ferguson aluminum flathead block ferguson aluminum flathead block

Reliefs between the valves and bores are much less pronounced than the old days, only about 0.080-inch deep instead of the old-school 31/416 inch. Too high a compression ratio and the engine peaks early due to restricted top-end breathing. Amadeo Amie Angelo from Drummond, Montana, is a cattle rancher by trade so long hours, hard work, and great distances are not foreign to his daily life. Bridging the gap was a couple of Ardun conversions of note. Still not enough? I'd love to retrofit my 36 Ford coupe back from it's current 302 to a flathead. Fabled Stromberg 97 carbs are back, but you can also upgrade to modern Holley four-barrels or even electronic-fuel-injection systems. Stewart-Warner 2-3/8-inch-diameter gauges mounted into the stock dashboard with a clock mounted in the glovebox door. The new old cars got a lot of attention. Only 200 original sets are known to exist, but fortunately, Ardun heads and associated conversion parts are back, reproduced in improved form by Don Ferguson of Ardun Enterprises. Strombergs were the favorites, but Chandler-Grove/Holley, Zenith, and Rochester two-barrels were also in use. Also, what does "wet jackets" mean? Small logo on front, large logo on back. Turns out that's the third of three such engine combos owned by Scott Gillen, whose gray Deuce is this issue's cover car. Automotive American Classic Vintage & Modern, Flathead Myths courtesy of Tony Baron Next to the heater you will see a panel thats held in position by a pair of clips but its what rests behind the panel thats of interest. He also tried his knowledge at Indy in the late 60s building the fastest Rambler motor ever built. If the combination is properly tailored to the blower application, you should have no real problem. I once asked him if he'd considered aluminum and I think he replied that they'd be on the market now. The flathead's compression ratio is well suited to supercharging, and besides, what could be more hot rod than a blower poking through the hood? He decided to drive the coupe down to Daytona Beach, Florida for the Turkey Rod Run, and enlisted Phil Goller of Gollers Hot Rods to ride shotgun. Again, this is one of those hot rods that you must see in person to appreciate the amount of creativity and craftsmanship that was invested in this ride. Brand New. Fabled Stromberg 97 carbs are back, but you can also upgrade to modern Holley four-barrels or even electronic-fuel-injection systems. Copyright 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. The gas tank was supplied by Ricks Tanks as was the in-tank EFI pump. They are available in both two- and three-ca, Ardun Enterprises overhead-valve hemi heads are shown with old-school mechanical stacked, Flathead Engineering offers single, twin, and quadruple TBI systems. Parts Only. Reserve these early blocks for collector cars due to their inferior head-retention and bearing design; speed equipment availability for them is also severely limited. Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements). In fact, the growing flathead movement has basically sorted itself out into three distinct groups. Just a tall gray wall with a rolling bay door that blends so perfectly you may not even know it is a door until Don sticks his head out. What kind of power are these Arduns putting out? With modern aftermarket cranks and rods using modern insert bearings, 5,500 rpm normally aspirated is not a problem, even with only three main bearings. The Flathead in the five-window coupe is the test mule, and Motor City plans to begin production soon. At one end there are restorers who insist on putting everything back to exact original condition. The new Arduns have lighter 11/32-inch-stem stainless steel valves and accept modern 12mm, Save another 70 pounds with Arduns new aluminum block. Flathead gurus like Don Ferguson and Tony Baron strongly urge that hot rod engines run a harmonic damper. Short of machining the block oversize for custom roller-cam bearings, even with a reduced base circle this limits max cam lift to about 0.460 inch. Ultimately, you can move up to one of Cornhusker Engineerings custom front cover and late-model water-pump setups. In the old days the hot ticket was dropping a 49-53 Mercury 4-inch-stroke crank in place of the Ford 3.75-inch-stroke unit. When I was in the ninth grade (56-57), our physics teacher "proved" it would be impossible to accelerate to over some figure like that (138 sticks in my mind) in the quarter. Eventually you could build a whole street rod out of aftermarket commodity parts. La Crescenta, CA 91214 They did a lot of work for different companies around L.A., including some of the early speed equipment makers. Made in the USA. The third-design "8BA" '49-'53 engines have a bolt-on