Engine: 6cyl flat head or 63 orginaly

[oforstudebaker]

Is the 6 cyl flat engine thet come on the 59-60 larks are beter then the one on the larks 61-64
i think to put one of this in my lark63?
Or to make gene ral overhul what du you think ?wher i can find new bloks?
Thank you

[Skybolt]

If you have a good cylinder head then the 61-64 OHV six will perform well and be as trouble free as a Flathead as they use basically the same short block. It will also give you an easy 30 hp. more without doing any modifications. What you will find is that your 63 weighs a little more than the 59-60 Larks and so your power to weight ratio will go down and coupled with the decrease in overall horse power you will notice a difference in performance. The advantage of the Flathead is, as you have mentioned, it is a strong trouble free engine, when in good condition. Both take time to maintain. If you just want to keep your car on the road and have a Flathead to put in then it will work. The exhaust flange to your exhaust manifold will need changing as it is rotated 90 deg. from Flathead to OHV. A later front pipe will bolt on easy as I have done this swap but in reverse, a OHV into a 59 Lark. All exhaust pipes can swap over except the front as it has the mounting holes to the manifold rotated 90 degrees. The length and angle where the exhaust exits out the back are the differences to other years of Larks, if body style is the same, eg. Cruisre, station wagon, 2 door sedan. The throttle linkages also need addressing as the OHV runs behind the engine up against the firewall but the Flathead runs over the engine. You will need the linkages or have to put together a cable setup. The engine mounting brackets to the chassis are different on one side but to be safe get both. You will have to make sure you have the correct year distributor for the engine as the advance is different and wont run correctly from Flathead to OHV as I have tried this and it wont work. Others might have more on this but from my experience it is a must to have the right one.

Basically it is not a bolt in job. The engine is similar but so different as to warrant a complete under the hood parts car. That is how I was able to do the swap. So many little things that you might not have noticed were different before the swap but when it comes time to put it in you will surly notice it. And if you don't have it it could be months before you can chase it down at a reasonable cost. Like the cooling system comes to mind. The upper hoses are a different diameter and angle. You will have to workout some way to get the larger diameter hose to fit the smaller Flathead housing and one that has the right routing.

For an overhaul if you have not damaged the OHV cylinder head then it's an easier engine to overhaul. Cost can be comparable. Parts are similar but not all the same. Many gaskets and lower engine parts are the same but both have their differences in the cylinder head gasket and other smaller seals and gaskets.

To answer your question simply, yes. The Flathead is a more reliable engine. Is it really better? That is a matter of opinion. I prefered the OHV engine to drive but I didn't trust it. I trusted the Flathead to go anywhere and do anything but it was not as nice to drive. Others may have different opinions.

If you want to proceed with a swap or want to rebuild there will be members here to help you with any questions.

P.S. All the parts you require for a rebuild or swap are still available but some are rare, like new OHV cylinder heads, but they are out there.

[LeoH]

Skybolt, what didn't you trust about the OHV Six?

[Skybolt]

It was not a head design I liked, or I should say the head design did not match well with the block, with most of the exhaust valve shrouded, over the block surface. I have seen the block pitted under it. With it's reputation for cracking between the valves I did not want to risk a cross country trek. I know it may never have happened but I will leave that for others who only want to drive close to home. I did have a valve conversion planned and also a turbo for more power but that could have been its undoing. That is why, for the extra power I was after, I went to a V8. I would not hesitate in turbocharging the Fathead but would still not do it to the OHV six, that is unless I have a slew of heads to sort through and have as a backup.

[oforstudebaker]

engine

It was not a head design I liked, or I should say the head design did not match well with the block, with most of the exhaust valve shrouded, over the block surface. I have seen the block pitted under it. With it's reputation for cracking between the valves I did not want to risk a cross country trek. I know it may never have happened but I will leave that for others who only want to drive close to home. I did have a valve conversion planned and also a turbo for more power but that could have been its undoing. That is why, for the extra power I was after, I went to a V8. I would not hesitate in turbocharging the Fathead but would still not do it to the OHV six, that is unless I have a slew of heads to sort through and have as a backup.

then is the 8 cyl can work?

