Ken Gross Visits Largest Flathead Intake Collection at The Museum of American Speed

Come along with Ken Gross and Tim Matthews as they discuss the intake manifold collection on display at the Museum of American Speed.

[@edlentz8294]

At 73 years old, I am still amazed at the automotive history gathered by some folks. Super show!

[@jimenz6548]

My high school shop teacher got me interested in the Ford Flatheads, simply because I owned a 50 Ford...and I started collecting at an early age....but Ive only acquired 7 manifolds and 5 sets of heads....and like this gentleman I got one that was vintage in the original box.....

[@garybulwinkle82]

The one manifold that had two carbs facing each other brought back memories of my youth. My friend bought a replacement two barrel carb for his '62 chevy pickup with the in line six, and it was the wrong carb with the linkage for the throttle on the wrong side. We spent the night designing and making a linkage system to work! RIP Wendell!

[@327365hp]

Great tour guys! Ken, it's great to see your collection is in good hands.

[@mikem3770]

Fantastic display. So much of this type of knowledge needs to be passed on to future generations and not lost.

[@jansonan6214]

You guys need to hire this guy. He is amazing.Never forget the past ,it's how we got here. Hats off to you sir.

[@al_dente4777]

They'll need to do it fast, since he won't be around forever

[@TheScoundrel70]

Some day, I think it would be awesome to flow test each of these and see how they do. I hope the museum eventually does some sort of media accompaniment that visitors can select for more information on each manifold and learn about it with bios on the makers and vintage photos.

[@tomp1612]

Some DAY?? Even though those intakes are easy to change it'd still take weeks! Wow, what a collection.

[@krusher74]

with no flow bench or flow modeling, most of these are complete guesswork. And fuel/air in suspension does funny things so most are probably awful, if they are better that stock it's just because the stock was undercarbed.

[@al_dente4777]

@@krusher74 Unfortunately, the flathead valve arrangement put more limits on flow than later overhead valve engines did. That's the main reason as to why it seems that they were undercarbureted. You could try getting arrond this obstacle, through casting manifolds with longer runners or by bolting on a blower and adding tuned equal-lengthed headers

[@robertyoung1777]

This is an eye opener for me. Thank you.

[@drshortround]

I gave a Navarro dual carb manifold to Ken for his collection years ago.....the manifold was among the various parts and pieces that came with a '32 roadster I had purchased in 1995. Jim Khougaz's channeled roadster participated in the Pasadena Roadster Club Reliability Run back in the late '40's. He finished 5th and received the brand new Navarro intake as a prize, which I gave to Ken. Incidentally I participated in a re-enactment of the PRCRR in 2004 or 2005. Don Prieto and I and won first place!!

[@frogman8591]

I collected a few in 1957-1958. Maybe 3 manifolds and a set of heads. All at $25 each. I put on manifold to use on my $25 1936 Ford 3 window coupe. $125 for the car and the speed equipment collection. I did get one other item for $20, a column shift Lasalle transmission with an adapter to bolt it on an OHV Ford V8. I bought a 1954 V8 engine and traded it for 59AB flathead Ford V8, 3 3/8 x 4 1/4 (304 ci ?). It had a 1939 Ford Trans with Zephyr gears. I got a McCollugh supercharger to go with it for $50. It was missing the crankshaft pulley. The 1954 Ford 239 ci engine cost me $25, so the complete set-up was $75. The flathead was full-race specs.

[@dinoallbaugh2050]

great Collection! I lived in a small town on the Klamath river Seiad Valley In Northern California. My neignbor down the road was Dick Tattersfield he had lots of pictures of his Dad"s manifolds, etc. sadly he passed a few years ago

[@michaelthompson1110]

Excellent video! Thanks fellas for preserving this fascinating history.

[@robfrye4664]

The sideways dual-carb Bonnolite intake placed the carbs in this position to set the carburetor throttle bores directly above the port runners for straighter, more direct flow to the ports.

[@frogman8591]

I thought it was to keep the g-forces front affecting the floats.

[@TheJagjr4450]

Some manifolds were made to run with the engines canted also an idea was to Run the carbs sideways on circle tracks so you don't starve the jets from the fuel climbing the bowls

[@shoominati23]

I don't know, the serious race guys said the hot setup was a worked up GMC 235 Inline 6 for the backstreet meets in the late 40s, till the mid 50s when the Overhead Valve V8s came out. I mean the 6 at 120hp stock was almost twice that of a flathead, but I compliment the die hards that stuck with them. Many would say the FLattie had the edge in the noise department though!

[@al_dente4777]

That 1200 dollar crossram is probably the best one hanging there. All that seems to be missing is one for Spreadbore/Quadrajets. Has anyone ever cast a custom manifold for the Lincoln V-12s? If so, is it hanging there or at Al Capone's museum?😁

[@michaels.ramsey7803]

We need a dyno comparison of every one. Call Westech, lets make this happen.

[@bobstitzenberger1834]

Flat out amazing!

[@jamesrpm3920]

I have a unmarked dual ,2 barrel manifold , got it in the early 60's from a wrecking yard I worked at after school . Are there any reference books for flathead manifolds ?

