www.flatheadmeltdown.com

This page is going to concentrate on all the news relating to the Meltdown.  So if you've got a flattie-powered unfinished project, ask politely and this is where I'll shove a pic or two of it.  We all like a salacious bit of gossip, so if you know of someone who's built a fire-breathin', hate-filled, blown, injected stroker motor, get in touch and I'll blab it to the world.  Likewise if you're fitting twin SU's to your 100E.  It's all good to us.

Sponsorship News!

As mentioned below, the second of this year's FH/MD events takes place in just a few short weeks (better get that Tudor finished, Kelvin...) and we have a brilliant prize fund of £100 up for grabs.  There is £50 going to the winner of the Meltdown, once again courtesy of Beanie at Buckland Automotive , and another £50 going to the owner of the quickest flathead powered car over the entire weekend, courtesy of Jim & Jules at Royal Kustoms .

Buckland Automotive 's work is no stranger to the pages of the hot rod press and this website, with Mark Biggin's fantastic Sport Coupe being one of the more recent recipients of the Buckland treatment.  Beanie and the team are capable of anything from a simple engine swap to a full on build.  Visit www.bucklandautomotive.com or call them on 07768 058060 to discuss your needs.

Royal Kustoms shouldn't need any introduction either, to be honest.  Run by Jim Turnbull and Julie Ware, RK offer the full package from turn-key cars to complete kustom paint and interiors.  But of course, it is with flatheads that Jim is best known.  Jim was for several years the record holder for the quickest flathead, certainly in the UK and most probably in Europe too.  Even in the States, there aren't going to be too many flathead-powered cars of any description that would match Jim's best of 12.7 on bias-ply tyres.  And now Jim's experience in engine building is leading more and more Meltdowners to call on him for everything from a French military block to a super-secret custom cam grind.  You can contact Royal Kustoms at www.royalkustoms.co.uk and on 01202 632046.  You know what to do...  Many thanks to both Buckland Automotive and Royal Kustoms for their kind and generous sponsorship.  Truly appreciated by all. 

Roll up, roll up...

The Hot Rod Drags will soon be upon us - 18th & 19th September - so if anyone would like to enter the FH/MD at said event, now is the time to get in touch.  Email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name and details and you'll get 2-for-1 on the gate.

Gav's Getting Serious...

With less than a month to the next round of this year's Flathead Meltdown, Gavin Meanly has invested in some serious aluminium - or aloominum, depending on where you are reading this - in an attempt to get out of the 20s.  Don Orosco is the man responsible for these beautiful heads and intake and is certainly the man to speak to if you fancy a set for your 21-stud.  In the meantime, as soon as Gavin has these installed I'll post a piccie... 

Clark's four-banger on the Salt!

This is pretty bloody special.  Our own Clark Devey - whose old roadster is still the four-banger record holder - is currently on his way to the hallowed salt of Bonneville for Speed Week, along with his engine!  That's right, Clark has lent his incredible banger to Sam Strube to use in his T-based 'liner, and as I type the engine is in place and they are getting ready for the journey from San Fran to Wendover.  As soon as I know how they're getting on, I'll post it here, but you'll probably find out sooner over on The HAMB... 

What a weekend!

A great weekend of racing at Shakespeare County Raceway, which saw everybody leave with sunburn!  A full write-up is now on-line, complete with pics.  Get the full story here...

Any more for any more?

We've got 14 names in the hat for the FH/MD at the Nostalgia Nats at the end of June, so it's looking like a cracking meet.  If anybody else wants to take part, you'll need to contact me by the weekend prior.  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   Don't forget, you'll get 2-for-1 entry on the gate for your efforts, plus the chance to win the £50 first prize courtesy of Buckland Automotive and a trophy from the VHRA.

Nifty's Coupe...

Nath's coupe made it to the drags last year on a trailer, you'll recall from here, just one week after landing in the UK from the States.  Since then it has undergone an incredible chassis rebuild by Pete Ayres at Lite Welding , and had its engine built by Jim & Jules at Royal Customs, and will be coming along the Nostalgia Nationals this month under its own power.  This coupe doesn't tick the boxes required by magazine editors so will probably go ignored, but the engineering on this rod is incredible, so do yourself a favour and check it out at the drags.

