Bronze 60 HP flathead heads?

I picked up a midget car from the englishtown swapmeet which has a 1940 60 HP flathead ford, I noticed it had brass or bronze finned cylinder heads, I took the off and cleaned them, working at getting the car running.
Question, does anyone know anything about these heads? No names or numbers, small water jacket only the top area by the valves, water pipes are surely hommade. It did run with these before, lots of carbon. I sent the starter out for new brushes, ordered a carb kit & new gaskets and am working on the ignition system...

 

As I recall the heads were Federal Mogul. HRP

 

Federal Mogul made heads for the 60's big brother; they were cast in bronze....Kogel cast some also.....I believe they were originally intended for marine use....it is possible that both companies cast some for the 60 also; those engines were used in the cracker box hydros...fats

 

Federal mogal used to make a set of heads like that. For the marine industry I think but not sure? They have no internal water jackets and the water exits the heads via the three openings on top. I had a set a long time ago that had a sunburst finned pattern on top. Sold them to my uncle Al. Dont know what happened to them after that. Other than that, I don't know much

 

Cool project

 

would you mind if i ask how much you paid,i want an old midget so bad ive been looking for a project forsale....doesnt seem to be many around?

 

Those are cool looking but I've heard they don't cool too well.

 

The heat conductivity of bronze is better than iron so that shouldn't be a problem. Possibly the water passeges in these heads are lacking in some way?

 

I'm just quoting what some old timers told me. I'm sure they were good in theory but then theory gets tempered by reality sometimes.

 

Back in the 30s a number of British motorcycle makers used a bronze "skull" with alloy finning cast around it for their racers. Worked very successfully at the time. I believe the Rudge Ulster had an entirely bronze head. And again a very successful racer.

 

I thought they made bronze heads because they wanted bronze valve guides and making the entire head out of bronze was the only way they could think of doing it.

 

believe sea water eats the aluminum heads....bronze is impervious to it.kool find though!

 

I have seen the Bronze head Rudges run, not had troubles that I noted, however these heads have limited coolant passages really only along the top edge where the outlets are, I have not run the car since I first got it going and had no fan on the radiator which is leaky and clogged when it did run. The engine does seem to run fine, I have aquired things to get the brakes together, someday it may be a car! I gave 950. for it. I posted a couple of phone videos when I frist got it to go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HKa8LyOOrs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz9aPjfsG_A

Yea, they are pretty*****py but....

Cheers!

Matt

 

I have heard the 60's are very popular in some boat racing class which would explain the Bronze and small coolant passages, if you had a constant supply of cold water....

 

Theory won't make an engine overheat. Things like inadequate water passages are not theory.