bellhousing, the distributor was moved to the top-right of the engine, and modern insert-style bearings are used on both the mains and rods. With a 4.5-inch-stroke aftermarket crank, that yields 334 cubic inches. Guys who once dreamed of owning a flattie back in the '50s but who had neither the time nor the money were now in their 50s, with lots of disposable income. A look inside gives you the sensation of an open air concept that could easily be seen in many of todays homes. There are builders on the left and right coasts and all points in-between who assemble reliable, powerful, 150-200hp engines, or you can buy new parts and build one yourself. Tony Baron says French blocks can be bored 0.250-over (1/4 inch). The Southwind isnt a heater anymore but rather the housing for the fuse panel based on a Haywire system and wired to work by the RR&C crew. They specialize in building flathead Ford V8s and Lincoln V12s and the production of Navarro Racing Equipment, Sharp Speed & Power Equipment, Austin Speed Equipment and, most recently, Wilson & Woods 8BA heads and Dixon sohv heads. Provided you have an original bellhousing, you can use available Trans-Dapt adapters to install Ford passenger-car transmissions from the mid 60s to the late 70s behind the 49-53 flatties. The heads come complete with Isky valve springs, 1.5-inch diameter stainless steel valves, adjustable push rods, lifters, custom head gaskets and a pair of exhaust flanges. With no rocker arms, a flathead's total lift must be generated entirely by the cam lobe. The old-timers took what they had and made it work. Tony Baron runs 10 degrees of base timing and 23 degrees max at full advance. . Relieving a Flathead, which is the process of removing material from the block between the valves and the cylinder for better breathing, is a subject unto itself. The brothers, working with designer George Kudasch, greatly enhanced the breathing and combustion efficiency of the flathead by developing an overhead-valve cylinder head with hemispherical combustion chambers. Well, what kind of motor do you want? The aluminum blocks used on the various all-aluminum Ardun builds are from Don Ferguson and are Ardun-only items. Mullins, a leading purveyor of surplus Jeep and other vintage military parts in Texas, accidentally discovered a warehouse full of brand-new French blocks about to be junked during a European trip searching for Jeep stuff. Reputedly, they are cast with 10 percent higher nickel content, and the quality of the modern castings is a lot smoother with much less core shift. The block also has a number of upgrade internally, in terms of its intake and exhaust ports, as well as its valve guides. You may lose as much as 30 hp above 4,500 rpm. (Pardon me if I'm wrong about this.). Behind that door are bays, shelves, and rafters chock-full of streamliners and other cars under construction, customer engines on stands, the Ferguson's lakester under a car cover, bare engine blocks wrapped in plastic, a Superflow engine dyno waiting for its next tune session. Flatheads may not have the cubes or brute airflow potential of many of todays modern mills, but there is a solution: Bolt on a supercharger. He traveled from home to New Mexico then to Los Angeles and onto Sacramento where he located the perfect foundation for his new build. Back in the day, four-barrel carbs had barely been invented. Magnuson offers an Eaton blower kit, while Joe Abbin of Roadrunner Engineering has Weiand 142 and 174 supercharger setups. Mark designed an all-new flathead block that resembles Henry's old boiler, but improves it in every way. Arms in a gennie Ardun head look downright delicate compared to the beefy 2024 aluminum arms in Don's Ardun. The search lasted about two years before Amie found the right car. "Look, if you're going to spend upwards of $30,000 on a motor, why wouldn't you get the best components?" TMCP #537: Ask Rick Lessons Learned to Promote (or Dismiss) Employees; Plus an Easter Project Car Review Blowout! 1949-53. . With a 4.5-inch-stroke aftermarket crank, that yields 334 cubic inches. Flathead History Lesson courtesy of Charlie Clark. and ran 146.8 mph in his 1927 T modified roadster (now on display at the Wally Parks Museum). The H&H Flatheads catalog has the complete line up of Flatheads compenents for your Flathead V8, V12 and other vintage motors. The foundation for this 1936 Ford three-window coupe is based on a Roadster Shop 1935-1940 Ford REVO chassis engineered for optimal street ride and handling performance. Earlier 3 1/16-inch-bore blocks will only go 0.090-over. Aside from his flathead speed equipment, he built parts for almost every engine that ran down the strip. Welcome to the web site of H&H Flatheads. He works with a couple different cam grinders and will help spec the stick to