Almost looks like a SBF head at a quick glance, wonder if there was any design/engineering overlap on the two engine types.
The Ford "Kent" engine went into production 2 years ahead of the Smallblock 221 V8 All V8 heads were crossflow but the Kent had intake / exhaust ports on the same side. The Kent had shaft rockers, and solid "mushroom" lifters [which made cam swaps a P.I.T.A] It is only the rocker covers that looked similar shape. The Kent engine was recognized early as an engine that flowed a lot of air and became a favorite for tuners. The 1000cc 3 main bearing engines would turn to 11000rpm in the F3 "screamer" era [they were limited to a 1 barrel carb] Here's a bit of music for you
You need to understand .... The Holy Grail of N/A race engines is 100 Ft/lbs per liter [this is a 4v F1 engine that has pneumatic valves, air boxes, tuned intakes, exotic lightweight parts etc etc etc. Back in 1964 these guys were getting 62-63 ft/lbs from a 997cc engine with 2 valves and a single throat carburettor And 11000 rpm from a 3 main bearing block and crankshaft. They only matched that torque/liter in the 70's with F5000 [formula A] engines with Lucas timed injection 510hp at 8500 rpm from Swiss built Morand engines Here's some more music
Boxing day was spent tearing the 1500-engine apart. Ready for cleaning, inspection and then off to the machine shop. I also got the inner intake ports cleaned up a bit so now the head is ready to be converted to unleaded fuel and some milling to raise the compression just a little bit.
I love the sound of those little engines and he did it proud on the dyno, inched it right on up until the red light came on for the RPM limit. Then let it wind itself back down. To hear a whole track full of those at full song would be something to record with modern equipment to do it justice.
Is that a stock 1500 block? or the taller deck 1600 block? You can take a 1500 pre-crossflow out to 1680cc reasonably cheap. By picking your components correctly You need a 1600 crossflow crank AND pre-crossflow 125E Rods Then you hunt down a set of VW 1500 [air cooled] Flat Top Pistons that are 83mm bore standard or 83.5 oversize These pistons have a 39.6mm compression height 1500 block is 200.5mm deck height [200.4mm to 200.6mm] 125E Rods are 121.92 length 1600 crank has 38.8 throw [77.6 stroke] VW pistons have 39.6mm compression height That leaves 0.18mm deck clearance [0.007"] 83mm bore = 1680cc 83.5mm bore = 1700cc And the engine can look stock on the outside Edit: if you're going to turn a 1500 crank to high rpm you will need to cross drill the crank oiling because #2 and #3 rod journals will starve the centre main journal. Ford performed this mod at the factory on the 1600 crank
Great information, thank you. This is a stock 1500 block, 120E-6015 casting number. If going the route of 1600 crank I guess I would also need to use a MK2 Cortina oil pan and rear oil seal housing, for lip seals instead of rope seals?
Yes you'll need the Mk2 Cortina oil pan [or a front R & P conversion] They sound better in the studio!! The studio being a totally gutted interior with the whole engine reverberating through the firewall and an unmuffled exhaust under the floor exiting out the side [it's like opium for the ears] Here's a bit of music for you [A Ford BDA engine with that lovely induction noise] The Scandinavian's are pretty good drivers as well ..... [It is not like they're driving a flathead jalopy in a shopping mall carpark ]
Rally driving is a whole other beast. Formula cars have a song of their own and I doubt he hit 7K in the video. I do own a 90 Altrac. If I could figure out how to make it turn 9K and live I’d drive the wheels off it just to hear it sing.
The sound can be deceiving with a cacophony of induction noise vs exhaust noise, but it is pure music He was pegging it to 10,000 when driving past the barns but mostly in the 6-8000 range Here is the tacho at 10,000 [12 o'clock position is zero] I am more impressed with his hand movement on the steering wheel [in road racing we were told to drive smooth]
The Jalopy Journal
