On March 9, 1932, Ford Motor Company introduced the production V-8 in its showrooms, and it was an instant success especially with police departments because of its price and speed.
The V-8 is considered one of Ford’s last great personal engineering triumphs: his “en block”, or one piece, V8 engine. The production was the largest commercially available V8 to the masses. Offered as an option to an improved 4-cylinder Model “B” engine in a low priced car, this compact V8 power plant, with its down draft carburettor, enabled 1932 Ford to outperform all other popular competitors and was conceived as years ahead of its time. The Ford flathead V8 is still heralded today as one of the first pioneers in ‘hot rod’ engines.
This flat head engine powered almost all larger Ford cars through the 1953 production year, and was produced until around 1970 by Ford licensees around the world, with the valve-in-block engine powering mostly commercial vehicles.
Sources :
WAKV (Plainwell, MI), The Memory Station Facebook Page
For more information, see V-8 wikipedia entry