Ford built the Flathead V8 from 1932 to 1953, and people are still building them, racing them and arguing about them today. The trouble is the know-how. It lives in the heads of a few old-school builders, and in hours of shop video that are hard to search.
So we did something about it.
Meet The Flathead Files
The Flathead Files is our show about the Ford Flathead V8: 38 episodes so far, from identifying a block to tuning, rebuilding, supercharging and running them on the dyno.
You'll learn from Flathead experts like these two:
Ed Smith, the retired engine builder who started Five Star Engines in Glendale, Arizona. Ed shares how he does things, and the stories that come with them.
Steve Coppock of CPE Garage, our go-to for Flathead identification and supercharging.
Every episode has been gone over: corrected captions, chapters, and a clear description, so you can find your way around.
Now you can search it
We went through every episode and pulled out the answers: 597 of them, more than 37 videos, across 34 topics. They live on a new site, BarryT's Garage Knowledge.
Start with your problem, not an episode number. Type a question, a part or a year, filter by topic or by expert, and each answer gives you a short explanation, which years and parts it applies to, who said it, and a button that opens the video at the exact moment.
A few you can try right now:
What's the fastest way to spot a 1949–1953 8BA-style Flathead? Steve goes straight to one detail on the cylinder head. Watch at 31:29
Is that block a genuine 1932 Ford V8 casting? Steve gives two quick checks you can do with your eyes. Watch at 10:20
What do you do when a broken head stud still won't come out after heating? Ed shows what he reaches for next. Watch at 13:52
Got a Flathead question the library can't answer yet? Hit reply and tell us. The good ones may end up in a future episode.
See you in the garage,
Barry T