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Ford flathead engines |
Last updated on January 6, 2008 |
Introduction
In the 1960s, going to the lake was something that our family did every summer. The boat that was by far the
nicest on the lake was a 1940s Chris Craft wooden runabout that was powered by a Ford flathead. And the best thing
that I remember about going to the lake was being able to take a ride in that boat. It topped out at a bit over 40
mph, as fast as you need to go on a small lake, but everybody around could recognize the sound of the
flathead-powered Chris Craft. There's nothing like the sound of a flathead burbling up through the water. In fact,
that old boat was so neat, all you had to do is drive the thing around the lake and you were about as awesome as
Buddy Holly.
Yeah, sure they look great, and their nostalgic appeal is equaled only by the likes of Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers
and Mae West. But the thing about a flathead that turns us on the most is that sound. Take a big crowd of
hard-core motorheads in the pits at the drags, at a swap meet or a car show, and watch everyone's eyes light up
when someone fires up a warmed-over and minimally-muffled flat-motor. It's like Gene Vincent had just walked over,
plugged in and started rockin'.
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The Joe Davis DOHC Cylinder Heads
The Davis heads were the work of Joe Davis, a talented pattern maker. They were cast in 1948. The first sets had a
shaft drive mounted on the front of each head for the cams.
Joe Davis used to drive around Los Angeles in a 1932 Ford pickup with one of these engines sticking out of both
sides of the engine compartment.
Bob Estes, a Lincoln/Mercury dealer, bought the engine from Davis and ran it in his Indy car in 1952. It did not
qualify due to engine trouble, with water coming out of the exhaust. Dale Estes, Bob's son, still has the car,
with the engine now having a gear drive.
In an article by Tom Senter in the May, 1971 issue of Rod & Custom, on page 29 there is a picture of an engine
with these heads. The caption reads, "Rarest of them all. The Davies DOHC making a 1948 show. Meticulous hemi
featured flawless castings, four cams driven off tower shafts. Raced at Indy in '52 by current owner Bob
Estes."
Joe Davis made ten sets of these heads. The engine you see here has one of the four sets that are known to exist
today. It belongs to John, a friend of mine in California.
When the project has progressed, I'll add some pictures of the car that this engine is going in.
Ford flathead parts sources
Ardun Enterprises — Complete Ardun OHV cylinder head kits and spare parts
http://www.ardun.com/
Ken Austin's Rod Shop — Ardun, Ford, and Lincoln intake manifolds
http://www.austinrodshop.com/
Automotion — Tri-power carburetor systems that work, by Larry Fulton
http://www.hotrodcarbs.com/
Baron Racing Equipment — Cylinder heads, and manifolds for EFI, superchargers, or Webers
http://www.baronracingequipment.com/
Capanna Company — Transmission adapters and Sharp Equipment cylinder heads
http://www.wilcap.com/
Dennis Carpenter Reproductions — Reproduction early Ford parts
http://www.dennis-carpenter.com/
Chelmsford Performance Company — Flathead parts including Chevy distributor adapters
48 Adams Street
North Chelmsford, MA 01863
(508) 251-2898
CMC Engine — Cylinder heads
http://www.cmcengine.com/
Cornhusker Rod & Custom, Inc. — Borg Warner T-5 overdrive transmission conversions, Chevy water pump
conversions, urethane and rubber engine mounts and aluminum timing covers
www.cornhuskerrodandcustom.net/
Donovan Engineering — Model "D" aluminum blocks, billet cranks and rods, cast heads and Winfield
manifolds, custom valves, and complete engines
2305 Border Avenue
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 320-3772
Bob Drake — Reproduction early Ford parts
http://www.bobdrake.com/
East Coast Auto Electric — Starters
http://www.ecae.com/
Edelbrock — Cylinder heads for '32-'48 and '49-'53, dual-carb intake manifolds for three-bolt Holleys
or Stromberg 97s, and generator brackets
http://www.edelbrock.com/
