The Ford Barn

GB SISSON · 12-09-2020, 12:40 AM

I know it was 1953, but was there a day when the last one went down the line?

5851a · 12-09-2020, 09:24 AM

Canada still used FH in 54, but I don't know if they were stockpiled. Be interesting to find out.

rotorwrench · 12-09-2020, 01:55 PM

Ford would start a process of outsourcing the castings for sub contract in earlier years. This is where the diamond block model A & B engines came from. I don't think they did this at the end of 8BA family production at the Rouge in Dearborn. Ford of Canada likely produced enough to take care of service replacements till warranty was up. Ford USA went right into Y-block production and they had already been in 215 6-cylinder production for a while. Don't forget that the Windsor plant was right across the Detroit river from Dearborn. A new plant was being set up for engine production in Cleveland in that time frame too. A lot of changes were taking place.

38 coupe · 12-09-2020, 07:13 PM

Not just Canada with flatheads in 54, but all of Ford directly associated with Canada like New Zealand and Australia. Those 54s are interesting with the updated front sheet metal, but king pin front suspension and 53 dashboards.

If you really want to get technical and odd, Chrysler ended up building an updated version of the V8 60 into the early 60s...

And there were those French army trucks built with normal sized flatheads much later than that.

corvette8n · 12-10-2020, 08:17 AM

Probably the last day production ended for ‘53, look in
“Standard catalog of American cars, 1946-1975”, I not sure how accurate the book is. I have vol. one that ends in ‘42.

https://www.amazon.com/Standard-cata.../dp/0873410963

rotorwrench · 12-10-2020, 03:12 PM

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[QUOTE=38 coupe;If you really want to get technical and odd, Chrysler ended up building an updated version of the V8 60 into the early 60s[/QUOTE]

I think this was manufactured in South America where they also kept the Y-block car engines a lot longer than in the USA.

The French SUMB truck engine is a hybrid engine. It has an 8BA cooling system matched to the 59A half bell structure at the rear.

Simca Do Brasil V8 60s were set up like an Ardun OHV conversion except they were more like a Hemi. Ford of Argentina used the Y-bloc engines up into the 80s

supereal · 12-10-2020, 05:18 PM

If you have a '54 car or truck, finding engine parts can be a struggle. We just rebuilt a '54 OHV 239 engine, and finding most parts is a challenge. We needed a water pump and pistons, and other pieces, but it took a month to locate them. This engine was a one year only model. Even finding the cream colored engine paint was tough.

paul2748 · 12-10-2020, 08:38 PM

With a number of manufacturing plants in the U. S., it will be hard to precisely date the manufacture of the last one.

GB SISSON · 12-10-2020, 08:51 PM

'53 was the year I was born. For my 53rd birthday I bought myself a '53 F350 pickup with a 9' bed. Got to enjoy it for 5 or 6 years and then the great recession hit us pretty hard in the building trades and along with some other vehicles it had to go. That's what got me thinking about the flatheads and 1953.

12-09-2020, 12:40 AM	#1
GB SISSON Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Orcas Island Washington Posts: 4,914	Last of the FH V8s in the US I know it was 1953, but was there a day when the last one went down the line? __________________ Owner/Operator of 'Jailbar Ranch' on the side of Mt. Pickett. Current stable consists of 1946 1/2 ton pickup turned woodie wagon with FH V8, 1947 Tonner Pickup (red) mostly stock with exception of a cummins 6at turbo diesel, 1946 Tonner Pickup (green) with 226 cu in 6 cyl flathead, 1979 Toyota landcruiser wagon, completely encased in 1947 Ford Jailbar sheet metal. Ok, cornbinder rear fenders..... 'Rusty ol' floorboards, hot on their feet' (Alan Jackson)

12-09-2020, 09:24 AM	#2
5851a Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: NE Iowa Posts: 1,664	Re: Last of the FH V8s in the US Canada still used FH in 54, but I don't know if they were stockpiled. Be interesting to find out.

