Another Sunday Cruise In!

Topic: Another Sunday Cruise In! (Read 1964 times) previous topic - next topic

Another Sunday Cruise In!

Reply #15 – May 04, 2008, 11:59:25 PM

Yep that's how they set those things up! It does look funny, raised my eyebrows first time I saw one.

Another Sunday Cruise In!

Reply #16 – May 05, 2008, 01:19:47 AM

anyone know why flatheads went by the wayside?

Another Sunday Cruise In!

Reply #17 – May 05, 2008, 09:46:04 AM

Yes. The '49 Cadillac OHV V8.

Another Sunday Cruise In!

Reply #18 – May 05, 2008, 09:52:51 AM

Quote from: jcassity;217257

anyone know why flatheads went by the wayside?

Quote from: V8Demon;217279

Yes. The '49 Cadillac OHV V8.

That and the '55 Chevy 265 small block. The flat head was the engine to hot rod until the small block Chevy came out.

Another Sunday Cruise In!

Reply #19 – May 05, 2008, 10:15:50 AM

That and Buick had been doing OHV since from the get-go in 1903. I do wonder why they had OHV and Cadillac kept with flatheads even though Cadillac was above Buick on the totem pole!

Another Sunday Cruise In!

Reply #20 – May 05, 2008, 01:27:10 PM

The Caddy engine had large displacement and rather free flowing heads for the era. Even in 331CI trim (they grew up to 390 later)there was more displacement than the Flathead could muster and you could go much higher in compression ratio without the inherent issues built into the flathead design. Buick did have OHV, but NOT in V8 form until 1953. Before that they were Straight-8.

An interesting side note on the early Caddy motors ('49-62)
The valve retainers and seals are a one piece design made of brass.

Another Sunday Cruise In!

Reply #21 – May 05, 2008, 01:51:04 PM

Quote from: thunderjet302;217282

That and the '55 Chevy 265 small block. The flat head was the engine to hot rod until the small block Chevy came out.

+1

Even though Ford went OHV in '54, they did it because they knew Chevy was working on the 265. They had to do something. Think about it though, the Ford Flathead was king from 1932 to 1953. Not to start anything, but how many other engines have been king of the streets for 21 straight years? Pretty cool stuff.

Another Sunday Cruise In!

Reply #22 – May 05, 2008, 02:19:32 PM

Quote from: V8Demon;217299

Buick did have OHV, but NOT in V8 form until 1953. Before that they were Straight-8.

Yeah the new Nailhead was in everything but the Special in '53. And then the inline 8 before that and a straight six before '31 etc etc. Im just sayin' that the technology was there. Of course, duesy's had overhead CAMS in the '30s!!!