Thinking about gettin a 16 plug distributer this weekend (Not sure what it's to, and havent seen it yet) and i'm wondering if anyone is running one in a ford. I've seen old pics of nash and others being used in flatheads, also what heads can i use. I know eddie meyer looks like it can be drilled for it.
A twin plug f/h is something I would love to do someday. I think that moonjean?32 roadster has 16. I saw a set for sale at a swap meet with nash dist. and the guy told me Orosco repoped them, he wanted like 3 grand for the heads and dist. I just had to shake my head and walk away. Iv been trying for a long time to remember the name on them. Don Orosco 10 Harris Court, Suite B-1 Monterey, CA 93940 (831) 649-0220 days (831) 626-2660 evenings
A friend bought a pair of original twin plug heads at Hershey two years ago, super rare item. I'll ask him what the brand is.
I've never seen any in person but this is the cover of the 1947 Roof catalog. There is a guy in Colorado.."Flatheads forever" that custom makes dual plug heads and he also makes a fixture that mounts dual mags/distributors off the front timing cover.
i think i remember seeing a flathead with dual plugs that had the plugs arranged side by side, as opposed to top and bottom. pretty sure eddie meyer made the heads. it DID have a meyer intake on it, but i'm real sure the heads matched... it was at columbus goodguys a couple years back, got a pic somewhere...
there was a company that built heads that were dual plug and named the Bronze heads very rare only 7 sets made . guy i know has a set and it uses two v8 magneto`s . but he had runnin with 2 gm hei as well dual plug stuff looks kool but from what i have seen and talk with guys . really doesn`t make as much power as a properly placed plug . kong jackson has an article on plug placement. the big draw back is the exhaust ports and bad cylinder flow . maybe this is too much info . . ok that was my 2 cents
Tommy, I am working on putting together a Blue Streak set up right now.....Heads are NOS I think. Do you have the original ROOF book? Would also be interested in a spare Nash distributor cap if anyone knows of any. The guy who does the Angle drives is Norman Frick in Grand Junction CO.
Yes I found it at a flea market a few years ago. It's really a fancy front cover that doesn't scan as pretty as it is in person. I bet it cost a lot of 1947 dollars to print it. I almost p***ed on it. At first glance I thought it was a flyer from a machine shop for rebuilt engines. Roof isn't a household hot rod name. I've seen some of his V8 60 parts but none of the 59A stuff. I remember seeing Nash distributor caps at Hershey years ago. They were pricey then. I haven't seen any in the last few years. The writing on the pictures is on the original photos that Roof used as testimonials. Click here for the flyer.
Interestingly, those two Roof heads are different. One is finned. Looks like they did more than one run.
I have been trying to find out more about Roof, I think he was one of the very first speed equipment manufacturers? Information seems very scarce though. I have a copy of a different Catalogue which I would date as early to mid 30's. He produced whole racing cars with "treated and X rayed ch***is" and he also lists a 24 Valve Overhead Cam V8 Ford engine. This is an engine which has a special cam which uses both valves in the block as Intake and the heads have an 1 7/8" exhaust valve and overhead cam. he also produced Copper, and copper alloy cylinder heads. I noticed the difference in the picture re the fins. These heads are two part though same as the descripton for the ones in Tommy's book.
when i was picking up my carbs the guy had a dual plug flattie set up on what looked like a home made dyno... dont know anything about it though...
HOGAN in NEW ZEALAND made twin plug heads up till the sixties ,also lincolnv12 heads and triple maniflods .he p***ed away recently but his son Garth ,of drag racing fame,is re popping some stuff . think $$$$$
Well, I guess because they ARE four years old and many of us haven't seen them previously, and they are very interesting and packed full of traditional old stuff! Seems simple to me...
This has dual plug heads with a Nash dist and some of the coolest old hotrod parts on the planet. This was taken after this post was started. I don't know why I thought it might sound different than any other flatty but it didn't. I did not have my camera or I would have do***ented all the details.
That's **** Lewis' car......he's from Li***z, PA and the heads are *ELCO*.....not Eelco.........he is a master machinist and builder and anyone who knows him knows what I am talking about........one of the nicest gentleman you'll ever meet..... CB
Ken Fuhrman built his roadster right after WWII still owns it and estimates he has put over 250,000 miles on it over the years. It was in the first Oakland Roadster Show. He says in Feb. 1950 not 1949 like everybody says. Might have won but he didn't get it together in time for judging. Said he installed the duel plug heads in the 50s along with the Nash 16 wire dist. Said it adds to the combustion by timing the two sparks a little apart.
Lol! No wonder, 5-1/2 years ago! Here is a set of Norm Frick heads, for a Cadillac flathead. They will be ran with the Nash twin eight dizzy.
Practically all reciprocating aircraft engines have dual magneto ignition systems. Each mag drives a separate set of plugs (hence dual plugs). In normal mode (BOTH) each mag is running a set of spark plugs. Before takeoff the pilot does a mag check by moving the three position selector switch from BOTH to RIGHT, back to BOTH, then to LEFT. The pilot or mechanic knows both mags are functioning when s/he notices about a 150-200 rpm drop when selecting either RIGHT or LEFT from BOTH. The dual mag system is redundant to ensure ignition in the event of a mag failure. There's no parking lots or garages at al***ude. A side benefit is the extra current flowing across two spark plug gaps in a cylinder burns more of the fuel, delivering increased power, ie rpm. Ever see a hemi dragster with dual mags? More juice = more power...
The Jalopy Journal
