first year for Ford overhead

[Dave Mellor NJ]

I started to put this way at the bottom of a different thread but I figured nobody would see it. Anyway,if you ask anybody,"What's the first year Ford had overhead valves?"answer will always be "54". Ford went to overhead valves in their 6 cylinder and the Lincoln in 52.If you ask,"what's the last year for the flathead?"the answer will be 53,but theystill had them in their Canadian cars in 54.Both of these would be great trivia questions at your next club meeting.

[Rusty_OToole]

Correct on both points. For the real flathead experts, what maker brought out the last all new flathead engine in an American car and when?

If that is too easy, what car did Chrysler build with a Ford flathead engine? They did it twice but only one was a flathead.

[Guest Skyking]

I think Rambler was the last car to use a flathead engine. Might be around 1960.

[junkyardjeff]

I think Rambler used the flathead up in the mid 60s and I think the dodge power wagons used the flathead sixes in the 60s too.

[Dave@Moon]

The Dodge 230 flathead six was used in the Power Wagon until 1968. Car applications ceased after 1959.

The Continental-sourced flathead 6 used in Checker cabs lasted until 1966, when it was supplanted by Chevy engines.

The Rambler flathead was discontinued in 1956, but was reintroduced, with minor chages, in the 1958 Rambler American. It lasted in that car until 1966.

Jeep trucks used a flat head 6 cyl. engine through 1963.

[Guest Bob Call]

Chrysler owned Simca of France used a French made V-8 60 into the late 50's. A French made updated version of the Ford flathead 8BA was also produced for military vehicles into the late 50's.

[Dandy Dave]

And then there is those big truck engines. The 279, 317, and 332. The 279 was intoduced in 1952 and used in the Ford heavy duty line of trucks. Dandy Dave!

[Rusty_OToole]

Bob you are correct about the Ford V8-60 in the French Vedette. For you trivia fans, the other car Chrysler made with a Ford V8 was the Sunbeam Tiger sports car.It was in production when Chrysler bought Rootes but was dropped a year or 2 later.

I wasn't thinking so much about the last flathead in production but the last brand new flathead introduced to the public.

Depending how you look at it this would be the Hudson Hornet six in 1951 or possibly the 1954 Packard Patrician straight eight. The latter was not a clean sheet design but a redesign of the 5 main bearing 327 engine to 9 main bearings and 359 cubic inches.

The Hudson is really the last all new flathead. It is surprising that these independents were spending money on flathead designs so far into the OHV V8 era.

[Dave@Moon]

The Hudson is really the last all new flathead. It is surprising that these independents were spending money on flathead designs so far into the OHV V8 era.

The Jeep Super Hurricane 6 was introduced in 1950, 2 years after the Hudson 262. It was made by Continental, and was slightly modified from the Checker/Kaiser Supersonic automotive engine they'd been making since 1946. While it was hardly all-new like the Hudson motor, I think it was probably the last "new" introduction of a flathead engine.

[Rusty_OToole]

I was talking about the big Hornet 308 cu in engine, introduced in 1951. One year newer than the Jeep.

Or, if we are accepting redesigned engines how about Packard's 359? It was a major redesign of the 327 straight eight with 9 main bearings instead of 5.

Why they spent so much money to make a new straight eight one year before introducing a new OHV V8 I do not know but they did.

[rons49]

actually Hudson introduced the Jet in 53. It was the last new flathead from Hudson at 202cubes. It also powered the Italia and the Nash based Wasps until 1956 when AMC put 327s(ohv) into the remaining Hudson lineup for 1957. Amc as stated, used the 195 flat six until 1965, when the new for 65, 232 ohv replaced it for 1966. I didnot know that the power wagon still had the flat six. By that time the Army was getting the shipments of Kaiser 5/4s, so the old 3/4 ton vehicles were oldies from the 50s.

[Richard Lichtfel]

First year for Ford overhead valve. Didn't the first Ford race car "999" built in 1902 have overhead valves?

[Dave Mellor NJ]

If that's true,you got me. Even though that was prior to the present company and not a production model. they probably had a few experimental models along the way with the overhead valves before 52.

[Morgan Wright]

The first Ford to use an OHV engine was Henry Ford's 1896 quadricycle he built in his back yard, although only for the exhaust valves (2 cylinder engine). The intake valves were suction valves.

 

The last Buick flathead was 1911, and the first Buick with an OHV engine was the 1904 model B, according to: http://www.carnut.com/specs/gen/buick20.html

 

Edited November 2, 2017 by Morgan Wright (see edit history)

[Morgan Wright]

On 3/19/2010 at 6:01 PM, Richard Lichtfel said:

First year for Ford overhead valve. Didn't the first Ford race car "999" built in 1902 have overhead valves?

 

And 1902 wasn't his first. See above.

[cheezestaak2000]

i'm a chevy guy, what's a flathead?

 

[poci1957]

On ‎3‎/‎14‎/‎2010 at 9:50 AM, Rusty_OToole said:

.....the last brand new flathead introduced to the public......would be the Hudson Hornet six in 1951.....

 

The Hudson is really the last all new flathead. It is surprising that these independents were spending money on flathead designs so far into the OHV V8 era.

 

That is some good trivia Rusty, I did not realize the 1951 Hornet six was a clean sheet design.  Yikes that was poor planning of company resources, from a 20/20 hindsight of course.  Do you think the problem might have been (a) the development started before it was apparent how important the Olds OHV V8 (in Hudson's price class) would soon become?  OR (b) Hudson production was built around flatheads and some of the unique Hudson features and they were too reluctant to change over expensive tooling?  Interesting, thank you for that, Todd C 

[joe_padavano]

On 3/14/2010 at 12:10 AM, Bob Call said:

Chrysler owned Simca of France used a French made V-8 60 into the late 50's. A French made updated version of the Ford flathead 8BA was also produced for military vehicles into the late 50's.

 

Not the last time Chrysler sold a car with a Ford motor, either.  Chrysler acquired Rootes group in stages during the mid-60s, giving them the privledge of selling the Ford-powered Sunbeam Tiger. The small block Chrysler motor was larger and heavier than the Ford, making a transition impractical and causing the demise of the Tiger.

 

[Frantz]

And Ford owned about 10% of Cummins back in the 1990s... so that's 10% Ford motor right? Almost a whole cylinder =-D

[Dave Mellor NJ]

11 hours ago, cheezestaak2000 said:

i'm a chevy guy, what's a flathead?

 

It's an Indian tribe

[Bleach]

Oh I'm a knucklehead.

[Larry Schramm]

On ‎11‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 9:40 PM, Morgan Wright said:

The first Ford to use an OHV engine was Henry Ford's 1896 quadricycle he built in his back yard, although only for the exhaust valves (2 cylinder engine). The intake valves were suction valves.

 

The last Buick flathead was 1911, and the first Buick with an OHV engine was the 1904 model B, according to: http://www.carnut.com/specs/gen/buick20.html

 

 

Buick used a flat head engine in the 1913 Buick Truck.

[Morgan Wright]

Cadillac made the first flathead V-16 as well as the first OHV V-16.

 

They also made the last of each, and it was the same ones.

 

Ha ha that was a joke.