......$40.00
Mill EAB heads to .045" clearance.....$80.00
Machine shop milled Mercury intake for 2GC $20.00
EAB used camshaft checked and OK......$00.00
100 trips by machine shop just to talk with owner......$priceless

[clo]

I’m building a performance Flathead. It’s a 59L block.
Stroke= Eagle forged 4 1/4 crank. I like eagle rather than scat. Scat crank is cast.
Rods= Eagle
Pistons = Ross 3 5/16 with grant file to fit mm ring pack for less drag.
Heads = Baron Tattersfield. There thick and hold a extra gallon of water which is big in keeping temperature down in a Flathead. The stroker kit was about 2,100$ and the heads about 1,800.

[JWL]

I covered the subject of angle milling in my book. There is more to it than simply shimming the head before face milling. The bolt holes need to be reamed to be perpendicular to the new face and the washer counterbores should be re-cut. Usually some degree of compromise is involved unless the entire chamber is being custom machined. The best condition to aim for is to minimize clearance at the outer edge of the piston without significantly altering the transfer area. The match between piston dome and head dome cut radius will be the starting point for determining what can be done.

[alanwoodieman]

vat block $50.00
bore and hone to fit pistons $265.00
deck block $150.00
grind crank $125.00
Size Rods $15.00 each
surface fly wheel $35.00 I do my own pressure test, send the block to shop with most of the crud gone, so I get back a cleaner block. remember to remove "ALL" oil gallery plugs--3 or 4 depending on block, rod out galleries with wire brush before and after vatting block. A block that set in a shop had a mudd dauber build a nest in one of the ports for filter/gauge sender, new one on me!

[alanwoodieman]

40 block with little oil pressure, upon inspection found this. Front gallery plug left out. The old school builder had left this out probably 20 years ago. found one in my stash to put in

[Ol' Ron]

I'm glad to see John jump in, The ussue of angle milling a cylinder head can get very complicated, and yea there is more too it. I just brought it up to offer a cheaper way to get high compression.
I have many photos of most of this machine work, and i'd like to ilistrate some of it, but my stupid factor is very high right now, so I'll probably have a grand sn help me with it.
There is another problem with the heads I haven't brought up and that is clearancing the valves to head. This is done in a fixture on an angle table, Much easier and you don't have to tram in the Bridgeport when your done.
I hate that, Gramps

PS another thing, If you don't have JWL's book, your loosing allot of money building an engine.

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by JWL

I covered the subject of angle milling in my book. There is more to it than simply shimming the head before face milling. The bolt holes need to be reamed to be perpendicular to the new face and the washer counterbores should be re-cut. Usually some degree of compromise is involved unless the entire chamber is being custom machined. The best condition to aim for is to minimize clearance at the outer edge of the piston without significantly altering the transfer area. The match between piston dome and head dome cut radius will be the starting point for determining what can be done.

For your average enthusiast doing their own engine. Is the juice worth the squeeze. I sure wouldn’t think so. Thanks. Cheers. Tony

[Scotty's 52 F3]

I'm planning my build so THANK YOU to all those contributing.

Glad to see some machine shop pricing as well. I already spent a LOT of time cleaning the crud out of my two blocks. Look like new inside. Crack checked and pressure checked.

One block has a lot of pitting on the deck surface. What is the max allowed to surface the decks?

[Ol' Ron]

The deck is quit thin in places, so I wouldn't take too much off. Check the fire ring around each combustion chamber for ware or deep scratches. That will deterring the amount to mill off. I think .010 would be allot. I usually take only a few thou off (.002/3) for a look see.
Gramps

[Ol' Ron]

Camshafts next??? What ya runnin??

[alanwoodieman]

77b , watch out for regrinds on stock cams, the base circle can get pretty small. of course adjustable lifters with hole drilled low on the lifter bore to aid in adjusting lifters

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by alanwoodieman

77b , watch out for regrinds on stock cams, the base circle can get pretty small. of course adjustable lifters with hole drilled low on the lifter bore to aid in adjusting lifters

What are you calling a “small number base circle”
Just curious. Thanks. Tony.