[Bullet]

yes you can put a V8 in your car that originally came with a 6, however, there are many changes you would have to make, including dialing in the transmission bell housing, upgrading the front springs to V8 heavier duty springs, exhaust pipe connector and not least of all changing the motor mounts. If you are happy with a 6 then I would stay with a 6. Then it is just a matter of OHV or flat head.

IMHO

Mark

[Skybolt]

Yes, but as with any swap to a different engine a complete parts car will make the job easier. I bought a rusted 1959 V8 4 door car, as I have a 1959 2 door Lark. It cost me $200 and came with everything I would need to swap in the V8. You most likely will have to swap the transmission as well. If you get a car with the same type of transmission, not necessarily the same model, It will be easier to keep it the same style of driving you are used to but if you have a manual and want an automatic, or the other way around, now would be the time to do it. There are many more things to change when going from a six to an eight cylinder car though. You need different front springs, brakes, exhaust, fuel line, etc... So it is more involved than swapping a six for a six. You need so many more different parts than what you already have. Depending on your skill level it might be easier finding a very good mechanically operating car with a rusted body and shot interior. Remove the body carefully and replace it with yours. That is if your car is worth the effort. That way it is easier not to forget something. Later you can strip your other car of components that you might use later, like front A-arms, rear springs, etc... There might be more than we over here might save because you more than likely have all your cars with the thicker gauge export chassis. It also depends on how much storage room you have.

This is the simple and quick explanation of how to swap the body just so you know what is involved.

I will not describe how to do each job just what to do. It is best to start on the body of car you will be scrapping as then when you remove the body you want to keep it can go straight onto the new chassis.


Remove radiator from car.

Remove hood and all front sheet metal keeping the grill panel and fenders bolted together.

Remove steering wheel, shift linkages, and steering box.

Disconnect hand brake cable and speedometer cable.

Disconnect all wires that run into the engine bay label them and keep them attached to firewall.

Depending on year make sure clutch, brake and accelerator pedals can go through floor and/or all linkages are free.

If fuel filler goes through body then disconnect it.

Detach all body to frame bolts.

Jack up body, or lift body, enough to slid long beams under from one side to the other.

With lift or five other friends using the long beams of wood lift body clear. Onto the other chassis if you want or place on some sort of stand.

Replace all you removed.

Now if you changed from automatic to manual or the other way you will want to swap parts. The electrical wiring in the engine bay is slightly different so if you can save the wires from the donor car you will save yourself some time.

I'm not saying you should do this swap I'm just sharing some information you might find interesting. This swap has been done numerous times and will done again. It is a little more involved than my list but it is a basic idea of what to do. A manual is a must. If you don't have one get one on disc as postage is cheaper, you get the body and chassis parts books as well, and you can print out whatever page you want many times and get it dirty or put it in a plastic sleeve.

[blackhawk]

Good advice, but since he is in Israel, it might be hard for him to find a second Lark for a parts source.

[Skybolt]

Good advice, but since he is in Israel, it might be hard for him to find a second Lark for a parts source.

That's why I mentioned it was mainly information for the sake of information. As he brought up the subject of swapping a V8 in I wanted him to know it is more involved than swapping in a six. Israel did have a Studebaker assembly facility so there could be some number of Studebakers in the area. Similar to Australia, we have many Studebakers which surprises people not familiar to the marque.

[LeoH]

It was not a head design I liked, or I should say the head design did not match well with the block, with most of the exhaust valve shrouded, over the block surface. I have seen the block pitted under it. With it's reputation for cracking between the valves I did not want to risk a cross country trek. I know it may never have happened but I will leave that for others who only want to drive close to home. I did have a valve conversion planned and also a turbo for more power but that could have been its undoing. That is why, for the extra power I was after, I went to a V8. I would not hesitate in turbocharging the Fathead but would still not do it to the OHV six, that is unless I have a slew of heads to sort through and have as a backup.

makes sense. just wondering about different folks' experiences with the OHV.