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I have a chance to buy a 47 merc flattie tonight for a good deal (i think).
It is a complete motor and trannny. It's not stuck and has been filled with oil for storage. was supposedly running when pulled (several years ago).
24 bolt heads - casting numbers 59A-B
Casting on the rear of the motor is L363 and under that it says 59
I believe this is a 100hp stock motor and one of the best of the flattie family (i hear)
What's it worth?
and what can you tell me about it
Pro's & Cons?
hey steel thats a tough question depends whos buying or selling and where.
i have a 53 mec flattie that is a runner rebuilt in the mid 70s. whats it worh not a clue i am not intersted in selling but i would say 1500.00 canadian 1200 american would let it go.
i may be wrong but its my 2 cents .
I live in the same town where Tony DiCosta had Hot Rod and Custom Supply. Tony is one of the best flathead builders around, in my opinion. He built the flathead that was in Total Performance's pink T bucket, and he sold the engine for $ 9 K when he got it back.
Anyway, Tony told me one time you have to buy 10 flatheads to get one good one. They are prone to cracks in the valve seat area ( I think) and maybe the water jackets. The only way to tell is have one magnafluxed to see if it is ok before you start spending money at the machine shop. The other problem, is that flatheads are not cheap to build.
I know they are the hot setup right now, but they are not without their pitfalls.And they tend to run hot, too.
Don
I wouldn't part with one thin dime until all of it was vatted and magnafluxed. I don't know what the present value of them is, but there is an 8BA block on ebay that has been vatted, magged and bored/honed. Starting price is $550 and there have been not bidders, so that's probably a little pricey.
Canadianals asking price of $1,200 American for a complete motor sound pretty reasonable to me.
thanks for the input guy's. i picked it up last night off ebay for $202 after goign to look at it earlier yesterday. It is as complete as it could be (carb, fuel pump.....), pulled from a car that hasnt seen the road in a long time but was supossedly running, it turns free and looks good on the outside. They were going to use it in a project they have but found a 460 instead cheap.
I think and hope it's good but also figure that if it's cracked i can part it out and make most if not all of my money back.....we'll see
At $ 200 bucks you can't get hurt. Hope you got a great engine.
Don
I fired the flatty up this weekend. Changed the oil and cleaned the old plugs/points and fired it right up. it actually ran pretty good and very little smoke, which was probably from the oil that was in the top of the motor.
steel you got a smokin deal a running flatty for 200.00 what tranny are you going to put behind it.
It has the original 3sp behind it now. I'm Probably going to run a C4 or AOD......but i also have a 6sp;)Quote:
Originally Posted by canadianal
now I need some Offy heads and 3 carb intake
I'm jelous. You got a running flathead for a little over $200.00. You know how rare that is finding a flattie without a crack block? You are one lucky guy!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chevy 37
Yeah the more I look the better I feel about buying it. Now I'm thinks about trannies......should I use the 3sp that came with the motor or go ahead with the C4????
Unless your going to build the motor up, the 100HP engine shouldn't hurt the origional tranny.
The pre-49 flattie wasn't near as bad for cracking as the '49-up thin-wall ones were. I have a few that aren't cracked. (Not for sale!)
The 3-speed is okay for a light car, the '47's were overstressing them badly. Even with 3 carbs and heads, it will last pretty good, if you use your head.
I like stirring the stick, so I'd keep the manual, especially, since it is already set up for it. But, that three speed is weak in the first-second gear, and does not like shock loading - like dumping the clutch in second, or speed/power shifting from first to second, and sidestepping the clutch. Even a stock motor will break second gear if you treat it that way. I broke two of them in my '51 with the worn out stocker; then after I rebuilt it and warmed it up considerably, I started collecting the trannys, so I could have a spare, and a ready parts source. I suppose if I'd kept the car, I might have sought a solution sooner or later, but I went off to see the world with Uncle, and my Dad dumped the car. You could get an adapter and put a later model four or five speed in it, but then, unless you're just real fond of shifting, you might as well do the C4 conversion. :confused: **) :D
is not the early ford 1980s automatic just a od c4. from what i know about flatheads it may like a od tranny as opposed to a 3 spd auto.
thanks for the input guy's. i am putting this motor into a 27 T roadster so it will be light. Also will be doing heads and a 3x2 intake. I too like the idea of shifting but with very little leg room, it may make more sense to go auto. I really need to wait until i get the frame close to being done before I can see how much room I have. If I do keep a stick I will probably go with a T5 just for crusing. The flatty would probably prefer an AOD
Not all the 80's autos had OD some are just c4's (basically). i have one of each in the shop that I could use.Quote:
Originally Posted by canadianal
I agree with Rrumbler, I had a '47 Ford convert. way back when and the 3 speed will not hold up long driven by a 17 year old kid. I went through three of the trans in a little over a year and it wasn't the low-to-second shift that did it, it was revving it to the max in low gear and hitting some little bump. Sure restorers will baby their pet machine and get them to live forever but it is pretty easy to break teeth out of low gear with a heavy foot (then where does the chipped tooth fragment go???).
Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder
hey steel horse looks like i put my foot in it i should have said all 4 spd ford autos are c4 overdrives or like them.
I assume your talking V-8 flathead. Are they that hard to come by or should I say do people want them? I have three L6 dodge flats in some M37's and dump truck and 3 spare motors.
Now I do know where a 2 1/2 ton OLD ford truck is, the guy said he'd take whatever i'd give him for the trucks and cars he has. I saw two of his 60's chevy 2 1/2 tons show up at the crusher but the ford is still in the woods. Could get them for prob 100 bucks pull the parts off and send the frame to the crusher and get my 100 bucks back.
Now the crusher yard is a diff story, any old car or truck he gets he puts it in the back of his place and does not crush. He currently has some old flat heads back there a dodge straight 8 and a Ford flat 6 with "high compression" forged in the top of the head and some V-8 fords.
I wish i could find someone who could use them, hate to see them just sitting there.
Yeah I've heard that about the 3spds.... i actually plan to drive this car....and I'm just not the type to baby it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Shillady
Man, Do I know some people who'd love to get their hands on this stuff (me for instance). What year is that ford truck? Also it looks like your in MS, where-aboutsare you and the stuff?Quote:
Originally Posted by chevydrivin