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View Full Version : "FX" & number versus "F" & number - The Difference?


John (Taylor) Gabrowski
09-28-2008, 09:23 PM
What is the difference in Flathead registrations?

For instance there is a 4 cylinder 44 Flathead engine that is registered as an "FX" - numbered engine and there is another registration where for another 44 class F engine it is registered as an "F" only numbered engine without the X. Is there a difference between an "F" registered or an "FX" registered engine?
Gene East
09-29-2008, 07:02 PM
I'm not sure if this is the real story about the numbers, but I can tell you the first 44 Looper was built for a special class X race in Knoxville. Jim Schoch and Earle Hull built the engine without Chris's knowlege. He was in Florida at the time.

Long story short, Jim ran away and hid from everyone at that race. Chris was concerned that the motor had too much power and posed an extreme risk to drivers. Chris gave the order not to build anymore of them. That motor was to have been the one and only, but demand was so strong for the 44 Chris relented and allowed us to build more of them.

Aren't you glad he did??
John (Taylor) Gabrowski
09-29-2008, 07:44 PM
Gene:

Thanks for that info. Was there any dyno card information in general on these Flathead 44s that explained their horsepower?
Gene East
09-30-2008, 04:32 AM
Paul Christner would be the person to ask that question
John (Taylor) Gabrowski
09-30-2008, 08:52 AM
Paul: If your looking at these posts could you clarify the differences in Quincy registration letters plus numbers?
Frank Volker
09-30-2008, 11:00 AM
I don't think our dyno would handle the torque of a 44 flathead. If this first-off 44 flathead was before '66, it was probably seated-in on the test tank, since we didn't have a dyno until '66 ( ? as I recall).

Frank
John (Taylor) Gabrowski
09-30-2008, 08:04 PM
Since it is apparent that its quite true that no one ever kept the throttle wide open on a Flathead 6 banger hydro to find our how fast they really could go was there any single remarkable flatout runs the 44 - 4 banger Flatheads did that would be record holders if 2 runs for average speed could have been taken? I well remember the 6 Flatheads and 44 Flatheads dueling, it kept huge crowds on their feet.