Thread: Flatheat in a T-Bucket

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Hello,

I am new to rodding and I'm getting ready to order a T-bucket kit from TP. I want to do a retro type rod and put a flathead in it. I am looking for some feed back on flatheads, ie. cost, reliabilty ect.
I see them in the bargain traders for fairly cheap and know I will have to rebuild it. I plan on using a c-4 trans also. Any other feed back I could get on building a TP kit would also be gratly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Todd

Cost = HIGH

Cost with reliability = Even HIGHER

Part of the reason you might be seeing what you consider low "core" cost is that most experienced people know you have a high probability of the block being cracked (probably 50/50 chance). Sometimes you're lucky and they're small, easily repaired cracks, sometimes (too often) the cracks render the block useless.

If you're thinking a full dressed flatty that might put out 225-250 realistic hp (not pie in the sky guessing/wishing), $8-9000 is not uncommon.

An alternative is to buy a running motor out of a restored car that is being hot rodded. Or an engine out of a well maintained stocker. They are out there but you will have to pay the piper. $750 to $1,000 is typical.

They key to using one of these motors is not desturbing the head to block interface. Simply replace the head nuts with acorns one at a time and replace the intake with a two pot, add headers, and paint it up nice. A T-Bucket will run just fine with 85 horse power.

An engine can run just fine for a long time with some minor cracks as long as the water jacket remains sealed. Once the heads are seperated from the block all the relationships that maintained integrity (sediment, gaskets and even rust) are compromised. The only way to recover is to rebuild.

Even so, any flathead is a crap shoot. Be prepared for some disapointment and frustration.

I always thought a T Bucket with a Chevy II four banger or even an in line six would be neat.

I'm new to this board. But not to flatheads. I have been "tinkering" with them for over 50 years. (doesn't make me an "expert" though!! )

Flathead building is an expensive, sometimes frustrating business.

Forgive me if I post this thread - address - from another board. It would take FAR too long for me; a one finger - sometimes two! - typist to enter here.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...305&&showall=1

If your serious about flatheads; give this a read. It contains a TREMENDOUS amount of information, "how to", reference and links to other flathead sites.

Thanks for the info, I really want do do something different. It seems most people are going the 350/350 route. I don't want mega horsepower just something fun and reliable. Maybe I should think about some finned valve covers and dual or tripower type setup. Any Ideas? I want the nastolgia/retro look. Thanks again

Todd

Bib Overalls--I have a bucket,actually a '23 Willys body, with a Chevy II and 'glide sitting in my shop.

Originally posted by TPost
I want the nastolgia/retro look. Thanks again Todd

This is another one of those deals where peoples misunderstanding of hot rod history is out of sinc with reality.

First off, you can build your car anyway you want, that's the joy of hot rodding. I'm not sure a flathead powered T bucket is all that different since in the past few years there have been quite a few built with the revitalized "romance" with the flathead V8. But the real irony is that if you're wanting to "recreate" the early T buckets then a flathead is about the last engine you would chose. The acknowledged "father" of the T bucket format/style/profile that is epitomized by the Total Performance configuration is Norm Grabowski. He built his T bucket in the late '50's and used a Caddilac V8 from his dad's '52 sedan. One of the first copy cats was TV Tommy Ivo who used a Buick nailhead. From there the T bucket style grew like crazy until some time in the mid to late '70's......................the prime era for overhead valve powered hot rods, ESPECIALLY the small block Chev. Since then they've been a minor "mainstay".

Now, if you really want a flathead powered T that's representative of days gone by you need to be looking at a Track T or Lakes T.

Bob, it sounds like you have "been round the block" a couple of times - meant respectfully!

My love of flatheads goes back to my first "hot rod" - a '28 A Ford roadster - that was flathead powered. The year was 1953, before the SBC came into being.

I have always had something that had a flathead engine; now days some consider the poor old flathead "out of date" - which it is!

I'm, not sure where or when this sudden revival of the flatty came along.

There seems to be a lot of "wet behind the ears", "I got to have one" youngsters that are "popping up" and really don't understand that - yes a well dressed flathead looks good - these things are a BIG drain on the pocket book.

They are tempremental, - overheat easily - fast becoming hard to find; hell they went out of production OVER 50 years ago!! And unless you want to "pony up" MANY dollars for one of the newly cast ones - and don't produce a decent power to dollar ratio.

But; what more can I say. I still love them!!

The big Buick, Olds, Pontiac, and Caddies were the hot engine set ups in the early T-Buckets. Like Bob and the others said, you've got to really like flatties to go to all the trouble and expense to build one.

There's something really classic about a Nailhead with four twos on top, or an early Olds or Caddy in a T-Bucket; use a Lokar or Gennie shifter on a juicer tranny, or find an old Zephyr or La Salle three speed, and put a tall stick on it with an eight ball or skull knod, and a quick change or early Ford rear end. If you find the right dress up parts, you can get the same general effect with a small block Chevy, though, and not have the "parts" problems associated with an early engine.