Guest larry spencer Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 I inherited a 1950 Lincoln with a flat head L 336 from my father. He hadn't driven it since I was a boy and it hasn't been turned over for 20 plus years. I really would like to modernize the car and drive it. Any suggestions to replacing this 1 ton lo hp engine for something with a lot more hp and better performance ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Not in this forum as most all of us are dedicated to the preservation of autos in original condition as the were made at the factory. The HAMB website deals more in what you are looking to do. The sound of a fine running flathead V8 is music to our ears! Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzcarnerd Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 The engine is heavy but only about 100 lb more than a BBC and looks as if it makes good torque. http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_specs-337bigV8.htm The car would probably be worth more with its original engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frantz Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 (edited) If you do hot rod it, please don't scrape the motor! I for one would be happen to take care of it until we found another home. I live in Pennsylvania but would travel. That being said, I'll also say you'll probably get just as much enjoyment out of fixing up what's already there. I'm only 33, so take this for what it is, but when I was young, I thought it was good to "improve" old cars. In time I've realized their best pleasure is in driving them how they were intended. For less money than your project would cost, you could buy some late model muscle that will run circles around just about anything you'd do to the old Lincoln. But again, it's your car! And it was your Dads car! If you want to change it to better enjoy it, help us save any stock parts you don't want so that folks who are switching the other way have the chance to save their piece of history! I got a 1954 Ford this summer that hadn't been on the road since the 1970s and hadn't run in over a decade, and it's been sitting outside. I'm working on the motor, but it turned freely even after all this time! Edited February 27, 2017 by Frantz (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 How much money are you planning to spend, just for an order of magnitude of your plans? A whole lot can be sorted out with that blank filled in. Bernie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 The engine is the least of your worries. It was a brand new design for 1949, same year as the first Cadillac OHV V8 and very similar in performance, 336 cu in and 154HP vs 331cu in and 160HP. The Lincoln with overdrive transmission was known for getting excellent gas mileage on the hiway thanks to its streamlined body and efficient engine. Luxury cars of the time like Lincoln, Chrysler, Packard, Cadillac and Buick Roadmaster offered much better performance than the cheaper cars like Ford, Chev and Plymouth. For practical purposes, they have all the performance you need to keep up with modern traffic. If everything is in top shape you will have no trouble cruising at 70MPH with the stock engine. Best suggestion I can give is, get it on the road with everything working right and see how you like it. If it is too slow, do yourself a favor, sell it and buy a newer car. You will waste too much time and money trying to turn that car into something it is not. Just going over the car and restoring everything to working order should give you plenty to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Suggest you start by cleaning off the engine with compressed air and maybe a vacuum. Pour some light oil or Marvel Mystery Oil down the spark plug holes and let it soak in for a week, then see if it will turn over. If it will turn over and has compression it will run. All it needs is spark and gas. The main thing is to clean the car up, go over it and make a list of everything that needs to be fixed or replaced. Save any odd parts, screws, or odd bits of steel or rubber you find. Even if they don't look like a car part they will turn out to be some irreplaceable part. If there are any new parts in the trunk that will give you a clue as to what was wrong when it was parked. You need to have some idea what you are getting into. If it looks like it will take too much time or money to put it back in commission STOP do not tear everything apart or waste your time or money. Sell it to someone who can do it justice. If you have a list of what it needs, and it doesn't scare you, time to map out a plan and start working on one thing at a time. Do not overmatch yourself and do not tear everything apart at once. Get a factory repair manual, take pictures as you go along, and carefully store all nuts, bolts and parts you take off. You will thank me when you go to put things back together. Good luck. We are here for you if you have any questions. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 And take LOTS of photographs as you go. You will not remember how it goes back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBulldogMiller55Buick Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 more power? restore the flat head V8. How fast to you need to go in 1950 Lincoln? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 9 hours ago, JamesBulldogMiller55Buick said: How fast to you need to go in 1950 Lincoln? I'm pretty sure one can install an engine powerful enough to make a Lincoln go faster than the brakes and suspension can handle. If you know that at the beginning you can figure out how much work you are really going to do. "Nothing is as simple as we hope it will be." Jim Horning on the concept of the AACA online forum. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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