My Dream Engine when I was a kid.

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Back in the 60's I was playing with flatheads and the Ardun conversion was the ultimate conversion for a flathead. Most people do not realize that Chrysler was not the inventor of the hemi head or hemi engine. It was invented in England by an engineer that his name escapes me, lol.

The Ardun was designed by a well know engine designer that eventually worked at GM and most know him, Zora Arkus Duntov. Small block chevy fans do. This engine saw over 200 mph on Bonneville and some of the lake runs. There were versions with fuel injection, multiple carbs and of course blowers.

The Ardun name on the valve covers is pieced together from his middle and last name. For sale on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-Flathead-Motor-w-220-ARDUN-HEADS-4-Weber-Carbs-HEMI-302-conversion-/332185766824?hash=item4d57d08ba8:g:~kMAAOSwcdRY9FEd&vxp=mtr

Just a puny $55,000, lol. I use to think $1,000 was too much for one back in the 60's.

There were also hemi conversions for the Model T and Model A engines. Probably the ultimate was the conversion for the Lincoln V-12 that would be like gold to find.

About the only thing new in engines is electronics.

Chrysler got a trademark for the Hemi name I think is why you do not hear it used by others that use that old but efficient design.

Keep in mind that these were designed on paper no computers back then.

 

[jowens1126]

some of the most awesome flatheads can be found at the Don Gartlets Museum in Ocala just up the road from me. They have all that cool shit in there.

 

[clevelandcoupe]

+1 on the Garlits Museum. My dad and in-laws live close to there and I have been there at least a dozen times over the years. The displays are always changing and if your lucky, as I was once, Don walks around and talks to people on occasion.   My hot rod mentor had a SCOT blown Ardun flathead in a 32 Roadster in the 80's. His son still has the roadster, but the Ardun is gone.

Can someone rotate this photo, please !!!

 

[rvrtrash]

hopefully this works.

 

[clevelandcoupe]

Thanks !!! It is truly a exceptional car !!!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

While looking around eBay I saw that So Cal speed shop still has some of the French Flatheads for sale. Most people were not aware that Ford sold the equipment to the French when they stopped production of the Flathead in 1954 in the U.S. The French use a sort of mixed up flathead in their military vehicles. The front of the engine was the 8BA version, 49-53 with distributor on the R.H. side in front. and they used the previous design for the bell housing of 48 back on the rear of the engine.

These blocks are so much better that the SCTA banned them from Bonneville and competition. Much heavier deck and much better casting of cylinders. A flathead is about as simple an engine as you can get and the French used them until into the 60's. Then in the 80's I believe it was when someone found a warehouse in France with tons of the flathead stuff in it.

The old saying was Flatheads are Forever.

 

[Fabrice]

Yes, back in the 80's, I recall when I was stationed in center France, (for a year of forced service)

some old trucks were still used, like this one

http://gb.fotolibra.com/images/previews/1270856-ww2-french-army-truck-at-1940s-rally.jpeg

Dunno for sure it was this exact model, but I've seen the flatheads, and I was told by the maintenance dudes there were small v8 engines with

low CI's. Their sound was very nice. They were all but nervous beasts.

 

[secluff]

David, glad you are able to enlighten some of our younger forum members about this amazing engine that many of them may never get a chance to see. This engine put Ford in the spotlight and kept it there for decades.

Our Blue Oval Coordinator was a flathead V8 fanatic and had several flathead powered cars and a stash of parts you wouldn't believe. He had a lot of Edelbrock intakes and heads I had no ideal even existed. He did have one set of heads that were the Hemi style but I don't remember seeing a name on the valve covers like the ones you illustrated. His affair with the flathead came to an end when he met the Girl of his dreams, a Dusk Rose 57 T-Bird. He sold all of his flat head cars and parts but did keep a 51 Ford for the bad weather days when the Bird got to stay inside.

My dream engines come from the 60's when I became certified "Car Crazy". Just when you thought nothing was meaner than the 427 FE engine, along comes the SOHC 427! The picture is of one that I saw in Charlotte when the Mustang 35th Anniversary Show was taking place at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. That engine made some awesome horse power with no fuel injection, variable cam timing, etc and as David said, was all designed on paper!!

My second and also unobtainable dream engine is the Boss 429. The street version was a little tame since it had to be a warrantable engine, or least last long enough to make it out of warranty! The picture is one that was in a 69 Boss Mustang also at the 35th Show with some nice touches of chrome and from the way the ground vibrated was not stock. Ford did build a 494 cid Can Am version of the Boss, but it is rare and commands premium prices. The last one I saw was a few years ago at the Charlotte Auto Fair and the "You Can Take Me Home Price" was only $10,000.00!!!    :whistling:

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Steve,

One of the owners for a tool and die shop here bought a SOHC new and kept it for probably 35 years and sold it. He never put in anything. There was a 40 Willys PU with one in it around here somewhere.

When I was looking at youtube yesterday I watched this one you will enjoy. Jay Leno took it for a drive and it sets off all the car alarms going down the street. SOHC in a 67 Fairlane.


I remember being at Bristol in 1967 and back then they had a place in the outside wall with just a piece of guard rail that they opened up to let cars in. I believe it was in the front straight coming out of 4th. turn. Bud Moore was still driving back then and he had a the Mercury Comet version of the Fairlane. He hit the opening just right and the car broke into three pieces. Worst torn up car I have ever seen in person at a race. Back then you had to run the factory cars and just add the roll cage. I remember when Banjo Matthews had the frames stacked beside his shop. I guess they changed after every crash, lol.

 

[secluff]

David, sure glad you found that video. Really enjoyed the part where they set off the car alarms when passing by.

I was at the Spring Hornets Nest Car Show at Charlotte Motor Speedway a few years back and saw a 56 F100 with a tilt front end and a SOHC 427. Owner said that it was stock and had dynoed at 680 horsepower. No variable cam timing, no EFI, no tuning from a laptop, just raw nasty ole school  horsepower. No wonder the Hemi folks cried a river when they found out about this Monster!! Can you imagine what kind of power would be at your disposal had the SOHC 427 and the 351C continued in production instead of the short life span they had from Ford?