What Killed The Flathead V8 Engine?

Flathead V8 engines were the first mass-produced V8 engines sold in production cars, with Ford’s first example dating back to 1932. The flathead design is very simple; as the name implies, the cylinder head is basically just a single flat piece of metal. All of the engine components are kept internal to the cylinder block, with a single camshaft operating the valves directly. The simplicity meant low cost, which brought the V8 to the masses. Unfortunately, airflow was terrible, because the air had to reverse directions as the valve opened to enter the cylinder, rather than flowing directly in like modern engines. The intake air also flows in the opposite direction from the exhaust, so any valve overlap meant combating airflow. All of this meant low power, so by 1954, the engine was no more. Bummer! Not really. Why Flathead V8 Engines Died - https://youtu.be/ixhYVcWwJiY Subscribe to Engineering Explained for more videos! - https://goo.gl/VZstk7 Recommended Books & Car Products - http://amzn.to/2BrekJm EE Shirts! - http://bit.ly/2BHsiuo Engineering Explained is a participant in the Amazon Influencer Program. Don't forget to check out my other pages below! Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/engineeringexplained Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/engineeringexplained EE Extra: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsrY4q8xGPJQbQ8HPQZn6iA