1942 Ford Flathead 6 Engine

[danritz]

I have a 1942 Ford 6-cylinder flathead engine that my brother would like to sell. But we have no idea of its value. (Admin – please delete if not allowed).

 

In the mid 80's (yep, 35 years go) my brother owned a '47 Ford pickup that he planned on restoring.  He removed this engine from the truck, and had it rebuilt.  I have receipts dated 1985.  He ended up selling the truck itself, without ever having installed or ran the engine, but held onto the engine all these years.  He will soon be moving into a different house, and decided that the time has come to let go of the engine.  He worked with the experienced Ford engine builder who assembled the engine, and told me that the engine was liberally lubricated when it was put back together.  I stopped by my brother's place tonight, and we were able to turn it over with a socket and straight arm; it was not "stuck" whatsoever.

 

Info from the block:  

 

Ferro   2GA6015

 

From the web:

 

"The G casting: This is the original inline six cylinder and was used before WW2. It is cast by Ferro foundry and will have a stylized raised Ferro mark located on the oil pan rail next to the oil breather pipe. The casting mark will have a G as part of its code, for instance, 2GA 6015."

 

"That is a 1942 engine...90 hp, 226 cubic inch, bore 3.3", stroke 4.4". The 2GA engine was produced and used in 1942 models only."

 

So.... can anyone use this engine?  Can anyone give us an idea of its value?  Thanks!

 

[George Albright]

$500 max. 

[kgreen]

Check with marine/boat forums, that could be an ideal replacement for that application. 

[dustycrusty]

 Those sixes werent too popular then, and a flathead V8 still seems to be more popular. I always liked them, but I like ANY "straight" engine (2,4,6,8)! It may have greater value in tractor collector circles. They were used to convert "N" series Ford tractors (9N, 2N, 8N)  to a more powerful machinehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMBnoSWZPv0

 

[danritz]

5 hours ago, George Albright said:

$500 max. 

Thanks!

[danritz]

5 hours ago, kgreen said:

Check with marine/boat forums, that could be an ideal replacement for that application. 

Thank you, I'll check into that.

 

[danritz]

4 hours ago, dustycrusty said:

 Those sixes werent too popular then, and a flathead V8 still seems to be more popular. I always liked them, but I like ANY "straight" engine (2,4,6,8)! It may have greater value in tractor collector circles. They were used to convert "N" series Ford tractors (9N, 2N, 8N)  to a more powerful machinehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMBnoSWZPv0

 

Thanks, much appreciated!

 

[wayne sheldon]

I have heard of these engines, don't think I have ever seen one. IF you find the right guy, it could be worth more? But finding that one in thousands person could be really tough. Personally, I would like to see it put back into a '42 appropriate truck. However there are not many people wanting to do that. Realistically, George A is about right. Checking with the military vehicle collectors could help.

[SC38dls]

You might want to check the “Ford truck enthusiast forum” they have a section for groups based on years. Great group of guys that are as helpful as people on this forum. I rebuilt a 49 Ford F3 pickup with their help. 
good luck

dave s 

[TerryB]

I heard they were good for truck use as they had better low end torque than the V8. Would make sense if they were often refitted in farm tractors.

[victorialynn2]

I had one that I gave away with some Flathead V8’s I sold last year. I could not find a buyer. It would help if you know if it’s frozen or not, if it’s cracked or not inside and some people asked me if I tried to start it or took it apart to check it. 
 

Also if you are willing to strap it to a pallet for shipping purposes, you can cast a wider net for a buyer. 

Edited May 8, 2020 by victorialynn2 (see edit history)

[Terry Wiegand]

My Dad had a 1947 Gleaner-Baldwin Combine that had a 6-Cylinder flathead Ford engine for the power unit.  This was a pull-type machine that had its own power source.  The engine was original to the machine.  Might want to check with the farm equipment restorers too.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

[danritz]

15 hours ago, victorialynn2 said:

I had one that I gave away with some Flathead V8’s I sold last year. I could not find a buyer. It would help if you know if it’s frozen or not, if it’s cracked or not inside and some people asked me if I tried to start it or took it apart to check it. 
 

Also if you are willing to strap it to a pallet for shipping purposes, you can cast a wider net for a buyer. 

It is not frozen - per my original post:

"I stopped by my brother's place tonight, and we were able to turn it over with a socket and straight arm; it was not 'stuck' whatsoever. "

You're right, shipping is an option I may need to consider...

Thanks!

[danritz]

18 hours ago, TerryB said:

I heard they were good for truck use as they had better low end torque than the V8. Would make sense if they were often refitted in farm tractors.

Thanks, I'll give that a shot!

[danritz]

19 hours ago, SC38DLS said:

You might want to check the “Ford truck enthusiast forum” they have a section for groups based on years. Great group of guys that are as helpful as people on this forum. I rebuilt a 49 Ford F3 pickup with their help. 
good luck

dave s 

Thanks, I'll give that a shot.

[danritz]

21 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

I have heard of these engines, don't think I have ever seen one. IF you find the right guy, it could be worth more? But finding that one in thousands person could be really tough. Personally, I would like to see it put back into a '42 appropriate truck. However there are not many people wanting to do that. Realistically, George A is about right. Checking with the military vehicle collectors could help.

Thanks, I'll check into that.

[danritz]

15 hours ago, Terry Wiegand said:

My Dad had a 1947 Gleaner-Baldwin Combine that had a 6-Cylinder flathead Ford engine for the power unit.  This was a pull-type machine that had its own power source.  The engine was original to the machine.  Might want to check with the farm equipment restorers too.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

Thanks!

[Robert G. Smits]

You might also check with the vintage sprint car groups as the engine was used in sprint cars and racing boats in the era.

