1953 Ford pickup with a flathead V8

[imjustpassinthru]

My first car was a 53 Ford two door sedan with a flathead V8 pained metalic blue by Earl Sheib. Those flatheads were great engines and simple to work on. With a set of dual glass pack mufflers they had a great sound. Add two or three Stromberg 97 carburators and fancy heads and you had a real hot rod.

[sandman19681012]

@imjustpassinthru So very true my friend. Their simplicity was one of their strongest features.

[prettybear765]

just picked up one of these without a motor when i get some more cash i will find a flathead to go back in it gotta have a flathead just love the sound and they were meant to last forever btw nice truck my friend

[sandman19681012]

@prettybear765 Thank you my friend. I am afraid that it is not my truck though. I was just the photographer.

[XFolf]

I wish I could find something like that for a next vehicle... fewer electrical things to break, and when gas costs as much as whiskey... it'll run on the whiskey.

[sandman19681012]

@XFolf I agree with you my friend. Anyway...I think that they put more care into what they made during those days.

[TheManInDboX]

These motors may not be as fast as the new technology, may not get as good of gas mileage, but i love the design, it is visually pleasing, everything is right there, easy to work on, and that sound is like a motor head's symphony. As soon as i get the room to build my hotrod, i am looking for a flat head.. to hell with the GM conversions. Its not always about doing 9second quarters.

[sandman19681012]

@TheManInDboX Very well stated. I could not have put it better. I tend to agree with you when it comes to the GM conversions. Best of luck my friend. Stay cool and stay true.

[macksuperliner1982]

My dad had a fair share of flatheads..Some 6 and V-8s. He said with the V-8s ran and sounded better with hardy any exhaust on it. The 6 cylinders..he said if you wasnt in a real big hurry, they got you there. The ones he had would most likely use 3 quarts of oil in a 2 day span, but, they ran good. After he would run them hard enough to launch a rod bearing or break a wrist pin...he would change it over and put a V-8 in it.

[flatheadman1]

flatheads dont leak if you install the rope seals the right way. my 48 sits on a white floor for 9 years and never a drop

[Daddyace1313]

Nice engine. Can't beat a flathead for looks or sound, though they do have a bad rap for leaking oil and loss of compresion.

[garywayne1966]

Sweet ride, man! nice to hear the sound of a flathead V8 again!

[fordsforme1]

ahhh just the way it should be

[And4ea8]

What is the advantage of the flathead engine???

[barnie7219]

It's just a very simple engine, like an overgrown lawnmower engine. They have a cult following and when properly tuned, NOTHING runs as smoothly as a flathead V8

[rhrhllc]

The advantage at the time was that they were much cheaper to build bringing the V8 to the masses 20 years sooner. The advantage now is period correctness, look and sound.

[crazydiesellover]

@And4ea8 Simply a more bullet proof design. Less parts. These engines dont have a huge powerband, but they run with still great power, and a great longevity. These things have a great design and are built to last! Hope that helps

[fordboy111591]

oh yea i want to refresh the motor to do the make a rebuilders kits seals crank valves etc for it im dumb when it comes to this truck now you give me a v6 ranger motor and ill build you a mini sleeper i want a flatty as pleople call em

[fordboy111591]

wow ive got a peice of history huh ive got a 51 ford truck i know nothing about it ran 2 months ago and the carb is fucked up help anyone thanxs body interior names of sites with parts the only bad body parts i see wrong is the steeps and the back right fender its bent it really bad so id need a new one where could i get one thanxs

[55f350]

there's no way that cobra motor could even compare to a flatty !!!!!!!! your cobra won't be around the 56 years my flathead has been hauling itself around .

[NitroGadvRules]

@55f350 both engines are great engines. The 4.6 will last a long time, just look at its service in the panther platform vehicles (crown vic, town car, grand marquis). There are tons of those with over 300k on them still running fine.

[widgee]

Nothing sounds better than an old flathead

[dunn98632]

hmm flathead v8 and flowmasters sounded good guys

[1969GTOTheGrudge]

Nice pick up truck are you planning to keep the original engine or upgrading it to a better Ford engine like the Cobra engine.

[55f350]

ghotta love it !!! the daily driver ia a green { mettalic } 53 that had been sitting for a quarter of a century , and of course its a flatty . t98 four gear , headers and duals to the diff , the way i found it . i'm a techtard or i'd post a vid of it ...... oh yeah it's a f-100

[sandman19681012]

Oh how true that is friend.

[mancub61081]

beautiful, nothing like a flatty!!