[@manitoublack]

When getting something cast was trivial. Holy hell. These days designing a cast piece costs a fortune

[@graydonjones6912]

Now i know why I can't find one used lol

[@lelandrogers1078]

I had no idea there were so many manifolds for flatheads. When I was in high school in the late '50s we used to go to our local drag strip and there were 2 guys who built a "rail job" dragster with 2 Mercury flatheads in line with each other. They would hit 150mph, but would constantly blow out the head gasket on one or the other of the engines. Never found out if they fixed the gasket problem.

[@skipperclinton1087]

Leland: I think blowing headgaskets was a Flattie problem. I had a stock '51 Ford 4dr sedan and it blew the L hand one just because it wanted to I guess. The engine had been professionally rebuilt (Automotive Engineering) and had several miles on it so there wasn't any reason I could think of. No overheating either. Changing it out was a major challenge for a 16yo w/zero mechanical experience. All those headbolts have to be torqued in a sequence and a certain amount the 1st time around and then the max the 2nd.

[@lelandrogers1078]

@@skipperclinton1087 I suspected that may be the case. Although, my cousin had a '41 Ford with a Merc flathead V-8 and after we rebuilt it with his Dad he never had a problem.

[@skipperclinton1087]

Leland: You and I both!

[@skipperclinton1087]

@@lelandrogers1078 Complicated setup with water pumps & circulation for each side of the engine. Also exhaust valves next to each other between the center cylinders and sharing a mutual port. I would assume that would increase the likelihood of overheating in the center of the block.

[@CamaroRick]

Several Hours Later: Oh here is an interesting one (Me still admiring the collection:👀😃👍👍)

[@ronbernier7707]

Went to Hershey '80 spotted Hilborn injection manifold, 1,100 bucks. Wonder what became of it.

[@georgejosephhaigh7725]

I know this is a Old video but my Dad has a 1950 Ford shoebox with a V8-Flathead were putting on a Fent-N aluminum intake with trip 2br.ford carburetor's we're just trying to figure out what linkage we need , we're really not sure any help or tips would be appreciated thank you 👍✌️

[@demonic477]

I can see at least 5 intakes just where there standing made for drag racing with methanol . the 4 - 2 barrel intakes would be to much for a flat head running pump gas but on methanol they would be insane add a hot cam and a fully built block and you would be blowing away even modern engines in a roadster even more so if it was turbo charged . God I want to try one

[@vintagesavoiur]

You need to get them signed of the guys are still alive! If not, their children!

[@destro513]

What was the company in England called? Crosthwate & gardner

[@marktheisen7789]

I've acquired a three deuce intake for a flathead ford, Strange thing is it ha the Ford logo casted into it, so who made this

[@ypop417]

2017 and only 64 likes WOW

[@jarvislarson6864]

Why on earth would there be that many styles of intakes for flatheads?

[@chuckswenson8044]

I have an intake that was used in the 1935 Indy cars , the carburetors are backwards , think it was made by Hexagon tool do you have one of these if not would you be interested in this one ? Thanks Chuck

[@davidclark5138]

Wow how many pounds of cast aluminum.

[@petergay2971]

Bloody awesome 🇦🇺🍺👍

[@montgomeryhifiandreview5528]

not for nothing but have you guys thought about 3d scanning the manifolds? heaven forbid something was to happen to the collection, it could be recreated or just saved for posterity and making the collection more accessible?

[@willsee1822]

Wow cool collection

[@daleolson3506]

Wow

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Interesting. Just looking at some what were they thinking,, others I can see their thinking. I have never owned a flathead and never will but have learnt a lot about them. Enough to know I do not need one. And as a young fella of 69 too old for me. Because of the lack of cfm from a 97 for 239 being turned fairly hard 3 carb would be good,, out and out race engine 4 carbs. Though why were they not made for carbs like SUs, 2 of 2" SUs flow quite a deal of air and are quite simple. No end of other carbs from imported cars.

[@mardyfisher693]

Did they say how many there were?

[@krusher74]

305 plus more not on the wall. He estimate there were about 400

[@deanstevenson6527]

21:48 For Doubting Thomas's Twelve hundred Dollars. I guess you Really Liked it....🤙🤣

[@deanstevenson6527]

Tom M brought me Hair. I'm now...Inducted....

[@albertovalencia9978]

Molto interessante per Ford V8 1932 Italia condratulacione Moltó bravo

[@sygrovesteve5819]

Yeah, but what if I need one and there'll all on your wall?

[@TrashcanGarage]

I'd rather see 'em being used. But that's just me. One man's collection is another man's hoard.

[@daddyshovel7995]

I like the dual carb type that still leaves room for the generator in the middle but it seams to me you get better throttle response to have the front carb forward I never used a single 4brl shame them flats are so weak .

[@Starfireaw11]

I hate that none of this is labelled and curated.

[@Richard-wk9le]

Melt one down and build a Honda.........

[@alm7707]

interesting collection, but boring as all get out.

[@frogman8591]

You are probably not from that era.

[@bovineknievel410]

You are probably boring as all get out.

[@freebird7284]

i concur

[@rondyechannel1399]

@@frogman8591 I'm from the late 60's muscle car era and I find this fascinating. I recently bought a bone stock '52 Ford Customline because it had a flathead piece of history.