My friend and I are in the midst of an 8BA Flathead rebuild. He keeps referring to this as "our" engine, but I would use that description rather loosely. I found it and he paid for it. It's stripped down, it's been relieved and is being magnafluxed and hot tanked as we speak. Crank, pistons, rods, valves and heads are all ready to go in.
The problem is that we don't have a car to put this engine into. This all started after I read the thread here on the Oilers Car Club Race of Gentlemen. We decided to build something pre-war. He's open to anything from a Model A through late 40's. I like A's, especially Tudor highboys, but I'd prefer to build a track roadster or boat tail speedster. Neither one of us will fit comfortably in a truck cab.
Right now, we have nothing and are open to suggestions. Let me know if you find anything out there.
I am kind of biased but go Model A. If you can find a decent five door body that is what I would do.
The roadsters have a bit more space then the trucks will have bit more room and can be stretched easier
Can you do the coachwork to make your own body? I'd personally look to something like these photos of the 500 from right after the great war. Indy 500 pictures<
Frame and the rest of the running gear should be simple. The body shouldn't be too hard to make, right?
4g63t
HalfDork
1/25/13 6:08 p.m.
I saw a Pinto with a flatty
mazdeuce wrote:
Can you do the coachwork to make your own body? I'd personally look to something like these photos of the 500 from right after the great war. Indy 500 pictures<
Frame and the rest of the running gear should be simple. The body shouldn't be too hard to make, right?
That's exactly what I'm thinking about.
Ok it has to be said. Miata Lol.
I guy at work has one in a Ford Ranger, so just about anything will work. 
Like a lot of things, I think you need to nail down what parts you're working with and then make the body over them. For something like this I've got to think wheels/tires would be a huge factor. I know Cooker tire makes about anything, but I don't have any knowledge on what wheels you'd use that would be safe and let you the huge drums that would seem appropriate for a car like that.
We'll probably use '35 Ford wire wheels so we can use hydraulic brakes.
I've always thought an unchopped doctors coupe would be cool an different.
-Rob
How strange are you thinking? For example, in Allis Chalmers G series
Really throw them off and stick it in a FB RX-7.
A friend of mine came close to tossing one in a Volvo 240 
It looks like 35 wire wheels were 16's? Yes? In that case I might have to revise my suggestion. Part of the charm of the old speedway cars are the large wheels. 16 inch wheels puts you in a whole different aesthetic. Now I'm thinking lower. I'm pretty sure there is some good inspiration in early Bonneville cars too.
I think on old flat fender Jeep would be cool. Leave the hood off.
Rob_Mopar wrote:
i could be wrong but I don't think that's a full-size flathead. A V8-60 maybe? Cool as heck in any case
petegossett wrote:
Funny you should mention that. Dave, my partner in this project, has a '53 Ford Jubilee tractor. I've suggested that and if we can't figure out anything else, that may be where it ends up. But, that's far from the first choice.
Carro Atrezzi wrote:
Rob_Mopar wrote:
i could be wrong but I don't think that's a full-size flathead. A V8-60 maybe? Cool as heck in any case
Yeah, that looks like a V8 60. They're actually kind of hard to find these days because the sprint car and vintage speedboat guys snap them all up.
