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F-Head in a flatfender many questions

Discussion in 'Flat Fender Tech' started by Willyscrazy77, Nov 11, 2008.

  1. Nov 11, 2008
    Willyscrazy77

    Willyscrazy77 New Member

    Snowville, Virginia
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2008
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    8
    Im new to this so bare with me.

    I have a 48 cj-2a that im fixing up and a bought a f head 134 out of a m38a1 for $150 and i would like to put this in the place of the tired l head.

    will the motor mounts and how it mates with the transmission be the same.

    What is the easiest carborator to swap in without a large hole in my hood. i ve heard many things like holleys out of falcons, but what about a solex?

    Any help will be appreciated

    thanks Matthew:)
     
  2. Nov 11, 2008
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
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    4,275
    Welcome from Pittsburgh Matthew!

    You are certainly not the first person to think of this swap, nor will you be the last. The F-head will swap in pretty easily, as it shares the same basic block dimensions as the L-head but there are some differences. First, as you mentioned the carb sits much higher. The 1bbl Holey carb from the early Falcon was the hot setup back in the day, but they are getting very hard to find as they are no longer in the system at most auto parts places. There's one on eBay right now, but that's the only one I've seen in a while. The Solex will not clear the hood, it is about the same height as the stock Carter carb.

    Another issue you will have is the ears on the engine mounting plate up front are different on the F-head than on the L-head. The L-head has both ears that point to the rear, while the F-head has one ear that points forward. (I don't remember which one.) You will either have to adapt the mounts somehow, or swap the engine plates from engine to engine. (This is not a small job) The bellhousing and starter are different between the engines as well, but the clutch parts should interchange.

    If it were me I would stick with the L-head and rebuild it if it needs it. If you do alot of the work yourself, $200 per cylinder is a rough guesstimate of what it will cost to rebuild an engine. Check the tech pages on this site, and also over at the CJ-2A and CJ3B sites for some great info.

    Oh, did I mention that flatties rule? 8)
     
  3. Nov 11, 2008
    Doug Hoffman

    Doug Hoffman New Member

    Meridian, ID
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    Nov 1, 2008
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  4. Nov 12, 2008
    wendell

    wendell Member

    ohio
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    Oct 23, 2008
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    Is there some way to tilt the engine a little so the carb would fit. It seems when I was reading about the novak pinto engine swap, they mentioned that the motor would be tilted a little with thier conversion kit. I could be wrong, but I thought thats what it said. I wouldn't know how to go about it, but a slight tilt should let the carb fit under the hood.
     
  5. Nov 12, 2008
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
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    Um, no.

    I suppose it *could* be done, but you'd spend far, far more $$$ and time than simply swapping the carb or rebuilding the L-head. You can do just about anything, given enough time and money...
     
  6. Nov 12, 2008
    Willyscrazy77

    Willyscrazy77 New Member

    Snowville, Virginia
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    Nov 1, 2008
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    8
    could someone post some pics of the ears being different

    I have a T-90 transmission out of a early cj-5 would that work instead of modifying to much, i have the bellhousing and all from the m38a1 would i still have to do what your saying?

    what is the height of the 1904 holly, I looked up one from napa and its going to be at least 200 bucks.:(

    also my engine has the stock mechanical fuel pump i would like to retain my electric fuel pump i was wondering about the vaccum agangment if i eliminate this.

    sorry its so many questions

    thanks
    Matthew
     
  7. Nov 12, 2008
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Aug 10, 2003
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    For the 1904, try some of the Ford car forums.

    You may be able to find a 1904 cheaper at a regular carb rebuilder. Napa is always high.

    If you remove the mechanical fuel pump, you will not have any vacuum for your wipers. You'll have to chose which you want more. You can keep the electric fuel pump in place as a back-up if you want to, and run the mechanical pump. Then if you need to, you can switch to the electrical pump. The electric pump can stay in the fuel line - won't hurt anything for it to be there.

    You're going to have to make some effort if you want to do this. Any engine swap involves some work and figuring-out of various things. It seems this swap is easy in comparison to most, but it won't be free or a drop-in.
     