deliver the poweror the lopedesired. They also produced the unique luggage rack that resides within the trunk. ARDUN ENTERPRISES Don Ferguson P.O. Speedway Motors offers pumps with sealed bearings that do an even better job in both early and late configurations. "You can grind the cam to get the lift and duration you want," Don says. Privacy Policy. The solution is to raise the boiling point by upping coolant-system pressure to 17-21 pounds, using a modern crossflow radiator and higher-pressure cap. Some fuel-injection setups even run distributorless coil-ignition setups. With modern flatheads routinely putting out 250-300 lb-ft of torque, the original trannies obviously aren't up to the job. But remember, we are talking about a seriously outdated engine design favored by a bunch of nostalgic old coots. Mooneyes also offers throttle-bodies that resemble Strombergs. Just where did this engine come from? For improved cooling efficiency, original '49-'53 pumps have more impeller vanes than earlier models. Most hot rod engines use oversize valves. Stromberg in England is producing new Strombergs again. At the other extreme are dry-lakes, Bonneville, and nostalgia drag racers who have applied modern technology to the point where in some instances it is questionable whether the engine still remains a true flathead: Once-85hp engines now produce over 400 hp on gas and have exceeded 700 hp on fuel-all this on an engine with only three main bearings. Dressed with up to four carbs and that unique flathead sound accentuated by glasspacks, the old codgers were suddenly the rage again. Relieved blocks must have the reliefs filled to use Ardun heads. With modern aftermarket cranks and rods using modern insert bearings, 5,500 rpm normally aspirated is not a problem, even with only three main bearings. These Lincoln V12 Smooth Aluminum Heads are made in the USA and have the water outlet in the stock location. Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues! Don Orosco is a hot rodder and vintage racer whose restoration business (now known as Monterey Speed and Sport) was responsible for the rebirth of several significant and historic hot rods, including the Dick Flint roadster and the So-Cal "Triple Threat" coupe. Charles Scott was also running an Ardun at the meet, a Hilborn-injected flathead nestled in the back of his Scotty's Muffler Service belly tanker. Tom Roberts' new two-piece crossflow utilizes the latest in airflow technology. Those streamliners we mentioned earlier in the story are among the Ferguson's current stable of salt-assault vehicles. New stainless valves are available from several sources. Does it use a Ford style crank and rods? There are several reasons for developing a new aluminum block for the Flathead. As its name implies, Red's Headers is the place to go for the widest selection of street-style headers. The conversion kits are not inexpensive; pricing starts at just below $14,000. small block chryslers (head approx 23" ) will be 201, 217/218, and 230 cu in, the 230 is the only of the 3 that has a 8 bolt crank flange. 226: Big News for The Custom Car Revival! Wilcap also sells '32-'48 Ford mechanical-clutch hardware. The originals still are. Though parts will interchange with originals, these new heads feature stronger rocker stands and billet aluminum roller rockers with improved geometry and internal oiling restrictors, as well as greater adjustability. Original price. Trust Speedway Motors for best in class Cylinder Heads for Ford Flathead - delivered quickly, efficiently and without any hassles. As we go to press, word is just in that Mark Kirby at Motor City Flathead has joined forces with Shadow Rods to develop an all-new, improved '49-'53-style aftermarket cast-iron flathead block. You need lots of timing to make a flathead run. It spawned the modern aftermarket speed-equipment industry and became a favorite of bootleggers, dry-lakes racers, dirt trackers, street racers, and a whole generation that just wanted a fast car. Copyright 2000-2009 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited. Im not sure what has happened to the project since but some chatter on the H.A.M.B suggests that Jon Hall on Shadow Rods may be involved? Speed-O-Motive still advertises Merc crank cores if you want to go this route, but its no longer necessary, what with all the aftermarket alternatives available. 