12-09-2020, 01:55 PM	#3
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,422	Re: Last of the FH V8s in the US Ford would start a process of outsourcing the castings for sub contract in earlier years. This is where the diamond block model A & B engines came from. I don't think they did this at the end of 8BA family production at the Rouge in Dearborn. Ford of Canada likely produced enough to take care of service replacements till warranty was up. Ford USA went right into Y-block production and they had already been in 215 6-cylinder production for a while. Don't forget that the Windsor plant was right across the Detroit river from Dearborn. A new plant was being set up for engine production in Cleveland in that time frame too. A lot of changes were taking place.

12-09-2020, 07:13 PM	#4
38 coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,631	Re: Last of the FH V8s in the US Not just Canada with flatheads in 54, but all of Ford directly associated with Canada like New Zealand and Australia. Those 54s are interesting with the updated front sheet metal, but king pin front suspension and 53 dashboards. If you really want to get technical and odd, Chrysler ended up building an updated version of the V8 60 into the early 60s... And there were those French army trucks built with normal sized flatheads much later than that.

12-10-2020, 08:17 AM	#5
corvette8n Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: 36 miles north of Albany NY Posts: 2,943	Re: Last of the FH V8s in the US Probably the last day production ended for ‘53, look in “Standard catalog of American cars, 1946-1975”, I not sure how accurate the book is. I have vol. one that ends in ‘42. https://www.amazon.com/Standard-cata.../dp/0873410963

12-10-2020, 03:12 PM	#6
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,422	Re: Last of the FH V8s in the US Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) [QUOTE=38 coupe;If you really want to get technical and odd, Chrysler ended up building an updated version of the V8 60 into the early 60s[/QUOTE] I think this was manufactured in South America where they also kept the Y-block car engines a lot longer than in the USA. The French SUMB truck engine is a hybrid engine. It has an 8BA cooling system matched to the 59A half bell structure at the rear. Simca Do Brasil V8 60s were set up like an Ardun OHV conversion except they were more like a Hemi. Ford of Argentina used the Y-bloc engines up into the 80s Last edited by rotorwrench; 12-10-2020 at 03:33 PM.

12-10-2020, 05:18 PM	#7
supereal Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,634	Re: Last of the FH V8s in the US If you have a '54 car or truck, finding engine parts can be a struggle. We just rebuilt a '54 OHV 239 engine, and finding most parts is a challenge. We needed a water pump and pistons, and other pieces, but it took a month to locate them. This engine was a one year only model. Even finding the cream colored engine paint was tough.

12-10-2020, 08:38 PM	#8
paul2748 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midland Park, NJ Posts: 3,979	Re: Last of the FH V8s in the US With a number of manufacturing plants in the U. S., it will be hard to precisely date the manufacture of the last one. __________________ 48 Ford Conv 56 Tbird 54 Ford Victoria

12-10-2020, 08:51 PM	#9
GB SISSON Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Orcas Island Washington Posts: 4,914	Re: Last of the FH V8s in the US '53 was the year I was born. For my 53rd birthday I bought myself a '53 F350 pickup with a 9' bed. Got to enjoy it for 5 or 6 years and then the great recession hit us pretty hard in the building trades and along with some other vehicles it had to go. That's what got me thinking about the flatheads and 1953. __________________ Owner/Operator of 'Jailbar Ranch' on the side of Mt. Pickett. Current stable consists of 1946 1/2 ton pickup turned woodie wagon with FH V8, 1947 Tonner Pickup (red) mostly stock with exception of a cummins 6at turbo diesel, 1946 Tonner Pickup (green) with 226 cu in 6 cyl flathead, 1979 Toyota landcruiser wagon, completely encased in 1947 Ford Jailbar sheet metal. Ok, cornbinder rear fenders..... 'Rusty ol' floorboards, hot on their feet' (Alan Jackson)