[victorialynn2]

7 hours ago, danritz said:

It is not frozen - per my original post:

"I stopped by my brother's place tonight, and we were able to turn it over with a socket and straight arm; it was not 'stuck' whatsoever. "

You're right, shipping is an option I may need to consider...

Thanks!

Sorry, I was grazing as opposed to actually reading. (Sidetracked)

[danritz]

55 minutes ago, Robert G. Smits said:

You might also check with the vintage sprint car groups as the engine was used in sprint cars and racing boats in the era.

 

Thank you!

[Isaiah]

 THE 6 HAD MORE HP THAN THE 8

[Robert G. Smits]

11 hours ago, Isaiah said:

THE 6 HAD MORE HP THAN THE 8

Also more low end torque which was important in accelerating out of corners or getting on  "plane" quickly.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

The real reason that the Ford six was ever built was for use in commercial trucking. They could not get enough miles per gallon out of the V8 to satisfy the industry. I can't remember when the six first came out, '39 maybe?

[George Albright]

This flathead Six first came out in 1941. Stayed the same through 1948 

[Hudsy Wudsy]

27 minutes ago, George Albright said:

This flathead Six first came out in 1941. Stayed the same through 1948 

Yes, George, but I thought that Ford offered a six in trucks earlier than that. Maybe I'm wrong...

[1939_Buick]

55 minutes ago, Hudsy Wudsy said:

The real reason that the Ford six was ever built was for use in commercial trucking. They could not get enough miles per gallon out of the V8 to satisfy the industry. I can't remember when the six first came out, '39 maybe?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_straight-six_engine

 

 

Quote

226

Introduced with the 1941 model year, the first Ford L-6 (designated G-series) displaced 226 cu in (3.7 L) and produced 90 hp (67 kW), the same as the Flathead V-8 that year. Like the V-8, it was also a flathead or L-head engine. In 1948, Ford raised the compression of the flathead six or L-6 (designated H-series or Rouge 226) so that it generated 95 hp (71 kW) and 180 lb⋅ft (244 N⋅m) of torque. The G- and H-series engines were used in the full-sized Ford cars and trucks to replace the smaller 136 cu in (2.2 L) Flathead V8 that were used with the 1937 Ford. Ford discontinued production of the H-series engine with the 1951 model year.

254

A 254 cu in (4.2 L) version of the L-6 (designated the M-series or Rouge 254) was used from 1948 to 1953 in F6-series Ford trucks (COE, Dump, semi-, etc.), and small Ford school buses. The M-series engine produced 115 hp (86 kW) and 212 lb⋅ft (287 N⋅m). of torque. They were also used in miscellaneous industrial applications. e.g., to power water pumps for irrigation purposes and within wine-producing farms to manage risk by powering giant frost-control propellers on stands in the middle of rows of grapes.

 

 

[Hudsy Wudsy]

13 minutes ago, 1939_Buick said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_straight-six_engine

 

 

 

My apologies, thank you!

Edited May 10, 2020 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history)

[Fleek]

I had a 46 Ford pickup with the 6. It was a beast. Good old truck.

 

[George Albright]

Could be. Just speaking about this particular engine. Thanks George 

[George Albright]

You may be correct. Don’t know. 

[frededwarrds]

In my youth we had 2 Ford WW2 army trucks on the farm. We call them jail bar Fords. . I’m sure the engines were not original as the army trucks had tin sleeves in the cylinders which didn’t last long. In the 1950s and 60s you  could buy a new ex army engine,  without the tin sleeves,  for 30 pounds ($60.00 US?). One of these had the standard 21 stud head and the  other had a Mercury 24 stud engine which would get along quite well. The point of this is we also had the most of a 6 cylinder army jail bar as well. Unfortunately it was vandalised. Here In Aussieland this 6 cylinder was very rare. We here only thought of Fords having side valve V8s..  Not now because of recent imports of  1950s 2 door Fords with a conventional distributor. The story goes  that about 6 of these  6 cylinder Ford trucks were brought for the French to test on New Caledonia and Noumea, hence why it had a metric speedo. The ship was diverted to here because the Japanese arrived a little quicker than people anticipated. Rumour has it  that if you go scuba diving ‘up north’ around the pacific  islands looking at the war time wrecks you will find many more of these 6 cylinder Ford trucks. 

[Bush Mechanic]

That is interesting, Fred. The 'Blitz' trucks, as we called them were quite common in the station country, either with a Ford V8 or a Chev OHV 6, from memory. The main thing I remember is that none of the several examples I drove had any brakes whatsoever. Quite challenging in thicker bush country.

And my apologies to Danritz for wandering off topic.

[danritz]

8 hours ago, Bush Mechanic said:

That is interesting, Fred. The 'Blitz' trucks, as we called them were quite common in the station country, either with a Ford V8 or a Chev OHV 6, from memory. The main thing I remember is that none of the several examples I drove had any brakes whatsoever. Quite challenging in thicker bush country.

And my apologies to Danritz for wandering off topic.

 

No, problem at all.  Very interesting discussion...

 

[frededwarrds]

Yes, my apologies danritz for wandering. We never had a ‘blitz’ as we didn’t need the 4x4. Good , tough and cheap to buy 4x4 for  work in hilly country. One strange thing I noticed with all this vehicles is how small the cabins are! When I was young  I didn’t  notice that. My head rubs on the roof. I’m only 5’9”-177cm. . Sad thing was they were designed for young men and also most were all recruited from half starved  depression era. I noticed that at a army disposal store. Way back in the 60s in my youth there were not many clothes of that era that fitted, only some of the airforce gear. Many of them were from wealthier families. Sorry danritz, I’ll drift no more and hope someone nearby can buy your engine. Someone with a military collection should have sense and snap it up. 

[danritz]

*** SOLD ***