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Traditional flathead airflow management practices call for relieving the block-removing metal between the valve-seat sides closest to the cylinder bore. Its everything you need to make the conversion. Speedway Motors offers pumps with sealed bearings that do an even better job in both early and late configurations. According to Baron Racing, the limiting factor is not piston-to-head interference, nor even valvespring coil-bind-it is running out of cam bearing clearance for the lobes. Edelbrock, Wilcap (Sharp), and Offenhauser continue to market a wide variety of intakes. A high-pressure system will run fine with no boiling, even at 190-210-degree gauge temps. York and his staff used their substantial talents and blended a Roadster Shop chassis, an ARDUN Enterprises V-8, and a beautifully massaged 1936 Ford coupe with just the right number of modifications to bring this hot rod to life. Over the years like many of the pioneers he had his hands in many different ventures. There are several reasons for developing a new aluminum block for the Flathead. It was at this point in the journey when Ben York, of Roseville Rod & Custom (RR&C) in Roseville, California, entered and he and Amie linked up. You need the right amount of plenum volume and runner length to complement the engine size, camshaft, cylinder-head flow, and operating range. French blocks have some unique features and are covered separately. Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Jimmy2car, Apr 26, 2010. It comes with the standard REVO IFS with drop spindles, splined sway bar, upgraded to Penske double-adjustable coilover shocks. $299.00. Again, like so many of us, he attended car shows most of his life but life doesnt always present the time necessary to dig in. But the times, theyre a changin and the opportunity wasnt lost on Amie. Keeping three sets, he sold the remaining 27 and then sold the tooling, dies, and plans to Don Ferguson Jr. You can find out more at Don's Web site, www.ardun.com. The flathead blocks to get are those with a 3 3/16-inch bore. Yeah, maybe in the thirties when Ford was considering powering airplanes with their V8's, but not these days. Ground with a 114-degree LSA and 112-degree intake centerline, it has 0.395-inch lift and 234 degrees duration at 0.050. What's the deal with that thing? Melling still makes a high-volume oil pump (PN M-15). Eventually you could build a whole street rod out of aftermarket commodity parts. I am SO interested in when these will be available. At first everyone was dumping modern engines into old metal, but eventually the supply of stock bodies dried up and reproduction glass bodies took over. Making power with a flathead is a fine balancing act, juggling the higher thermodynamic potential of raising compression against improving airflow through the combustion chamber. Steering is under the watchful turn of a Maval rack, which controls the rolling stock consisting of one-off EVOD wheels (reminiscent of 50s Indy racing), measuring 166 and 167 with Diamond Back Classics radial rubber measuring 6.00-16 and 7.00-16. Coolant needs to remain in liquid form when it circulates through the motor. The '39-'48 flatheads used a direct camshaft-driven front-mount distributor; '49-'53 engines use a gear-driven, vertical-mount distributor on the right-front of the engine. The Chevys crank diameter is only 0.060-inch smaller than the flatheads. Whether they were or were not intended for use on Ford trucks, and whether they were or were not copied from the French Talbot design, and why they are so similar to the early Chrysler Hemi are all points that have been argued before. Ford Flathead V8 The engine that gave birth to Hot Rodding is back!! Valves are 1.875 inches in diameter on the intake side, 1.5 on the exhaust. The only aluminum flathead block commercially available that I know of at this time is the block made by Don Ferguson for his Ardun heads. Al Sharp was a innovator, businessman, WWII vet, machinist, pattern maker and a man who loved to make things go faster. Edelbrock, Wilcap (Sharp), and Offenhauser continue to market a wide variety of intakes. Its a Holley touch screen that allows one to manage the computer settings. This improves airflow, but the resultant effective combustion-chamber-volume increase lowers the compression ratio, in turn decreasing horsepower and fuel economy. Most builders convert the stock oil system to a full-flow design with a modern, remote-mounted oil filter. Most in this group will accept a modified flathead as long as it is period-correct, with no obvious modern technology visible. We've seen the dyno sheet, which also reveals the 396.9 lb-ft of torque produced at 4,300 rpm. But thanks to the efforts of several hot rodders and land speed racers, especially Don, the coveted conversion kits are readily available and much improved over those first heads built in the '40s and '50s. Still not enough? The 39-48 flatheads used a direct camshaft-driven front-mount distributor; 49-53 engines use a gear-driven, vertical-mount distributor on the right-front of the engine. He has even made some aluminum flathead blocks, with massive main caps and deep, sturdy skirts, for those