W hile it’s not without its flaws, the Ford flathead V-8 marked a significant milestone in the history of American performance. Ford’s mass production of the flathead opened up racing to a ...

Although many of the ideas were initiated by Henry Ford himself, the team led by Carl Schmaltz, Emil Zoerlein, and Ray Lard turned plans into production with the 3.6-liter "Flathead" V8 in 1932.

and in 1935 Ford introduced the Model 50 pickup powered by the famous Ford flathead V8 engine. These were work trucks and nothing fancy until about 1940, when some automotive styling was used for ...