Sponsorship news for the Nostalgias' FH/MD

Pretty much every one of our competitors take part in the Meltdown for the fun of it - or perhaps maybe a t-shirt - but there is always an extra edge when a bit of money is involved.  Adrian at Buckland has been in touch and very generously sponsored the Meltdown at the Nostalgia Nationals to the tune of £50 for the winner, plus a t-shirt.  It doesn't get much better than that!  Cheers, Beanie!

Buckland Automotive , as you should know by now, are based in Bedford and can offer you custom built chassis, suspension work, engine swaps and full restoration services.  A sample of their handiwork can be seen in the Gregory V8 that was competing in the Shelsley May meet, as well as in many other top hot rods.  They can be contacted on 07768 058060.

Registration is open for the Nostalgia Nationals...

If you want to take part in the Flathead Meltdown at the Nostalgia Nationals , drop me an email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   You will get 2-for-1 entry on the gate and eternal infamy courtesy of these 'ere website.  You'll need a seat-belt, helmet and catch can.  Full details here...

Northern Ride-Out

We do love a good-old reliability run, as you know from looking here .  A recent trip took place up north, organised by Odgie and Miss P.  Pete Ayres drives the bejesus out of his roadster and has been kind enough to tell us how cool this great north run was...  

Nordian Services Ltd

A name that has been associated with the Flathead Meltdown and indeed with flatheads in general for many years is Nordian Services.  One time sponsor of our race series, Nordian are suppliers of quality flathead parts and services for Flathead Fords.  So if you need a set of gaskets or bearings, a rebuild of a water pump or your whole engine, drop Pete an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb May Midlander Meet

What a fabulous weekend, and certainly one we'll be back to.  Brilliant to see the Meltdown racers blasting up the hill at Shelsley.  Read Biggles' excellent report here...

FH/MD at the Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb

This weekend - May 1st & 2nd - a few of us will be at Shelsley Walsh for  their May Midlander event.  Really looking forward to this as three Meltdowners, including Jim Turnbull, will be having a blast up the famous hill.  That's because the MAC are holding a 'flat 8' category for the first time.  Neil Bennett and Mike Pickup are the other two FH/MDers taking part amongst all the Railtons & Allards, so look out for a full report. 

Twitter

Those of you far enough up the technological food-chain that understand these things may be interested to know that the Flathead Meltdown is now on Twitter.  You'll get news and updates as they happen - apparently - maybe even quicker than me.  You can find us @fhmeltdown so we'll see you there!

Juarez Traditional Fabrication has a shiny new website...

Juarez Trad Fab are good friends of the Meltdown, and Marco and the lads in Coolham are proving to be a gemstone in the UK traditional hot rod scene. They now have a new website to their name and www.juarezfabrication.com will take you there.  Juarez say they 'strive to maintain an authentic, era specific style to all our build, repair and restorations', so you know exactly what you'll see when you click on the link.

New Organisation; New Sponsor!

The Vintage Hot Rod Association is a new body that has been set up to represent traditional hot rodders here in the UK.  This is a development that is long overdue, in my opinion.  For far too long, those of us who prefer our gow jobs and hop-ups early style have had little or no voice in the wider world, and that is precisely what the VHRA has been set up for.  What implication does all this have for the Flathead Meltdown?  Well...as the Meltdown has its roots in the earlier days of our hobby's history, it seems only fitting that the VHRA should come on board with us.  Therefore, from 2010, the VHRA will be the proud new sponsor of all the Flathead Meltdown trophies at the two drag events that we race at.  Superb!

Interested in what the VHRA stands for?  Get yourself over to their website at www.vhra.co.uk and check them out...>>>

Eight is great!

Way ahead of me in the V8 transplant race is Mark Biggin with his perfectly patina'd '29 Sport Coupe.  Mark hasn't stopped grinning since he first fired it up last weekend.  Check out the details on how the Buckland boys performed the swap here...

Very nice '32 Pick-em-up...

Gavin Meanley came out to play in the Meltdown at the HRDs last year in his lovely '32.  The truck's story is now here for all to see...

Where Before There Was Four... 

...now there is eight!

Just mocked in to place at the moment, but I reckon it looks well at home there.

A New Start...

Didn't hang around getting stuck into the new year.  Picked this 21-studder up at 10.30am on 1st January.  Having been a four-banger guy for many years, the prospect of all those extra cylinders is quite exciting, though this is probably just going to get nothing more than a freshen up.  Well, maybe...

Happy New Year!

Best wishes of the season to all of you.  Bloody cold here but already looking forward to a new season of flathead fun!

Archive of 2009 news and gossip here>>>