interested in making ultimate flathead power. The times they were a-changin', and change was happening fast. At present, the only aftermarket custom oil pan available is from Ardun Engineering. Then the real work began on figuring out how to update and advance the original Flathead design, as well as how to cast the new parts. K&F Show #258: The Masters and Adam Sandlers 74 Duster; Movie Review Revisit Happy Gilmore! Now it's 2005, and the flathead's resurgence shows no sign of diminishing. Privacy Policy. As for cylinder heads, Baron, Edelbrock, Navarro, Offenhauser, and Sharp (now sold by Wilcap) all have their adherents. Good question. Of course, this modern stuff requires a 12-volt electrical system. "Flat-Heads Battle Rocker-Arms for All-Out Supremacy" blared the Nov. '53 HOT ROD. The new Arduns have lighter 11/32-inch-stem stainless steel valves and accept modern 12mm, Save another 70 pounds with Ardun's new aluminum block. . It has a f, Block mods for adjustable lifters: With the windowed solid flat-tappet lifter, drill a sma, Built to Barons specs, this 12-quart pan with integral windage tray fits 59A and French i, Baron Racings full-flow oil system: Plug the existing main-feed lower lateral port at the, Drill a 3/8-inch hole from the bottom of the cam bore to the rear main journal (photo 2, E, Baron Racing intakes include the Thickstun two-carb high-rise (left), shown here with Chan, The original Edelbrock four-barrel carb intakes were designed for small, now-obsolete, Car, Wilcap is reproducing Sharp intake manifolds. Many hard-core guys still swear by Isky's 400-JR solid (0.400 lift, 244-degrees at 0.050, 111-degree LSA). An alternative are Pertronix conversion kits that fit inside the original distributor; they retain the classic look, and versions are even offered that function on 6-volt power. Ross, Wiseco, Egge, Arias, and others make pistons in any configuration you desire. Baron also offers a modern version of the famous Tattersfield/Baron four-carb race intake in more civilized street form. Somewhere in the middle is the largest group: Potential street rodders who just want reasonably fast hot rods without having a cookie-cutter, 1-800-car. The block, heads, intake manifold and water pumps are made out of aluminum, making this a very light alternative to its cast iron brethren. The best balance has been the subject of debate for over 60 years. He started The Hot Rod Shop in 1945 where he fixed and customized cars. Isn't Don Ferguson making an 8BA aluminum Flathead block? While exact ignition timing will vary per combination, in general flatheads running gasoline like about 23 degrees total advance normally aspirated and just 19 degrees with a blower. All have 1132-inch valve stems and get a three-angle cut to improve flow. Where are the water jackets for coolant? Opens in a new window or tab. Before we get to the tech, some history: Ardun is a contraction of Arkus-Duntov, a name well known among the Chevy faithful, especially Corvette owners. 5.0 out of 5 stars. Younger guys yearned for a simpler, back to basics approach. TBI injection through billet Stromberg 97 carb-like throttle-bodies is available from Flathead Engineering. French blocks are hybrids, essentially a '49-'53 8BA in terms of deck height and front-end, but with the integral cast bellhousing and corresponding oil pan as found on the '38 1/2-'48 59A. Custom billets stretch all the way to 4.5-inch stroke. The best balance has been the subject of debate for over 60 years. I'm not sure but casting aluminum MIGHT be a simpler process than casting iron. Besides, multicarb setups look cool. He is now replicating S.Co.T. Chrisman, Rathman and others had Al build custom parts for their cars. Ratios are 1.375 on the intake side, 1.2 on the exhaust. $1,120. The top was chopped ever so slightly with 1 inch cut from it. It's been over 50 years since the last Ford flathead V-8 was commercially produced in the U.S. Traditionalists can go with Vertex or Mallory mags, while modern guys may want to move up to MSD or Mallory electronic distributors. It must have a stock style front for the pumps and front cover or my water pump kits wouldn't work. 1937 1938 1939 Ford Merc Flathead V8 Block Street Strip Custom Original Crank. K&F Show #259: The Dukes of Star Trek; Dukes Review S2E12 Arrest Jesse Duke. H&H started in 1972 with rebuilding all early Ford Flathead engines from Model A, B's, T's and V8 Ford Flatheads from 1932-36, LB's, 59A's, 8BA's,V8 60's, Lincoln 337, Lincoln V12's and Y Block Ford and Mercury. Al moved to So Cal with his family from Oklahoma in the 30s and started working in shops and garages. i plan on building a T bucket in the next year and want to run a flatty. You need lots of timing to make a flathead run. On the following pages, well take a look at some