Okay, so your aluminum heads, they're service hi-rise Cobra Jet heads? What work will you do to make more flow?
Andy heads are just a low/med rise head, look at Edelbrock heads for reference , 16 bolt CJ exhaust. Nothing special about them I don't believe they flow very well neighborhood of 260-280CFM out of box. Today we agreed to flow test and fuel pattern one to see where we are at and decide what to do. I think my hands are going numb just thinking about it !! Remember doing enough you looked at what you were picking up , no solo cups you'd crush them due to not feeling anything in your fingers just the "tingle". Had a interesting little time at the shop today. Dropped off parts . Checked out a 70 Roadrunner 426 Hemi , 4 speed car it's original, didn't spend much time on it just enough to recognize what it is. Then ended up talking engines, cams and tuning Pro Stock of cars today. So a good day !!
That surprises me that the heads are L/M rise; I would've thought at least a M rise narrow port, at minimum. In thinking about the Edelbrocks, I'd heard they were meh, so is there anything other than blending or extrusion honing you can do?
LS, You'd be correct ! There is always some different stuff there. He is in a heavy Mopar country down there. But always has an eclectic variety, for a while there he had about 5 Sunbeam Tigers in there he was working on. About the only constant one is an early 1900's firetruck that has always been there. Andy the heads are what they are. The Ed's just don't have the flow. That's why it's nice to have the flow bench to identify the bad areas and then pattern the wet flow. After that its grinder and or epoxy/weld areas that need filled in to help the flow. Certain areas you almost automatically open up and pick up flow. It's really about picking up the velocity a big port or just opening the whole thing up can do more harm than help. It's not about just making bigger ports. This will be working what I have rather than the old motto " Speed costs, how fast you want to go?" A good you tube series to watch on stuff is David Vizard , he covers a lot of stuff and gives good explanation be patient watching corrects himself in edits. For being over 80 years old he is giving more explanation and tips than almost anyone will give you.
That's good on David Vizard, I've read his name before (Maybe Car Craft mag?), and his explanations always made sense. Yeah, opening up runners isn't always needed, especially on a street machine, but I always thought the factory-bred engines went after that because they were maximizing quarter-mile and track performance, not MPGs and street behaviors. I figured any of the CJ/SCJ engines would be after those peak powers for high-rev runs. I'd kill to be able to afford some HIPO iron, but alas, not in my life.
Andy there are very few Ford heads that were very good as cast, Yes there are a few. If you compare heads of different brands you will see that the Ford head is usually smaller cc ports and less CFM flow than others fitting on comparable size engine. Pretty much why it took others to make them go, Shelby, Glidden, Holman-Moody, Tasca, etc. The 428 Cj was saddled with a cast iron intake, flows well but could have saved about 80 lbs right there buy going to aluminum. Old rule every 100 LBS is a tenth in the quarter. Ford didn't put trac-lok rears in the high performance automatically you had to option that. Sell the hi-po with a one legger and 2.79 gears maybe a 3.50 gear if you were lucky. The Hi-po stuff shows up at different times at one time had a holley with Lemans bowls given to me. Trick is don't go looking for it, then it all of a sudden shows up. Believe it can happen refuse to give up !!
Well stroker kit in and mock up to check all has commenced. Pistons a couple thou proud of deck, Quench !! Cams are another fun thing right now as most don't seem to have cores available, so called Bullet up. Have one on order now so it will take about 5 weeks to get to me. Specs are comparable to comps XE294R with a little more lift. Morel lifters are on order and the steel distributor drive gear. So once that stuff arrives then we can assemble and check for pushrod length, more parts to get made. Hopefully this weekend I can get a chance to get in the garage to get the subframe connectors welded up.
Harland's came in today. They had been on back order for a little bit. Also got carb parts in so I can go thru them and have ready for testing, the old U carb ( service replacement) and the 770. See what does better probably not a lot of difference but we shall see. Now my buddy gave me a new search to do , find a bell housing and a flywheel to hook up to the dyno when done. At least the flywheel doesn't have to be in great shape just use it to couple to dyno and needs a good ring gear for the starter.
Well finally got a little time for the garage, it was a hot one though not quite as bad as it has been. Ended up buying a new welder and got driver side connector welded in, need to dress some welds up but at least they are solid and not porous. I've never claimed to be a welder just someone that will "git R done" function over looks. Cam finally arrived with lifters and distributor gear. Been chasing parts again 2.25 intake valves, 1.90 exhaust retainers and new Keepers, all Manley stuff. The hang up there is no stock out there on the exhaust valves, so placed the order as they do have the blanks to make them. Never would have thought BBC valves wouldn't be available. Heads getting welded up to get new seats and machine work. Not me welding, LOL. Never tried welding aluminum. Have a bell housing and flywheel loaned to me, yay. Now I better get a converter dug out to get modified.
Yeah, aluminum welding should be done by a pro, no matter what. They just know how to incorporate the shielding gas.
Thanks . It will just take some time. Figured when it dropped the valve in march I lost this year pretty much. Wasn't prepping anything to be ready for something like that happening. Should be a pretty stout piece once all back together. Tires shouldn't last long! Then see what else needs to change she is a toy after all. So now it's just about parts availability.
Got a call from the local machine shop today, they have the numbers matching block. It will be ready for pickup next week new sleeve is installed, used the 1/8" thick sleeve. They will deck the block to true it up and punch the sleeve to match the other bores. Told them I would pick it up when ready it will get built in the future after the 445 is done. Be able to have a spare waiting or to go back to numbers matching. Made my day !!
Nice Dyno... Have some stuff I need to get done around the house, then I will be looking at getting my numbers block off to get worked on. Will be cool to say its numbers matching instead of Date Code correct.
PER I hear ya on the house stuff. It's been waiting on my end figure the house ain't going anywhere. Get that block going with the way you have done Brittany , you will fell better knowing she's back to original. Me I'm not as original but have the stuff to go there someday. Right now mines my toy to play with and have fun with, once back together. Tomorrow I head down to the shop in MD and see what I'm working on file fit rings or cylinder heads or ? I know what my buddy is trying to talk to me about from the other week. Interesting but will take me some time to think about, opportunity ?
Picked up my original block today after work. They put the sleeve in , decked the block just enough to true it back up and made the cylinder match the others by honing. Quick check with dial calipers say they measure the same at least at the top. Will have to bring my bore gauge home and check them all sometime before ordering pistons.
