Frankie the Fink

In Ft. Pierce, Fl and got roped into working on my graduating nephew's inheritance. Got it running, but it sure smokes a lot....it needs the carbon blown out of it. Original 6-volt and everything else - far as I can tell.

I have a shop manual but its gonna take some reading to tune it up...glad its a long weekend..

Ugh! 3-in-the-tree and un-synchronized I bet - I'll find out when I drive it...

59BlueSilver

Love those flatheads! Nice looking Ford.
How does your nephew like it?

Frankie the Fink

Well - his Dad is gonna have to give him some driving lesson's but yeah; kid thinks its bitchin'.. An old Shoebox Ford what's not to love... ?

We all three sat through Robert Mitchum's "Thunder Road" last night to give the boy a 'taste' of the era... The gals didn't care for it much though...

gbvette62

Looks like a 49 Custom Tudor?

The 49-53 8BA flathead's not bad too work on, at least they have a "regular" distributor. They're a lot easier to work on and tune up, than the strange front mounted coil/distributor combo, that the pre-war flatheads used.

Frankie the Fink

Correctamundo...

Its actually in pretty amazing shape...I don't see any bondo or gross body work...chrome is pitted a bit but not horribly... The license plate is one of my graduation gifts...

rtruman

GTOguy

It'll have sycnros on second and third, just not first. No issues, really. Great looking old ride, Frank. Thunder Road is one of my favorites of the day.....17 year old Chris Mitchum plays his dad's brother, and it worked because they looked so much alike. As well as singing "The Ballad of Thunder Road", Robert Mitchum recorded an entire Calypso album around that time, which I of course have. Good luck on the old flattie, and beware of vapor lock!!

AZDoug

That is cool old car for a kid to have. I would have liked one oh, about 43 years ago, at that age. Though I liked Corvettes better, so that is what i bought instead.

Other pluses, it isn't a dragster mobile.

Doug

Frankie the Fink

Yup - and its hard to text and drive when shiftin' and cluthin' -- but NO seat belts. We'll have to fix that...

Mike67nv

My first car was ’51 Ford Deluxe flathead – 3-speed column, 6-volt positive ground, 16” wheels. Got it in 1960, ‘molded’ off all the chrome and got a $29 Spray Craft paint job. They really are easy to work on.

skeew

Nice car and Plate

My High School car was a 31 Model A coupe...sold it for $125 toward down payment on a new 62 Vette....What a difference.

AZDoug

I was just coming back to suggest that. Glad you brought it up.

Going to go with lap belts only or do three point? It looks like there is nice healthy post to attach the shoulder strap to, though it takes more work.

I put three point harnesses in my '37 Ford pickup, with big floor reinforcing plates under the floor pan. Got 'em through this outfit:
http://www.julianos.com/Seat-Belts-s/96.htm

Doug

kingwoodvette

I had a 50 business coupe through high school, late '50s (in Texas you could get a license at 14). Had a knuckle buster like that one. Easy to work on and I had a lot of that to do! That's a good project for you Frankie

1955 copper

Had many flat heads ,warm the engine up and using a water hose run a light spray of water down the Carburetor while running high RPM for a minute or more ,it will knock the carbon off the pistons and clean the valves to stop the smoking

SI67

Nice-looking car.

I was going to raise the seat belt issue, but of course you're on it already. You're a a good uncle, Frankie.

AZDoug

I see you found a "Forbidden Planet" avatar.

Doug

ptjsk

You're a good man Frankie!

Brian VH McHale

Nice weekend project if everything you need is available. Good Luck.

rtruman

My first car was 1954 ford 239 OHV the slowest car around the
six cylinder Chevy's would pull me bad .

Mike67nv

If all else fails, check out the fuel pump. I remember at one point, my '51 started to smoke a lot when accelerating. Turned out it was the fuel pump - the diaphragm was sucking in oil.