of the stuff available for the flathead and also cover the lineage, interchangeability, and secrets of this proud forebear of modern hot rodding. By designating a new model, Ford was able bypass wartime restrictions on price. RR&C achieved this look by removing the divider between the truck and the passenger compartment. Apparently, the old boys network doesnt want any youngbloods crashing their exclusive country club. The new engines overpowered the old chassis, so modern suspensions and disc-brake swaps were added to the mix. Whatever, originals are rare, which explains why a select few individuals have looked into reproducing them. Thanks ! Motor City also manufactures aluminum cylinder heads for Flatheads, and plans to build these all aluminum Flatheads in crate engine form. Flatheads need high compression because they dont breathe. Relieved blocks must have the reliefs filled to use Ardun heads. One flathead builder, Dave Tatom, offers a unique line of custom grinds with wide 114-degree LSA for naturally aspirated engines, and 116-118 LSAs for blown motors. Edelbrock 1115 Flathead Ford Aluminum Cylinder Head With Script Logo 65cc Pair. Austin Lincoln 337 32 Barrel Intake Manifold, Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 3:00pm There are several techniques; the accompanying photos show the method preferred by Baron Racing. However, there are some significant differences in French blocks compared to the originals. The engine may "feel better" with 27-30 degrees total timing (as read on the crank), but Baron says "it slows up the flame travel. Some fuel-injection setups even run distributorless coil-ignition setups. It will use a new oil pan and special bolt-on universal bellhousing that accepts most modern transmissions. At present, the only aftermarket custom oil pan available is from Ardun Engineering. The full article is here on Hot Rods website, http://www.romax.addr.com/offy/Movie1.swf, The Ultimate Source Guide for Flathead Ford V8 Performance Marlan Davis Hot Rod Network, Engines Exposed: Fords Hot Rodding Pioneer Flathead V8 Brian Grabianowski @CARBUZZ, What To Look For When Buying and Building A Ford Flathead Hot Rod Engines 101 Matt Murray @Irontrap Garage, Early Ford V-8 Meet comes to Auburn; Lime Rock to celebrate Italian masterpieces - Tom Comerro @Hemmings Automotive American, Best 19 History Of The Ford Flathead V8 - Oto-1.Co, The vilification of Leo Beebe: Ford's mission to win Le Mans in 1966 - Frank Comstock @Hemmings, So-Cal Speedshop SF Flatheads Stage 1 to 3 Mercury/Ford Flathead V8 Blocks, Was Leo Beebe a corporate villain or a good guy with a tough job? Tom Roberts starts with the Speedway pump, modifies it for even more flow, and also redoes the snout to accept modern, bolt-on, serpentine-belt pulleys. Like a lot of race shops located in industrial sections of Southern California, Don Ferguson's place is nondescript to the point of camouflage. Story and Photos by Zac Parks Check out more from Zac on his Instagram Account: @wiredcustoms.va When shopping for the right Flathead for your traditional Hotrod, knowledge is power. Cast in Los Angeles from the highest quality T6 tempered A356 aluminum and CNC machined, the 24-stud Wilson & Woods heads are designed to fit the desirable 1949-53 8BA flathead. Putnam also used the same leather on the center console and boot, the door panels, and the nifty accessory pockets in the doors. Baron, Edelbrock, Sharp (Wilcap), Navarro, and Offenhauser make both old-style heads as well as improved new configurations. Mostly true, but the French military used flatheads as late as the early 90s and ancient flathead technology has evolved to run over 300 mph at Bonneville. The new block is capable of much more horsepower because of additional webbing and four-bolt mains. There are kits to install Weiand and Magnuson superchargers, or even one or two GMC 71-series blowers. He was a pioneer in the evolution of the flathead. One flathead builder, Dave Tatom, offers a unique line of custom grinds with wide 114-degree LSA for naturally aspirated engines, and 116-118 LSAs for blown motors. In fact, the growing flathead movement has basically sorted itself out into three distinct groups. Scott's car, too, won its class and set a new B Lakester record of 201.015 mph with LeRoy Holmes at the wheel, becoming the first open-wheeled car to reach 200 mph. H&H started in 1972 with rebuilding all early Ford Flathead engines from Model A, Bs, Ts and V8 Ford Flatheads from 1932-36, LBs, 59As, 8BAs,V8 60s, Lincoln 337, Lincoln V12s and Y Block Ford and Mercury. This improves airflow, but the resultant effective combustion-chamber-volume increase lowers the compression ratio, in turn decreasing horsepower and fuel economy. It becomes an evolution,and makes the sport better, and everybody gains.