Then and Now

[carbking]

"Flatheads" are just that - "flat heads". The valves are contained in the block, not the head. The head covers the cylinders and the valve portion of the block. "OHV" refers to overhead valves, or a valve-in-head design. Anytime one says "first" one is setting himself up to be proved wrong, so I won't say first; but Buick had and OHV engine shortly after Noah landed the Ark!

The flathead Ford engine (stock) was rated 85 HP (1930's and 1940's) and 100 HP (later). The 85 HP engines were 221 CID. This was later changed to 239 CID. So the 85 HP were making about 0.38 HP/CI (not overly efficient).

Now consider that the salvage yards were full of these engines, so they were the logical choice for beginning racers (the engines were cheap!). As the early racers started using these engines, aftermarket speed parts became available. Not too difficult to get more power from an engine producing 0.38 HP/CI if there are lots of bolt-on speed modifications.

As to the comments on fuel injection/electronic ignition vs carburetion/points and condenser: it is probably just me. The vehicle probably senses that I don't really like the stuff and acts accordingly! However I have logged well over 1 million miles with vehicles that were carbureted and normal distributor. With these vehicles I walked one time (a fiber timing gear gave up). I have logged less that 100,000 miles in fuel injected engines with electronic ignition. This figure is growing as my current driver is newer (but you better believe I carry a cell phone whereever I go!!!). In less that 100,000 miles with the newer stuff, I have walked 6 times!!!

Winters don't seem to be as cold as they used to be here in Missouri, but the last time we saw 15 below, the only vehicle we had that WOULDN'T start was the newer one. All of the carbureted points and condenser vehicles fired right up. If fact the fuel injected vehicle had to be towed to the dealer. Story from the dealer - cold weather cracked a printed circuit board!

I know fuel injection and electronic ignition are here to stay (until they are replaced with some other "improvement"); but with the luck I have had with them, I will still carry a cell phone with me except when I drive my older vehicles. What we really need are dual systems. Then maybe when the primary system failed, we could still get to the dealer before the secondary system failed. Or, knowing my luck, they would fail simultaneously!

Jon.