Ok..what Is It?

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by DUUANE

so whats the popular opinion of the flathead ford for this application?is it worth the dollars to find and build one?
i have three 3-53 detroits to choose from here that would almost snap in there like it was home. last darn near forever too.
yes i know the're loud as n/a's but with a turbo and a decent muffler it's almost music to me.
i'm sorry if that horrifies some of you,but my intention is to USE this truck,and i dont like being left high and dry.
95 hp sounds a little rough for hauling a load too.
rear end gears are 7.2:1 right?
thanks to all...

I guess there's nothing too wrong with the original V8 (the various Commonwealth armies were so impressed, they bought hundreds of thousands of Fords and some Chevs), but they can be expensive to source parts for and rebuild. If originality is not vital to you, an option to get you on the road with some speed and reliability is a small block Chev V8 (Gasp!!). One reason in favour of this is that adapters are readily available (like this one on e-bay) and if in some time you want to go back to a flathead, you haven't permanently disfigured the chassis. Crate GM motors are available for the price of parts alone for the flathead, and if Diesel appeals to you a 5.7 Olds and 6.2 and 6.5 GM V8 diesels can be fitted up (different bolt patterns for the Oldsmobile and Chev, but adapters are available in both). Using a GM V8 adapted to your Ford CMP gearbox means that fiddly things like clutch linkages and driveshaft lengths don't need to be changed. Of course, this still retains the non-synchro gearbox, which can be a learning curve if your not used to one.
I don't know about your road laws, but a conversion like this might mean you will have to have the vehicle certified by an engineer for approval and you might miss out on any emissions testing or licensing fee benefits that apply for original vintage trucks. Check first before starting the rebuild.