Egge Machine Company, Inc. — Flathead engine parts
http://www.egge.com/
Electrotech — Alternators and starters
http://www.electrotech.net/
Flat-O Products — Adapter kits and short tailhousings for C-4 automatic transmissions
http://www.flat-o.com/
Flatattack Racing Products — Complete 60mm and 65mm throttle-body EFI systems
http://www.flatattackracing.com/
Flathead Jack — Custom and performance parts
http://www.flatheadjack.com/
Flatlander Racing — Engine parts including stroker kits
http://www.flatlanderracing.com/
Earl Floyd Engines — Flathead engine builder and parts source
28915 N.E. 82nd Avenue
Battle Ground, WA 98604
(360) 687-2202
Jerry Frear — Performance Flathead engine builder
2117 N. E. Fleser
Roseburg, Oregon 97470
(541) 672-1515
H&H Antique Ford Engine Rebuilding
http://www.handhantique.com/
Virgil Hanson Automotive Machine — Billet aluminum cylinder heads
http://www.hansonautomachine.com/
Hot Rod and Custom Supply — Custom and performance parts
http://www.rodncustom.com/
The Hot Rod Works, Inc. — Modern driveline components for '32-'48 Fords
http://www.hotrodworks.com/
Joblot Automotive, Inc. — Stock replacement parts
http://www.joblotauto.com/
Kanter Auto Products — Stock replacement parts
http://www.kanter.com/
Doug King Enterprises — Steel main caps and center main bearing block girdles, and Ardun gaskets and
literature
(510) 537-3909
Mike's Early Iron — Flathead engine builder
1000 South East End Avenue
Pomona, CA, 91766
(909) 629-3182
The Modern Flathead — Engine parts
9103 East Garvey Avenue
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 572-0938
Momar Injection
http://www.momarefi.com/
Motor City Speed Equipment — Mark Kirby's engines, engine blocks, and parts
www.motorcityspeedequipment.com/
Roy Nacewicz Enterprises — Authentic reproduction early Ford fasteners
http://www.fordbolts.com/
Nordian Services, Ltd. — Engine parts in England
http://www.nordianservices.com/
Navarro Engineering — Cylinder heads and intake manifolds
http://www.navarroengineering.com/
Offenhauser Sales Corporation — Cylinder heads and intake manifolds
5300 Alhambra Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90032
(323) 225-1307
Don Orosco — Eddie Meyer heads, and Ardun and Eddie Meyer intake manifolds
10 Harris Court, Suite B-1
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 649-0220 days
(831) 626-2660 evenings
Patrick's — Flathead parts and speed equipment including Mallory dual-point and electronic
distributors
http://www.patricksantiquecars.com/
Red's Headers — Flathead deck plates, headers, pistons, and rings
http://www.reds-headers.com/
Riley Two-Port Company — Cylinder heads for four-cylinder
1928-1934 Fords
Charlie Yapp
570-A Rock Road
East Dundee, IL 60118
(847) 428-6626
Roadrunner Engineering — Supercharger kits, and Joe Abbin's book "Blown Flathead", which is loaded
with information on both normally-aspirated and blown flatheads.
P.O. Box 53296
Albuquerque, NM 87153
(505) 296-7678
roadrunnerengr@msn.com
Ross Racing Pistons
http://www.rosspistons.com/
Alan Schurman Iron Ranch — Flathead engine builder and parts source
23100 N.E. 10th Avenue
Ridgefield, WA 98642
(360) 887-3193 days
(360) 887-8156 evenings
Speedway Motors — Flathead parts
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/
Stromberg Carburetor, Ltd — new Stromberg 97 carburetors
http://www.stromberg-97.com/
Vern Tardel — Engine builder, and the scource for the book "How to Build a Traditional Ford Hot Rod",
written by Mike Bishop and Vern Tardel, and illustrated by Steve Amos
464 Pleasant Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Fax (707) 838-6065
Tatom Custom Engines / Vintage Vendors — Engine building, pulleys and wire looms
http://www.tatom.com/
Uncommon Engineering — Flathead engine building, and parts including blower drives and manifolds
http://www.uncommonengineering.com/
Vintage Carburetion Technologies, Inc. — Holley and Stromberg carburetors for early Fords
http://www.vintagecarburetiontech.com/
Rick Williams — Reproduction Eddie Meyer cast aluminum air cleaners and fuel blocks
1450 Third Street
Pomona, CA, 91766
(909) 865-0375
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