I see mention of the 3 port Olds head.This was a hot set up in the 20's as an Oldsmobile Head is a Bolt on deal for a Chev..i think the effect was more of smoothness rather than neck snapping performance.
Hello I'm planing to build a banger out of -28 chevy and I've been looking for information to tune the original engine. I'm interested to know what you have done to the head? It is surprisingly hard to find any information for hopping up the Chevy four. Risto Nurmi Oulu, Finland
When I read all this back and forth as to how much horse power this or that combination has I remember a friend who, about 1953, built a chevy 6 based on a WW2 CCKW engine (CCKW was a 2 1/2 ton truck) it was bored to 260 CI and had dual carbs and open spaghetti headers not sure what cam. Any way, the car was never beat, of course this was street racing, Guys from out of town would bring their cars to the local drive in and and race him, some being towed as their exhaust was opened. I'm speaking of 3/8's by 3/8's flatheads and all other combinations. He once told me that it was just a lucky combination of parts, that every thing worked. So comparing engines based on what you have read or what some else has said is just a good starting point. I also remember a Studebaker flathead 6 that was a real tire burner. Am I dating myself?
The most in depth information I've found in early Chevy fours is the article on Bob Rufi's belly tank, but it was an all out Bonneville vehicle, and wouldn't even idle. High compression is somewhat hampered by the fact that there are only eight head bolts (studs and nuts would probably help), and although there is an oil pump to supply lube to the upper end, the rods are still splash lubed babbit bearings. On the up side, with a stock bore of 3.6875, the block will easily withstand an overbore to 3.75, which opens up many modern piston possibilities for you. Find one with a taller compression height, and you'll kill three birds with one stone: more compression, bigger bore, and lighter aluminum pistons that take easy to find ring sets.
Sawracer, I have my intermediate needles set at 27 28 clicks, my high speed at 33 34. this is on both dual settup's "B''s and "BB"'s. You might want to start at that. They were checked with Edelbrock oxygen sensors.
Bits and pieces of info: Egge carries the stock valves and springs. 1965-67 Olds or 1965-70 Buick exhaust valves can be used as a modern replacement. A modern replacement for the valve springs is Allis Chalmer part number G138/G139, or Clevite part number 212-1010. The intake port side of the 28 head needs some porting work. (Thanks to Jimmy B for providing me with or directing me to this info.)
A quick amateur look at the chevy port look cavernous to me. Almost like they would like a little epoxy here and there to help velocity. I just want to hear it run for now and I will sweat that later. The valves are stainless, new seats, and springs. That is as trick as she is gonna get for now. I also need a rocker if ya got one. One is a little bent. I know of a head in a display case in a local speed shop with full rocker gear. Maybe the guy will trade me a rocker since it's just a static display. I tried to buy it for a hamber but he "needs " it to hold the shelf down I guess.
Another tip for anyone with an early Chevy 4--one of my friends had one, and flipped the updraft intake upside down, bolted it back to the head, and found that a Carter "WO" carb from a late '40s Jeep had the correct bolt pattern for the carb flange.
Some good tips. I have several sets of rockers but it would be ridigulous to send one to the other side of the world. I actually was already told, which modern pistons can be used in the engine if bored to 3.750", but I don't have the information here at hand. The question I asked ment exactly about how to port the head correctly, but I quess it is enough just to make the basic "clensing". The valves and seats are not a problem to me as my sisters husband works in the shop that makes them. The oiling was alredy mentioned and that is the other key issue. I've heard, that the engine oiling has sometimes been turned to fully pressurised. I am very interested to know how this is been done, and are they still using original pump. I'm looking for reliability and reasonable performance, not maximum power, and I like engines that have strong torque from low revs. I, anyhow have one fixation. I'd like to supercharge the engine...
One correction, Bob Rufi's car was not based on a WW2 belly tank. He set the record in 1940 WW2 didn't start until 1941 and belly tanks were not available. My understanding is that he built wooden bucks and formed his own body based on his study of aerodynamics. This mistake has been printed in some publications. If you could see a reprint of a picture of his 2 man modified you see the quality of his work.
You are right,they didn't make a flathead.This is a conversion kit that makes a flathead Ford 4 into an overhead valve configuration.
Well a great turn cam up in the dizzy dept. I was at a standstill without a modern spark thrower. I started calling model a connections on my shop wall and a local fellow delivered this sweet dual point mallory for a song. Tip: Join SOSS and FAST if you don't want to pay retail. Real hobbyists help each other not profiteer. I don't know how to drop and paste with this laptop or I would post pics. In the meantime it's wiring time and I gotta go back to work tomorrow so progress will slow. I hope to make the hill climb in Devore on Sept. 8.
I also needed to make a bulkhead fitting to clean up the wiring. The original plastic deal doesn't fit with the valve cover. I scored some copper sheet from a tin bender pal. Without the proper Knock-out it's tough to drill thin sheetmetal so I sandwiched it between some pine to do it with my budget tools cleanly. Here's the final result without doing anything that can't be undone. I am weird about butchering such a clean example of an original so I try to tread lightly. I like the idea of varying textures and materials which is why I used copper. I hope it doesn't look like I am trying too hard. Eventually all wiring will be proper fabric insulation type. The ignition wiring is an ugly necessity, maybe I can put it in a tubing conduit later.
Wow, that's an awesome setup. Glad to see progress is moving forward. Im still bickering if Im going to mill down my pistons to clear my old Windfield head...or just stack gaskets until they clear. Cant wait to hear it run.
and another correction, World war two began in ... 1st September 1939... The USA refused to Help the allied nations until japan attacked pearl harbour,but hey! better late than Never eh? .
I run a Winfield head with pop-up pistons...I had the head fly-cut so the the slugs would clear. Didn't fancy milling the pistons or doubling up on the gaskets.
When I wrote regarding WW2 I was writing in regards as to when the US declared or entered war not the rest of the world. Also you should research Lend Lease which started in March of 1941. One other point, the United States of America bailed out the rest of the world and I don't see what this has to do with this bitch'n engine but I can't stand sharp shooters that don't have their facts straight eh!
By the way, if it hasn't already been said, Nash rockers were the hot set up on the chevy 4 banger back in the day. They had a better ratio, but are pretty tought to find today.
I didn't know that about the 3 port. When my buddy gave me the one I have/had, I just assumed the stock rockers were the same as the 2 port, or one port for that matter. Both of the ones I had already had the Nash stuff on them. Recently traded it all off. When Gabby re-created the chev touring he had in '33, he tracked down some Nash rockers for it too, said he ran the same ones back in the day, well before '38. So I don't know what the hell he ran if JimmyB says they need to be that year? Gabbys not around anymore, so I can't ask him. One of his daughters got the car. Haven't seen it since the funeral. Here's Gabby in '33
I love that tourer Gabby built, I remember the Hop Up article from 5 years ago. From what I have been told the standard rocker stands need to be milled off and custom stands fitted Damn, I would of paid what ever for an already converted head, my 3-port is unmolested. You are right Fyin-T the earlier model rocker will work, it is just that '38 is the newest Nash rockers that can be used as Nash went with a Flathead in '39. It is kinda like the Chev blocks, '25 is the newest block to have the solid centre main webbing. If I was to build a Chev 4 for the Salt I would use the '24 block as it has a big arse engine mount on the back of the block where I have seen a number of later blocks let go. Cheers Jimmy
I just met a guy with one of those olds heads. Man the banger hobby is a rocking and a rolling lately!! What fun! More pics tonight.
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