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A three-part series about planning and building a modern flathead Ford

For many rodders, the most important question regarding the buildup of a flatmotor today is 'Why?' With all the inexpensive modem engines available, why indeed would anyone want to spend $4000-$8000 for what some characterize as an antique - an obsolete engine that produces far less horsepower than a streetable small-block Chevy, with questionable reliability, and nothing approaching the flexibility of the more-modern engine. Truth to tell, this popular characterization of the venerable Ford L-head engine has little basis in the reality of correctly built flatheads today, as we shall demonstrate, trading on the wisdom and expertise of one of hot rodding's premiere flatmotor builders, Dave Tatom. Dave traces his flathead roots back to V8-60-powered Kurtis midgets in the '50s while he was still in his teens, by which time he had already earned several aviation certificates, both for flying and as a mechanic. Sports car racing was also a major part of his life in the '50s and '60s, with his skill and dedication earning him first-rate rides in Lotus and Porsche cars as well as a number of SCCA championships and track records. Over the years Dave has alternated aviation with auto racing as business and hobby. When his business was aviation based, racing was his hobby, he says, and when his business was racing, aviation became his hobby. This arrangement has allowed him to maintain a high level of interest and enthusiasm and avoid burnout for both of these demanding pursuits over the years. In 1989 Dave retired from his aviation repair business, following a serious crash in Alaska that required several years of recuperation and rehabilitation. Re-entry into the wonderful world of flatheads came about during this period, eight years ago, when Jim Donovan asked him to build a motor for his Bonneville lakester. With the car running at record speeds with its Tatom-authored flatmotor, Dave found himself with potential customers he really hadn't been looking for, not even guessing that they existed. It was clear that the need was there, particularly because there were so few engine builders with the specific knowledge and experience Dave possesses, so six years ago he launched Tatom Custom Engines to do the meticulous, creative engine work he thrives on and at which he is so good. In our earliest conversations with Dave, it was apparent there was far too much important and interesting information he had to share to shoehorn it into a single magazine article. We tussled with some ideas about how we might break it down into logical bits,