Decoding Flathead V8 Heads

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Tip before we get started:

Now the one thing that I tell everyone is that you should never use the heads to ID the year of your engine. The fact is that your engine has likely head between 2-3 sets of heads on it over the course of it’s life and although it would be nice to hope that the heads are the original its likely they are not. Also when engines went in for repair the mechanics commonly would just grab what ever was in stock to replace the heads on your engine. So that means you can never honestly depend on the heads to tell you anything other then what the heads are themself.

We know we are missing some so if you have any Info or photos please share them. We would like to expand these tables to include more heads from Canada and make sure we have as much info for people as we can get.

THE FIRST GEN HEADS

Right head is xx-6049 where specified

Part # Left Head	Ford / Merc	First Year	Cu./In.	Material	Piston Top	Stud	Volume	Comp Ratio	Spark Plug	Notes
18-6050	Ford	1932	221	Iron	Flat	21	95-97(e)	5.50	7/8-10	1,7
40-6050-A&A1	Ford	1933	221	Alum.	Flat	21	79-81(e)	6.33	18mm	1,2,5,7
40-6050-B	Ford	1935	221	Iron	Flat	21	83-85(e)	6.12(e)	18mm	1,2,5, 15,18
40-6050-A2	Ford	1936	221	Alum.	Flat	21	79-81(e)	6.33	18mm	1,2,5, 15,18
40-6050-A2R	Ford	1935	221	Alum.	Flat	21	60-62(e)	7.50	18mm	1.2.5.6
48-6050	Ford	1935	221	Alum.	Dome	21	79-81(e)	6.33	18mm	1,3,4, 6, 8,16, 17
68-6050-A	Ford	1936	221	Alum.	Dome	21	79-81(e)	6.33	18mm	1,3,8
68-6050-B	Ford	1936	221	Iron	Dome	21	83-85(e)	6.12(e)	18mm	1,16
78-6050	Ford	1937	221	Alum.	Dome	21	78-81	6.20	18mm	1,3,4, 8,16
77-6050-A	Ford	1937	221	Iron	Dome	21	78-81	6.20	18mm	10,11
77-6050-B	Ford	1937	221	Iron	Dome	21	60-62	7.50	18mm	10,11
c91A-6050-B	Ford	1937	221	Alum.	Dome	21	79-81(e)	79-81(e)	18mm	8,10,20

THE SECOND GEN HEADS

Right head is xx-6049 where specified

Part # Left Head	Ford / Merc	First Year	Cu./In.	Material	Piston Top	Stud	Volume	Comp Ratio	Spark Plug	Notes
81A-6050-A	Ford	1938	221/239	Iron	Dome	24	80-82(e)	6.2/6.6	14mm	9(most), 10,14
81A-6050-B	Ford	1938	221/239	Alum.	Dome	24	80-82(e)	6.2/6.6	14mm	9,10,14
91AS-6050	Ford	1938	221/239	Iron	Dome	24	60-62	7.5/6.6	14mm	9,10,14,16,17
81T-6050-A	Ford	1938	221/239	Iron	Dome	24	92-95(e)	5.5/5.9	14mm	14,18
81T-6050	Merc	1939	239	Iron	Dome	24	65-67(e)	7.60	14mm	10,14,17,18,
99AS-6050	Ford/Merc	1939	239	Iron	Dome	24	65-67	7.60	14mm	10,14,16,17
99T-6050	Ford	1939	239	Iron	Dome	24	92-95(e)	5.90	14mm	18
19AS-6050	Ford/Merc	1941	239	Iron	Dome	24	70-72	7.59(e)	14mm	10,14,16,17
29A-6050	Ford	1942	239	Iron	Dome	24	83-85(e)	6.40	14mm	10
59A-6050-A	Ford/Merc	1945	239	Iron	Dome	24	77-79	6.75	14mm	10,11
59A-6050-B	Ford/Merc	1946	239	Iron	Dome	24	73.5-75.5	6.75	14mm	10,11,15

THE THIRD GEN HEADS

Right head is xx-6049 where specified

Part # Left Head	Ford / Merc	First Year	Cu./In.	Material	Piston Top	Stud	Volume	Comp Ratio	Spark Plug	Notes
8BA-6050	Ford	1949	239	Iron	Dome	24	75-77(e)	6.80	14mm	12
8RT-6050	Ford	1948	239	Iron	Dome	24	75-77(e)	6.80	14mm	12,18
EAB-6050-C	Ford	1952	239	Iron	Dome	24	69-71	7.20	14mm	12,13
8CB-6050-E	Merc	1949	255	Iron	Dome	24	82-84	6.80	14mm	12
8CM-6050-F	Merc	1949	255	Iron	Dome	24	82-84	6.80	14mm	12,13
1CM-6050-A	Merc	1951	255	Iron	Dome	24	82-84	6.80	14mm	12,13
EAC-6050-B	Merc	1952	255	Iron	Dome	24	75-77(e)	7.20	14mm	12,13

NOTES INDEX

Water pump on the top front of the head
One Water pump mounting bolt hole exposed
Two water pump mounting bolt holes exposed
Small (2″) diameter spark plug recess
Large (2.5″) diameter spark plug recess
Marked with Ford Script
Early Combustion Chamber
New Combustion Chamber
Marked with Letter “A”
Center Top Water Outlet
Small Head used on both sides (59, 77, 78 series)
Front top water outlet
Oil Filter mounts on three separate bosses
Used on 221 and 239 engines
has attached valve-to-bore clearance required for 59A-6010-C block and later, Marked 59A-B
Service Replacement
High Compression
Truck
(e) Means Best Est.
Canadian Heads