Could nostalgia be dead??????

[donsrods]

A while back flathead motors were being sought out and bringing stupid money, but lately the market seems to have gone away. There are lots of them on CraigsList and Ebay for cheap and not getting many bids. Could it be that the market became saturated or maybe people found out flatheads may look cool but are not all that powerful or cheap to build??

It looks like early Hemis, Olds, Buick are still holding strong though.


Don

 

[rainman]

Even though you can still pick up the flatties pretty resonable, there aren't that many people out there who know enough about them to keep them going. Also rebuilding one isn't cheap! I think Nostalgia is growing, but it depends on what your definition of nostalgia is I guess!!

 

[Ricks Garage]

Such drastic use of words....the hobby is going through a phase....

 

[Sam_Fear]

I'm thinking people are broke and can't afford it.

Since they've been going cheap, I was thinking about putting one in a Honda Civic - is that wrong?

 

[TiredIronGRB]

You can still be nostalgic (and faster) without a flathead

 

[Gastrick]

I hope it dies, at least as far as a major trend goes. That way, maybe the cool vintage parts may become affordable once again. I don't want to see the guys with shops that build cars lose any business or money though. Oh, and in my opinion, trends will always come and go, but basic classic style will always be appealing.

 

[King Herald]

A while back flathead motors were being sought out and bringing stupid money, but lately the market seems to have gone away.....
.

Don

Maybe fashion has moved on. What's next, who knows, but it bothers me not one bit as I am not a dedicated follower.

 

[donsrods]

No question they look cool and stop people in their tracks, especially when done like the one you have, Bill. I'm just saying the average flathead guy market has maybe finally reached it's limit. I know when I asked my machine shop guy about freshening up the 46 flathead I have he said it is out of his realm of expertise and he suggested guys like H and H who specialize in them. Maybe that is what is keeping Joe Average from building one.

Don

 

[meyek91974]

I agree with Sam up there.....

People, many people, can't afford the "hobby".

As for myself and those I know, I work at a big brown shipping company and make a "workin' man's income, as do what(?) sixty, seventy, eighty percent of Americans. I've heard or understand that the average household income is about forty thousand dollars a year; after taxes, bills, kids, and such there's just no money for un-needed thousands of dollar toys.

It is my wish that I could get my hands on an old flathead, but I am using what freebies and cheapies I can find and bolt together. My fifties and sixties tranny and engine is only about a fifth the cost of those flatties.

Anyone who knows me and doesn't stop my babbling about my build knows that I am building my bucket over two years at only $20 a week or less. It's "affordable" but maybe I can help spark up some interest or belief in more people to find some point in life to stop putting off building the dream.

 

[EnglishBob]

It's been summed up..the US economy has killed the flathead market in favour of belly button sbc's and the like.
It will bounce back when the economy picks up and people realise power isn't the be all and end all of hot rodding but looking good is.

 

[King Herald]

No question they look cool and stop people in their tracks.....

They look different.

They look no cooler than many other motors, properly finished, but they are pretty unusual, not seen very often, so that is why they attract attention and stop people in their tracks.

 

[Crossfire]

flatheads

A built flathead will still cost you a pretty pennie.The ones you see on craigslist are mostly motors that have sat a long time and may turn over ,may not.Guy at the last swapmeet had running stock rebuilt flatheads for sale and was getting $900 for them and sold all three. He had them on stands in his enclosed trailer.Cranked them up for customer before sale.

 

[hotrod preacher]

flatheads are cool, but too old for many to understand, as already mentioned not alot of shops will even machine them for ya...also many "mechanics" of sbc's cannot tune a flatty like the last gen of rodders could-they are very different...as far as sbc's go i guess i couild mention since the old original sbc is now out of production...... well i might not oughta finish that thought for fear of being slammed...

 

[earthman]

talk i hear is that nostalgia is not what it used to be

 

[dmw56]

Nostalgia is alive and well in my garage! [cl

 

[kelseydum]

Once I Sell my rod (hopefully sooner than later) I'm anxious to get the 29 Desoto I've been wanting... and yes I'm going for the Dodge 270 Hemi. I think a flathead comes with the Desoto too!

Looking good, DMW! Hey, there might be a possibility we might be moving closer to you.

 

[dmw56]

Looking good, DMW! Hey, there might be a possibility we might be moving closer to you.

Thanks and that would be great! Still got some striping for you to do![cl

 

[rotenjon]

I'm building a flattie for my rod and most of you are right, it is expensive. and thats not including any go fast goodies, just a basic 8ba with 30 over to clean it up!! But it is about the look, especially on a 27 T.

 

[willy knight]

flathead

I had two flatheads and sold the 1948 one on E bay complete with trans attached for around $600.00.It was out of an old farm truck and had 16000 origional miles.I thought it would sell higher also.I did have a guy from Spain ask about shipping on it though.I kept my 1950 Merc flathead and the Edelbrock aluminum heads and tri power intake and carbs for a project I have always wanted to do since I saw one years ago,I twas a Ford 8N tractor with a flathead V8 in it.I bought the tractor already but the new adapters are rather pricey at around $1500.00,So I have been looking around for a deal on an adapter.I guess they were sold by Ford back in the old days also.

 

[goose-em]

I think the average guy has big plans, and then he hears how little power the old flatties had, and how much it costs.

The guy who built my flatty says he will never do another, he did a good job but it cost him more hours than he estimated.

Much easier to drop 3k on a crate engine that runs 300 hp than to justify having the look for 7k and only getting 200 hp.

You also don't have to wait as long and when you get the crate engine it is just plug and play.