  8. Nov 12, 2008
    jeeper50

    jeeper50 jeeps 'till I die

    Spanish Fort. AL
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    Dec 20, 2007
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    844
    Matt
    Since you already bought the Fhead, put it in and try to find a beater jeep to take the hood off of to chop for carb clearance. Keep your hood to reinstall when the cash flow lets you buy the falcon carb. I bet someone here or on the CJ3A page or craigslist, or ebay has a hood for cheap. Bad as I hate to see you chop a hood, at least then you could be wheelin it in a short time as opposed to saving up cash- we all know hard that can be in todays economy.
     
  9. Nov 12, 2008
    jeep2003

    jeep2003 Well-Known Member

    Upstate NY
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    May 30, 2006
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    1,918
    hood scoup aint so bad. Just save the piece you cut out incase you ever want to weld it back in. I got mine from a 2a at the junk yard. Its just a sheetmetal box with a grille in front. It would be pretty easy to bend one up.
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Nov 12, 2008
    Kman

    Kman Member

    Middletown...
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    Feb 27, 2005
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    410
    This page http://www.cj-3a.com/interesting_parts.htm from the CJ3A Page discusses the engine plate and a factory braket, that you could duplicate,for swapping the F head in place of the L head. A cuple of electric wiper motors would take care of the vacuum problem.
     
  11. Nov 12, 2008
    Willyscrazy77

    Willyscrazy77 New Member

    Snowville, Virginia
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2008
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    i planned on electric wipers anyway by the way that scoop looks good on that jeep

    what about simplifiing the crankcase venting

    well this swap is just in the planning stage right now i have a good 3a frame standing by to put the f head in and later put my body over from the 2a on that
    so it would be f head with t-90 spicer 18 t case and dana 30 front and amc20 or 44 rear

    any thoughts on the f head if i used a transmission and bellhousing set up for the f head
     
  12. Nov 12, 2008
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
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    Transmission is the same, only the bellhousing is different.
     
  13. Nov 12, 2008
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Try advertising on the Willystech parts board before you cut the hood. There are hoods out there that have already been cut.
     
  14. Nov 12, 2008
    Willyscrazy77

    Willyscrazy77 New Member

    Snowville, Virginia
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    Nov 1, 2008
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    so if i have the fhead bellhousing im good then

    like i said im a long way away from that

    what about the flywheel f head with f head flywheel, or f head with l head flywheel?
     
  15. Nov 13, 2008
    wendell

    wendell Member

    ohio
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    Oct 23, 2008
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    Or get a BFH and beat the carb into submission ha ha.
     
  16. Nov 14, 2008
    johnsotd

    johnsotd Member

    Senatobia, MS
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    Apr 23, 2006
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    Matt,
    I have a spare hood with the scoop for the F-head already on. Blasted and primed.
    Where are you located? I'm in Northeast Louisiana.
    Tommy
     
  17. Nov 14, 2008
    Willyscrazy77

    Willyscrazy77 New Member

    Snowville, Virginia
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    Nov 1, 2008
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    im in eastern virginia i hour from roanoke. thanks anyway but the shipping would be killer i have about three hoods anyway if i want to go that route.

    by the way heres some pics of my motor enjoy.
     
  18. Nov 14, 2008
    jeeper50

    jeeper50 jeeps 'till I die

    Spanish Fort. AL
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    Last edited: Nov 14, 2008
  19. Nov 14, 2008
    Willyscrazy77

    Willyscrazy77 New Member

    Snowville, Virginia
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    Nov 1, 2008
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    wow im definatly going to have to check that out, $49-79 starter for my jeep is mighty appealing

    btw im going to start a build thread for my jeep creation probibly about thanksgiving. check it out, im gonna need all the help/ encouragment i can get
     
  20. Nov 15, 2008
    1960willyscj5

    1960willyscj5 Well-Known Member

    Mesa, Arizona
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    Nov 27, 2006
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    2,793
    Mmm? Do your vacuum wipers even work? I replaced mine with electric, mainly because they had been disconnected for a while and wouldn't sweep back and forth.

    Somewhere there is a quide for rebuilding them, on the 3B page I think. I have them packed away somewhere in one of the boxes from my move last year. Just haven't run accross them yet. They are worth hanging onto (I'm a packrat anyway).
     
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