It was 1954 when the last Flathead came from the Ford foundries, a motor of iconic stature that began in 1932. Along with the 75th anniversary of the Deuce set to take place in just months, it is also the 75th anniversary of the Flathead.
The saying "the more things change the more they stay the same" couldn't be more aptly applied with the advent of the "new" Flathead--this time not from Ford but from Jon Hall of Shadow Rods in Saginaw, Michigan. Under the direction of longtime Flathead guru Mark Kirby, Motor City Speed Equipment, a division of Shadow Rods, is nearing completion.
Here's the dilemma. There's so much excitement about the new Flathead that Jon has asked us to ask you, the STREET RODDER reader, what you would like to see first. The research is done, the design is in place, the first blocks for testing are currently being bolted together, and the dyno runs are about to begin. While all of this is going on, the question is now posed to you, the SRM reader: Which Flathead block would you like to see first--cast iron or aluminum? Please take the time to email us at nick.licata@sorc.com and be assured that we will pass this information along to Jon of Shadow Rods and see if we can "poke" him along to get these blocks into all of our hands.