Thinking about dusting my 29 roadster for some nastalgia doins and would like some thoughts on heads. I have a pair of Edelbrock heads on it. The engine is 313 cu. in. with around 9.5 comp. I have been told that it would probably run better with stock heads with the larger transfer area. I turned 101 in a quarter with 13.23 et and the 1/8 mile at 8.17 et. Not to bad for 2000 lb car but always looking for a way to run a little better.
Oooof. That's a BIG flathead man. And fast, too! My first set of 'not stock ' heads on my '51 Merc stroker was a pair of EABs. Ran well but mine wasn't nearly what yours is.
The old flathead problem breathing or compression. How high do you rev the engine ? Would the ports and camshaft allow for higher revs? A 300ci flathead will rev around 5000-5500(max) The ports are just too small/bad. So you loose compression over the whole powerband , to gain a few rpms at the top. Good thing is you could easy swap heads and test it. Let us know
From my research, you'd be looking for EAB heads for the best stock compression or Merc EAC heads for the most stock volume and flow for a boosted engine.
been saving some EAB heads for an upcoming flathead lucked into them from a F5 I parted out some old timers told me they were the stock heads to run
What cam , port work and what induction do you run? I built a few 300 ci Flatheads , with big cams etc , but none of them gets up to 6k under load and make power. But i still like to learn what others are doing
The engine in question has a Crane R450 grind in it 450 lift with 286 duration radius tappet. Ported and polished and relieved by me with 1.6 and 1.5 Milodon stainless valves. Induction has been 3 97s a AFB and homemade fuel injection using several Hilborn parts.Ignition is a Chevy point dist. with a MSD box with 25 deg. total advance. This cam in a 276 engine was good for 7000 rpm. An Isky 431 Acellorator cam was also pretty good in the old days.
If you want to use steel heads , i know that stock french flathead heads have enough Material over the valves for machining. I dont know about merc or eab.
Let,s back up to 1961 or 62 Pete Shadanger U.S. Nats. was running a Isky 404 radius tappet at 11.30 et i in his dragster. The next year a Crane R450 radius at 10.65 He made a believer out of me and I took my 404 (still have it) out and put the R450 in it and there was no comparison between the 2 Crane at the top. Forward to around 2000 or so I called Crane and inquired they hollered at gramps and he took over. Yep the grind was stored in the computer and he could `put in on a stock cam as a regrind and I used my Isky tappets. Someone on this board makes the tappets. Other than 450 lift and 286 duration I know no details on them.
They may or may not be able to help as I,m not sure how much of the info. was retained in the Company roll over. Good luck
There is possibly a little undercut if I remember correctly and it will slip in the cam bore OK Built the engine about 13 yrs ago and have not ran it on a strip for 5 yrs however do fire it up every so often. There is nothing exotic about this engine that cannot be done by many of you.
Do you run Ross Pistons? Mine where too long with that stroke. I had to shorten them by 3/16.the skirts
They are Ross, I have used 2 sets , no problems. I would have sent them back but I see where located and thats a problem.
Harvy Crane died afew years ago. i talked to Harvey about 5-6 yrs ago about a model A cam, amazing what he knew. he had me get in touch w/cam grinder in Arden NC. said he had his grinding specs.he ground me what Harvey called his 302 model A grind. don't have his name but he grinds cams for nascar so should be easy to find had moved there from Pa i belive.
I have not tried iron heads on my engine. Around 1958 there was a flat head dragster running our local strip and it was very quick for the day and it had iron heads on it, and I wanted to know if anyone had ever tried this and the results.
Call Flathead Jack. Speaking with him, he likes his super alloy light JAX lifters. Lightening the valve train makes power. He also likes to add nitro. He says blowers are a waste of time with Flatheads. Can't get the volume out.
Keep your heads or look for a set of Rocky mountain heads and relieve the block, you'll loose a little compression but you should gain a couple of revs. Its nostalgia not nastalgia and it is not nostalgia unless you were there, you cannot wax nostalgic for something that you have not experienced first hand. LOL Never the less my English lesson for the day. have a good time.
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