Plans for Ford Flathead V8

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JackF
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:56 pm
Location: Caldwell, Idaho

Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by JackF »

Anyone know where I can find a set of plans for a Ford Flathead V8 (any scale)?

Jack.
Hudson Honey
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Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by Hudson Honey »

Mike Rhemus of model engine builder I believe published an article about a gentleman developing a scale flat head. I would have to go dig out the mags to find the article.


Pam
JackF
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Location: Caldwell, Idaho

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by JackF »

Hi Pam,
Welcome to the forum. Any info you find would be a tremendous help.

Jack.
Hudson Honey
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Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2010 7:56 am
Location: San Diego area

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by Hudson Honey »

the gentlemans name is Roger Butzen...the article was from 06.....it featured his scrtach built 1/4 scale Hemi that he used a visible plastic hemi engine kit to copy in metal because it was so accurate. the article said his next engine will be a flathead and showed a few solid works type renderings. I have seen a finished flathead in some of the engineering show photo pages. I would contact Mike Rhemus at model engine builder or the Bay Area engine modelers at www.baem.com. they would know for sure...those guys are serious automotive model engine builders.


good luck, Pamela
JackF
Posts: 1616
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:56 pm
Location: Caldwell, Idaho

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by JackF »

Hi Pam,
Thanks for your hard work. As it turns out I contacted Roger Butzen in 2009. He was just beginning to work on his flathead ford V8. He was indeed doing the drawings in Solid Works and would let me know when the plans were done. I contacted him a shot while ago and long story short, he said plans were not available. I got the impression he is not willing to part with them. Oh well, I guess I will have to try to make a set of plans from a full sized engine. Thanks again for your help. :D :D

Jack.
gbritnell
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Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:07 am

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by gbritnell »

Hi Jack,
I have often thought of designing and making a flathead engine. The biggest problem in trying to duplicate the original is trying to get the porting snaked around the cylinders while still providing water circulation. For a scratch build the upper area of the cylinders would need to be done in layers to get the ports built. The somewhat copy of the Cadillac flathead engine has the exhaust ports exiting from the upper part of the block thereby simplifying that problem.
I let you know when I get mine started. :roll:
JackF
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:56 pm
Location: Caldwell, Idaho

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by JackF »

Thanks G,
I have thought a lot about how to snake the exhaust around the cylinders. I have thought about just cutting the paths directly through the top of the deck and then making a plate to cover the top of the paths and weld it in place. Then thought about drilling through the side of the block up to the valve pockets. To look right the end cylinders would have to be drilled from two spots, one straight up to the valve pocket then one from off to the side to the first hole and plug the opening of the first hole. As far as the water jacket is concerned I think one could drill enough intersecting holes side to side and top to bottom to cool the engine for intermittent use and still avoid the exhaust paths. It would require a lot of plugs but all could be ground down to hide them. These are just a few thoughts and the project is still some time away. When you start your engine a lot of pics would be great. :D :lol: 8)

Jack
dly31
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Location: Northeast Alabama

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by dly31 »

I have read, and can certainly believe, that most engineers thought that engine could not be successfully built at a suitable cost because of the casting difficulty with the ports and water jackets. Apparently they were not far wrong as many of the early engines had extensive welding done to make the block castings usable. It was a very unorthodox engine in many ways. I learned to drive in a 1938 Ford 60HP.
Don Young
david5605
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Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by david5605 »

If you wanted a somewhat different challenge you could do a flathead with the Arden overhead valve head option. Might be a real challenge finding a set of those heads to copy though.
There is a hotrodding company that actually sells kits to supercharge the flathead v8. I wonder if they might point you to drawings somewhere? Here is one such company. There are others.
http://www.roadrunnerengineering.com/
JackF
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:56 pm
Location: Caldwell, Idaho

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by JackF »

Thanks David for the reply and the link. That is one area I hadn't thought of. I think however I will leave the Ardun heads for another time after my skills are a little more polished. :lol: I do have a friend though that has a 34 ford with Ardun heads. It is a running rod so the best I could do is take pics and external measurements.

Jack.
JackF
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:56 pm
Location: Caldwell, Idaho

Re: Plans for Ford Flathead V8

Post by JackF »

Ken,
Thanks to you also. Hopefully one of these site can steer me to some drawing with dimentions that I can scale down.

Jack.
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