High horsepower flathead?

[Dan Ward]

Hello everyone!
Has anyone souped up the 185 flathead 6 yet? Cathcart makes several parts for doing this--although it's expensive. Still, I must admit, I kinda like the little engine. Seems I've always taken the road less traveled anyway (I don't know whether that's good or bad).
People use to say that dual carbs are hard to keep adjusted---I have no experience with them. Is about 140 HP about all we can expect out of the modification? That's what Cathcart seemed to imply in his article. Anyway, let me know if you have experience with this. If I do this it would be for 2 reasons--One is to have a little bit "punchier" car and two just for the novelty of it. Regards---Dan Ward

[JDP]

You need to really love the little six to do it. You can spend several $1000 to come close to the power of a 2 barrel 259 V8 for example. It will however, look and sound cool, and is more unique then a engine swap.

64 Commander-64 Daytona
64 GT R2 clone-63 GT R2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert-63
63 Lark 2 door
62 Lark 2 door
60 Lark HT-60Hawk
59 3E truck
52 & 53 Starliner
51 Commander

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by DWard

Hello everyone!
Has anyone souped up the 185 flathead 6 yet? Cathcart makes several parts for doing this--although it's expensive. Still, I must admit, I kinda like the little engine. Seems I've always taken the road less traveled anyway (I don't know whether that's good or bad).
People use to say that dual carbs are hard to keep adjusted---I have no experience with them. Is about 140 HP about all we can expect out of the modification? That's what Cathcart seemed to imply in his article. Anyway, let me know if you have experience with this. If I do this it would be for 2 reasons--One is to have a little bit "punchier" car and two just for the novelty of it. Regards---Dan Ward

How's this for a cool high horsepower flathead?



[img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/R-4.JPG[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/64L.JPG[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/64P.jpg[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/53K.jpg[/img=right]Paul Johnson
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine

[DilloCrafter]

Paul Johnson, I love that air cleaner. Wish I could have found one like it for mine.

Dan, the regulars are probably tiring of this photo of my rebuilt 1957 185 cu. in. Champion six motor (souped up the way Bill Cathcart does them) since I haven't actually run it or installed it yet. But I'll be posting information about horsepower and how much more power I feel when driving the truck once this thing is in place:



[img=left]http://rocketdillo.com/studebaker/misc/images/Avacar-hcsdc.gif[/img=left]DilloCrafter

1955 1/2 Ton Pickup
The Red-Headed Amazon
Deep in the heart of Texas

[StudeRich]

Jezz, Paul that is a WAY cool flathead 6, but I had to do a double take on your name, I was just sure that was something Jeff would have helped do or owned!!LOL

What with all those custom fans, shroud and blazing Chrome Yellow everywhere! What is that, a big "6" under all that manifold & Headers I can't tell, but it seems unlikely that a 169 could fill that large an exhaust runner! [^]

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[Jeff_H]

Check out the turbo'd 185 Bonneville car:

http://www.salt2salt.com/

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[53k]

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich

Jezz, Paul that is a WAY cool flathead 6, but I had to do a double take on your name, I was just sure that was something Jeff would have helped do or owned!!LOL
What with all those custom fans, shroud and blazing Chrome Yellow everywhere! What is that, a big "6" under all that manifold & Headers I can't tell, but it seems unlikely that a 169 could fill that large an exhaust runner! [^]
StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

I should have added a disclaimer that I am not the owner of the beautiful machine. Several years ago I asnwered a '53 question (per JP's site) for a non-Studebaker person who was building a rod of a '53. He sent me the pix in response. I was blown away by the work. And, yes, that is a Commander six. I think he had even included a five or six-speed tranny in the machine. Here is an url to my web space where I have placed the entire folder of pix that he sent me. It is not a good photo host so you will open to the index then click a picture title. Then you will have to click "Back" and repeat the process.
Unfortunately I deleted the emails so I don't know how to reach him, but I think he was out in your neck of the woods.

http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Daves54/

[img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/R-4.JPG[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/64L.JPG[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/64P.jpg[/img=right][img=right]http://www.frontiernet.net/~thejohnsons/Forum%20signature%20pix/53K.jpg[/img=right]Paul Johnson
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine

[Dan Ward]

Paul & Paul----Your motors look great! At least I know there are others as crazy as me. Thanks for your input. Regards --- Dan Ward

[PlainBrownR2]

I did the turbo thing for my pickup after the TurboStude project that I had found on the web(far as I know it still is in existence). Here is the weblink for that project:

http://www.salt2salt.com/TurboStude/TurboStude.html

1964 Studebaker Commander R2 clone
1950 Studebaker 2R5 with 170 turbocharged
[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00003.jpg?t=1171152673[/img=left]
[img=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00009.jpg?t=1171153019[/img=right]
[img=left]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00002.jpg?t=1171153180[/img=left]
[img=right]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t102/PlainBrownR2/DSC00005.jpg?t=1171153370[/img=right]

[Dan Ward]

John--Thanks for the link to the "Turbo Stude". Pretty neat stuff. I have not read it all but I will return to that soon. I had thought of doing something like that but I never dreamed someone had actually done it. Thanks again. Dan