View Full Version : Car trivia
This is a trivia thread. You odd tricks or things about cars that you think few people will know. Here is one... what was special about the early flat head v8? An easy one but it will get things started
towtrucks
11-19-2002, 11:42 PM
This thread is a spin off of remember when.
But to answer your question, you could remove one of the heads on a flathead and the engine would still run.
Yes it is but rember when started to die because it became a place for 2 people to fight so i thought i would start this this one
vetteonr
11-20-2002, 10:27 AM
C'mon boys, don't fight. Is towtrucks right on this one?
danny
11-20-2002, 10:42 PM
Originally posted by vetteonr
C'mon boys, don't fight. Is towtrucks right on this one?
lol.. i don't know about the heads off thing but the flat head had two water pumps-one for each side of the engine.
89s10
11-20-2002, 11:36 PM
they had 2 sets of points and the rad fan was independent from the water pumps
yes i am not sure aboutt he heads either but what I was looking for was the points and the water pump. Anyone else have any?
rapideo
11-21-2002, 08:38 PM
They (some) were converted to hemi head. Chryslers hemi looks like a ripoff of the design, which was originated by Orkus Duntoff
originator of the cams that helped corvettes develop 1 horse per cube
89s10
11-21-2002, 10:55 PM
boy those old flat head sounded so good
I read on the remember when thread i think that the flat haed 6 could beat the 8 is that true?
89s10
11-22-2002, 08:38 AM
yes i read the same thing some where i think the 6 were ohv
jmedved
11-22-2002, 10:59 AM
Yeah, if you were to drag race a '50 Ford Flathead V-8 against a '50 Ford Flathead 6, the 6 would win hands down. It just had so much more usable torque than the V-8, that it would be gone when the V-8 was still thinkin' about moving. This is not pure speculation, I could tell you that it's a story that some old guy told me, but then, you would probably see thru my lie (I'm the old guy that saw it happen many times). Quite frankly, that old flathead 6 would dust a lot of "modern" V-8's at least it did in the early 60's when I used to cruise the local hang-outs.
jmedved
11-22-2002, 11:19 AM
A few more unique things about the V-8.... You COULDN'T adjust the valves after they were installed.. Adjustment took place while you were assembling the engine... (grinding the valve stems) to the length that would provide clearance. (Please don't over-grind, as replacing metal was making a trip to the parts store for another new valve)....AGGGHHHH, you didn't have to remind me about the dual-point distributor mounted to the front of the engine, driven by the camshaft... the only way to really replace the points was to remove the distributor, and do it on the kitchen table (carefully)... I can't remember when the distributor was moved to the top of the engine, but, I seem to think that it was moved in 1949 or 50. I know it was still on the front in 1948... maybe I'm wrong, I'm losing it ......
89s10
11-22-2002, 02:01 PM
be carfull every will guess or age then they wont trust the older generation
I would trust anyone (pritty much) anyone on these forums. Everyone seems to be very nice. Anyways any other old facts about cars anyone have? And please check out my 302 build up thread I am looking for some ideas
Here is another question.. not sure if this is right or not but what is special about the first chevelle crome???
89s10
11-23-2002, 12:35 PM
i think it was pot metal or stanlies steel
Trader Ray
11-23-2002, 03:38 PM
I think it may be polished alumnium, surely the first Chevelle did not have plastic.
Not really but here is another hint it is the words not the metal itsself
Trader Ray
11-26-2002, 05:01 PM
FOTW
I have to admit that I am clueless about the question, I have even had a 66 chevelle/ malibu. It had the good old 283 with a power gluide. Has no one else got a stab at this, I know there has to be a first generation Chevelle lover out there.
Well now I think that I am wrong. The answer that I was looking for wasnot with the first chevelle it was with the 70. I am really sorry about that. Any ways it was the fact that with the 70 the tail lights were mounted on the bumper. Ealyer chevelles had them mounted there but the tail lights on the 70 were rectangle on ealyers they were circle. Again sorry about the confustions. Anyone else have a question
Trader Ray
11-27-2002, 12:48 AM
this is just a little something, when I was very young, my friend had his older brother come home from war and he had bought this brand new white 66 chevelle, yes it was a 396 super sport, I maybe wrong on the year +/- 1 year, he had it two days and it was stolen. I neve thought he would stop crying. We lived in Detroit and you dont get such fast action on non violent crimes at that time, 1966, 1967.
