Of all the OHV heads currently available, which one makes the most power for everyday driving conditions. Note- 30 pickup, B engine/tranny, V8 gears/clutch & pressure plate,, aluminum V8 flywheel, Lincoln brakes, A/C, etc. I plan on driving this rig a lot, I want to be able to drive fast enough people don't try to run over me (It's nuts out there these days...) I realized today that if you don't get out of people's way fast enough, they will rear-end you! Young drivers, they don't seem to care. Is anyone making the Gemsa head again yet?
Power is primarily a function of compression ratio and air-flow. If you can get those specs on each head, you should be able to determine which one will give you the best performance potential.
A good question might be what is out there in current production. Charlie YAPP shows a Roof head and his recently discontinued 2 port Riley. I have included photos from his web site (http://www.secretsofspeed.com/roof-101-cyclone-ohv). Also Steve Serr makes a reproduction of the Cragar head. I have included a photo from his web site: http://www.millerhi-speedheads.com/index.html About two years ago at LARS I saw a head that looked like ARDUN from one bank of a flathead but haven't heard anything more about it. I will get some pictures at LARS this year on Father's Day if it shows up again. Then there are the flatheads (photo from LARS a couple of years ago). You need to remember that you shouldn't put too much horsepower through a 3 main bearing engine. I have read a couple of places that there are 5 main bearing blocks in work. The 5 main bearing blocks would be good for a street engine but I don't think they would be legal for racing. Does anyone know of any other heads in production? Charlie Stephens
Rutherford. may be spelled wrong but it makes hp on a banger. It's up to you how long the banger lives
That "Ardun" head is by H&H ( with in-line valve train like Steve Serr's Cragar reproduction), not like a true Ardun Hemi-head.
I have the Riley Two-Port that Charlie Yapp used to sell, his Scalded Dog intake, Bill Stipe 340 cam...shopping for carbs now. Still collecting parts for the chassis. I have the Vern Tardel trans crossmember, and a 33-34 front wishbone is on its way. Just found some 16in. wheels for the front and 17s on the rear. Still need tires.
This is a B block with an original CRAGAR head. Put out 59 HP at the rear wheels on a chassis dyno. Also using a T-5. Used a Weber 32/36 carb on the dyno run.
It's funny, about 15 years ago I called someone selling Five-Main bearing girdles and cranks. I was ready to buy. This man adamantly talked me out of it...basically he told me I flat out did not need one. I told him it was gonna see some abuse on the street (I was younger then..lol) but he was not going to sell me one. And I never talked to him before, didn't know him...but he was right, "I didn't need one" lol.