Glossary / General

flat head

14 Episode Mentions

Too Afraid to Ask

A flathead engine is a type of engine where the top part is flat, which was common in older cars. It makes the engine simpler but not as powerful as modern designs.

Technical Definition

A flathead engine is an internal combustion engine design where the combustion chamber is located in the engine block, resulting in a flat cylinder head. This design was popular in the early to mid-20th century, particularly in American cars like those from Dodge.

Hear It Discussed

"[2781.7s] Devil Six? It was the Blue Flame Six. It was. It was an interesting engine. It was a push-rod [2789.6s] engine. It wasn't a flathead. And I think it was dual-carbed and something like 155..."
200 MPH Corvette, VW is Hurting, Where the EV Market is Going Car Stuff Podcast 46:29

"I think you're going back to the back to the forties early fifties on Forge with their flatthead vights because the steel pump was up on the back end of the engine driven by a little push rod..."
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - May 9, 2026 - Hour 1 - Why Your Car Is Quietly Burning More Gas Ron Ananian The Car Doctor 28:25

"...And it did sound, it was a flathead, you know, the Sidewacker and, and they, they've always..."
That's no Capri! Turmoil means bargains; kit or McLaren? My week in cars: the Autocar podcast 11:33