Oh man that is so sad nice way to welcome him back for serving his country
Trader Ray
11-27-2002, 01:09 AM
We lived in a area of Detroit that was in a riot, the 67 riot's. they were some very trying times and robberies and buildings being burnt, I got held after school one time and there was a 4 PM curfew at the time and the teacher kept me there till after 4PM and a squad car had come flying up the street and asked me my name, I was about 8 or 9 at the time, I gave him my name and he got on the radio and said "I have the little last name boy" Call the parents and the school. I was scared sheetless!!
cops are no better today. I had one stop me I was talk out the trast at me work THE TRAST he ask me what I was doing I almost laughted told him he ask my and where I worked and why I was there. Man I was pÔssoff on the ride home that night
thecarguy
12-01-2002, 02:50 AM
after we finished building our first race truck we took it out for a spin. we found a dirt lot and did some burnouts. went back to the shop, burnouts at every stop, to do some engine work. went back out, speeding and burnouts of course, well as soon as i let the clutch out and sped away from a stop sign a cop passes by. being that this truck was not registerd or insured (illegal in california) I knew we were phucked. The pig comes up to the window net and asks me to roll down the window ( i laughed and he got mad). He asked for my licence so i start to reach for it and he rips open the fiberglass door (destroying it) and tries to pull me out. Lukily i was straped in by my 5 point belts so i didnt go far but i did suffer neck injuries from the belts. He then quickly drew his gun. He claimed i was reaching for a weapon, after he asked me for my licence. Boy do i hate cops. The truck got towed and was impounded for a week. police department claims what he did was standard procedure. needless to say when it came time to vote on a measure to build a new police station i went on a campain to vote no, it did not pass.
vetteonr
12-02-2002, 11:05 AM
Sounds like you need to talk to a lawyer.
Trader Ray
12-02-2002, 09:36 PM
Years ago, I had a 69 Mustang with a 390 and the shaker hood and a 4 speed, I was getting on the freeway on I-75 and Outer Drive in Detroit, As I would tell the police I was just trying to merge with traffic, in 1975 the speed limit was 55 everywhere in the U.S. I got wrote up for doing 90 in a 55 and I was still in 3rd gear. The cop had been on the speaker and yelling "stay in your vehicle" over and over, well he brings me my ticket and my paper work, but no driver's licence! Well I have to chase him down as he was going after another speeder. I got a ticket for interferance of a police officer, that is the M.S. police at work.
thecarguy
12-03-2002, 02:52 AM
Originally posted by vetteonr
Sounds like you need to talk to a lawyer.
well i did try to sue seing how poeple get millions in thses cases. Tho I had no case considering it was police procedure. However they did have to replace the fiberglass door that I made by hand, they bought me a nice one made by some race shop in nevada that was far supirior to the one i made.
vetteonr
12-04-2002, 12:26 PM
Hey s10, I'm suprised he didn't give you a ticket for driving without a license also! Years ago I had a cop give me a ticket for a minor violation when I told him HE had a headlight out! Go figure.
olds fan
12-04-2002, 04:14 PM
I was in Ohio once and I was in my Cutlass, it's yellow. There was a large group of us on I 75 traveling and doing the speed limit, well here comes this yellow Gran Prix around the same year as mine, he is driving like a fool, one lane to the next trying to get around everyone, probally about 80 mph. Well, there is his exit, he get off and as I travel on I come around this curve in the road and there are 3 Ohio State Trooper cars with there lights on, sitting there waiting on the Gran Prix I would imagine, well they all put out as I pass, and I get almost surrounded and pull over. I had been on the road for about 5 hours. Food wrappers and juice bottles on the floor. They looked in every bag, and then give me a ticket for no licence plate bulb. I think some one with a cell phone had called the cops that was in that pack of cars, they must have called back to say I was not the car they wanted. Thank goodness.
Trader Ray
12-04-2002, 05:28 PM
Yea them police in that area are something, Once on Shaffer and Fort St, a then new Trans AM ran the light and I hit my breaks so hard that I broke a rear brake drum in two, and all the stuff in the back of my truck slid forward hard, it was so close I had closed me eyes as I was sure we hit. Well the T/A speeds off and my truck was making all kinds of racket from the broken drum, but it was still running and rolling, I gave chase and the T/A is turning and flying down those streets and I am more than a block behind him, he turns, I turn, well up a head I see them long tailights and I'm on it, the drum clanging and all. Well, them days the cops drove them Fury's and they too have long looking tail lights and that is who I catch, the police in that car were drunker than anybody in town. My Dad owned the Bar on Shaffer & Fort St. It was B&Js lounge at that time when he owned it..have you seen it. It is behind the gas station?