French flathead blocks -- Homologation or a new engine class?

[jimmy six]

What other "new" blocks?

[smitty2]

 Seems to me that these French blocks have certain upgrades incorporated to make them stronger than an original Ford casting... New metal mixes ( updated casting technoligy.), strengthened webbing and probably more that I am not aware of.
Would'nt this be considered a "reproduction", and not considered vintage since it was produced after 1953 ? I have a Sheng Fuie engine that was made in China that looks exactly like a Honda 125 cc engine.... same mounting holes, and everything looks just like a Honda, only it's a knockoff made in China. I even got a letter from Honda Motor Company telling me if I owned, or worked on these things that I would be in violation of patent laws.
 Pigs butt is pork.

Smitty

[Glen]

If they let these French blocks run they would be forced to allow the Donovan 4 cyls as well. That has already been turned down, Vintage is vintage, not after market updates for the classes.

[desotoman]

Funny, you can`t run a French Flattie in your vintage car, but you can have
traction control. Are the other new blocks being made right now gonna be legal?

No.

  Back in the 1980's I also had a brainstorm to collect the Big Ford and Lincoln Flatheads. They were much more stout and came with a forged crankshaft that already had a 4.375" stroke. Intake valve was already 1.75" diameter and they were already 337" stock. Well I bought all of McCain and Houtz stuff and I bought 4 other motors. If you sleeved these motors 1/16th you ended up with a 324.8" motor that had ton's of torque, and the blocks were a good 30% stronger than the regular flathead.

  I was in the process of building one of these motors at the time, and I think it was Dan Warner who told me I could not build one for the flathead class. I asked why and his responce was " It is a Lincoln motor and not a Ford." Well Dan was suprised when I showed him a Ford inscripted head for one of these motors since they were used in the F8 Ford trucks.

  Well the next year I got a suprise when SCTA changed the wording in the rule book. The rule book now stated that a Flathead had to be a "Ford passenger car motor" so there I was stuck with all this Ford truck and Lincoln motors that I had bought. Now they were not legal for the vintage class. Lucky for me I finally found someone to buy all of my stuff.

   So learn a lesson as I did. The rules clearly state "XF Class consists of any Production Ford/Mercury passenger car V8 flathead engine, 1932 - 1953, up to 325 cubic inches."

   If it was not produced by Ford or Mercury from 32-53, and it is not a passenger car motor, it is not legal for XF class.

Tom G.

[dwarner]

Hold on here!!

The SCTA went ot all the grief(if you only knew) to allow traction control across the board. One of arguments in favor of traction control was to save engines. Now you are saying that is not the case - what the ....?

DW

[desotoman]

Dan,
   I don't follow your reply. Who are you talking to?

Tom G.

[4-barrel Mike]

Thank you, desotoman.  Now that rule makes sense.

Mike

[dwarner]

"Funny, you can`t run a French Flattie in your vintage car, but you can have
traction control. Are the other new blocks being made right now gonna be legal?" - Promachine

Tom,

I posted this earlier today but, apparently it didn't make the grade. Above is the post from page one I was referring to.

DW

[promachine]

Dan,love you man.....save engines? ........I guess I just don`t get it.
Because I am not involved with the rule making or changing process I cannot
understand how or why anybody could convince our elected board that t.c.
will save engines or be good for our sport.
I will however respect their votes based on the fact that  they have steped up to the plate to make those kind of decisions and I have not.
But I do have an opinion, and will voice it, thats what makes America wonderfull.

[desotoman]

Dan,
  Thanks. 
Tom G.

[jauguston]

I am a noob with this stuff but there is something that puzzles me about the expressed desire of some to preserve the purity of the vintage flat head Ford passenger V-8 class. Am I wrong or is the block the only vintage part required to be legal today?

Jim