I hope that this dosen't upset too many people, but
take a look at this site I found about a ford V8 motorcycle. WWW.coker.com/flathead.asp

Were the '37-'40 V8 narrower then the '53 flatties?
I have a '53 looking for a new home. A motorcycle might be a neat project..
Thanks and keep up the good work.
Jeff

 

Shouldn't get anybody upset - it's a flathead!

That is a V8-60. Notice the head bolts number 17. This is the baby of the bunch with 136 cubes, 2.6"bore and 3.2" stroke producing 60hp and 94 ft/lbs torque.

They're quite a bit smaller than the '53 full-sized version. They were/are popular with the sprint car drivers.

If you use a 53 in a bike I hope you're extremely bow-legged.

 

I've seen the V8-60 used on other bikes. They also used to be quite a popular engine swap for the MG TD's. My dad once thought of using one in his '53 TD.

 

I was wondering why he used the early motor instead of the French motors or a later one with 300+ cubes. Saw it in a cycle mag couple of months ago. Bet it goes great downhill. My dad had a 36 Ford Coupe in '39. My flathead is somewhere in between... 45 ci and 3 wheels ha ha.

 

The V8-60 was a narrower motor, it was made as an option to the full size flathead V8. They made about 60 HP, which is how they got their name. The French flatheads are the same size as the original flathead V8, so they would be too wide for use in a motorcycle. All the original flatheads are the same size from '32-'53, the 60 was just the smaller brother of them.

 

When they say the V8-60 is smaller, beleive them, it is. I saw a 3-speed tranny to one and it looked like it was just the right size to put into a backpack without anyone being able to tell it was in there. Note the size of the starter compared to the engine.

Clayton

 

Gettin off subject here but I passed on a 51 Lincoln w/suicide doors recently. Didn't know it had a 336 ci motor. (truck motor?) Had original auto tranny too but had been sitting outside with the widows down too long. The guy that built that flathead bike was talking about having to order a batch of 1000 crank bearings or rod bearings for that engine because they were custom order. (magazine article) Those engines hard to get parts for? Heads?

 

There used to be a market for the V8-60, they were used in some of teh old sprint cars and such. They had aftermarket intakes and heads for them, as well as headers. The batch order may be because they are an older (63+ years old) engine, and they aren't the most common kind of flathead around. The Lincoln's used a bigger motor, that I believe in some form was adapted for use in the big trucks, say the 2 ton models. Some of the earlier Lincoln's even used big 'ol V-12 flatheads.

 

HOLY CRAP!!!

Just found this really old post on here doing a google search for flathead motorcycles. I am working on getting a website up for my dad and was looking for quotes from media to put on the website. My father is actually the builder of these bikes and has been building them for a few years and selling them to Honest Charley, who sells them on their website. He has also built one with the lincoln zephyr v12 in it.

 

I built this 5 years ago and drive it daily. 49 flathead 239 www.arvimotors.com

 

all i can say ledsel is i want one like it !!!!!!! da-- that's cool !!! i knew honest charlies was building them , don't know 'bout now though ................ who needs a harley .............

 

Here is more on my ford. YouTube - Arvi motorcycles Ford V-8