block comparison · FF-0136

Is the French Flathead heavier because of more nickel in the iron?

Ed assumes so. He reasons that more nickel makes iron heavier and more resistant to cracking through heat cycles, compares it to a Hemi against a 440, and reads the finer machined finish as a sign of higher nickel. Steve tends to agree but says he cannot prove it.

Expert

Steve Coppock and Ed Smith

Evidence

prediction

Component

cylinder block iron

Applicable scope

French Ford/Simca Flathead block compared with U.S. Ford Flathead blocks