Look at Watts Brothers 760 Airbrake Avenue, P.O. Box 335 Wilmerding, PA , 15148-1014 Phone: 412-823-7877 FAX: 412-823-4844 Google is your friend Nick
They are completely different. The '28 head ports vary in cross section and have square corners. The Olds head (also used in '23 by Chevy on the 224 cid engine ) are like modern ports - smooth and flowing. In spite of this, the '28 head goes pretty good on a street engine, As I have posted before, to get the effect of the better porting, you have to up the RPM, and this means lots of work to the crank and rods. Thanks for the comment about the engine. It was in my avatar car Herb
Here is a neat little '28 for sale on eBay. Pricy but neat. http://www.ebay.com/itm/111537026336?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
It has a T5 so is likely running a 6 stud Jap pickup diff allowing the rear springs to attach to the side of the chassis rails, the rear spring shackles are inverted so that would drop the rear 5-6". Front axle looks to be mounted above springs.
looks like a later front axle too . deeper drop. not a big fan of some of the details that could have been done easily period correct . the grab bar and foam pipe insulation for instance. just an opinion tho. nice car all and all ,,....and well designed body that looks like its era.
I wish there was a better picture of the front axle mount. I am thinking of putting my axle on top of the springs. That doesn't leave a lot of room between the axle and frame. The guy told me that he thinks the front wheels are 18" and be rears are 19". The boat tail looks like a hood from a K model International. But I like it.
Yes the axle over spring is not the best solution - out-rigging the springs gives more travel. The left hand shackle bolt on the rear looks like it is struggling. The multiple curves on that scuttle looks dodge or maybe 490 chev?
that's a stock 28 front cross . I think he moved the axle forward just enough and he has also cut the bottom out of the cross for the rad . I did the same modification on mine to drop the rad and the axle I am using has a wave in the front to avoid the lowest part of the cross member . I think the first thing to bottom out would be the turned down flange on the bottom of the frame. mine hasn't been on the road yet but this set up makes me think I will be just fine.
Yeah, The cowl looks like the one on Lee Chapel's '24 Chevy on page 90 in The American Hot Rod. Jimmy B has posted it here somewhere. It's sure got me thinking about my '26 again. If it could only get me moving.
Greetings all, I've been reading over this thread after posting my own questions on the speedster forum over at the VCCA. Please excuse my ignorance. For a long time now I have known about the Chevy fours connection to the race cars of the early years and some years ago I adapted a Chevy FB head onto my 1915 Chevy baby grand. At that time I bought a 27 Chevy chassis at an auction and just recently decided to try and do something with it. I have built a couple of low budget home mades and enjoy the freedom of doing my own thing as opposed to the rigors of a correct restoration, which I have accomplished as well. On this latest project, based on what Herb and others have said, I would like to keep the bottom end stock. As I understand it, this limits what I should do on the top end. What I am proposing is to use a late 27 head because I already have one. The late 27 heads have 1&1/2 dia. valves. I will use the stock valves or perhaps slightly oversize and stock springs so as to not place anymore pressure on the cam. I will convert the rockers to 1&1/2 to one via 235 rockers and use a Carter BB1. I have two other restorations going on now which demand all extra cash. The 27 is nothing more than a toy. I need to understand if my thinking is solid. Will I gain anything by opening up the head with the improved rockers if I'm not going to increase compression or lift? On an unrelated note, Mac the Yank, are you going to Charlotte this spring? I need a few parts that I think you could provide.
AHa, I'm not going to spring Charlotte, but have family in Lake Park- could meet up with you the next time we're up there. Also may have a spare '28 head if you need one... those '27 heads are prone to cracking and don't breathe well at all! In regard to gaining power, the other guys will have much better input, but some of the early racers simply bolted aluminum disks to the top of their pistons to gain some compression! Don't want to go too high, but you'e at roughly 5:1 right now, so you should be able to go up to 6.5:1 without worrying about your babbit.
I bought the 27 head from a guy at Charlotte last spring. He was a model A guy who used the Chevy heads and raced hill climbs. He believed the three heads all had their place depending on the torque desired. Though I'm not up on the correct definition of "breathe," the 27 head has a large cavernous area around the valves that sweeps into a large single exhaust port. The biggest drawback is the cracks. The question is, are the 27 heads just as prone to cracking as the others. Some improvements were made as the 26 heads have 1" valves, the 27, 1&1/2." My intention is not to disrespect any of you guys who are way more knowledgeable than I, but I've learned to question everything. I've learned that just because some things are held as true, even for generations, does not make them true in reality. I'm not married to the 27 head, I just have one on hand. Mac, is there a way for me to contact you privately?
To be honest, I'm just going by what I've seen and what I've been told Helped out a fellow HAMBer who is working on a '26 for a customer right now that had a cracked head- seems that even with refinements, the single exhaust head is prone to cracking from everyone I've spoken with. With that said, since you have one, might as well go ahead and use it and see how things go
Ditto for what Mac said. Go with what Mac said. '28 head big improvement over '27, Already set up for 1 1/2 rockers, although weak, the stock rockers will do if the revs are kept down and the spring pressure not increased. Largest HP gain will come from compression increase. I did the bolted disk trick years ago on a farm tractor (still running 4 owners later) Rule of thumb is that torque is produced at lower RPM with smaller valves, although the pre '27 1 1/2'' are extreme. Sometimes the single exhaust heads crack inside the exhaust port where it is hard to see. Forgot to hit ''post'' last PM Keep us informed! Herb
Herb, did you make the disks the same diameter as the pistons? AHa, check your "conversation box" in the upper right or your screen page- sent you a message
Mac-- Same diameter as the piston head, but since the spark plugs were part way down the cylinder wall. I had to cut a scoop in the top of the disk to keep from shrouding the plugs. Scoop was plug radius deep and diameter wide at edge of disk tapering out to nothing in center of piston. Herb
An inch, as I recall. Held it down with 4 1/4'' flat head ''Allen'' cap screws tapped into cast iron piston head with metal lock nuts on protruding screw threads under piston top. Be sure that you locate them so that they are 45* relative to the wrist pin, so that you can get the nuts on. If I were doing it today, I would make sure that the underside of disk and the top face of piston were as smooth and flat as possible (which I did) but now I would put a light smear of the heat transferring paste--used under electronic parts-- between the two, at final assembly. That stuff wasn't around--or at least readily accessible-- when I did this. This was on an engine that probably was around 4 to 1 compression and I might have raised it to 6 to 1- Ran a lot better, and I mowed our field with a flail type mower (homemade) for 5-6 years--running flat out--before getting a diesel powered rig, and selling the tractor (John Deere B) Owner that has it now uses it for mowing --last that I saw it --and has had it for 30+ years. Disks are still in it. So it does work, even though the disks must run hot. Things to look out for are pre-igniton or detonation--- if you go too high on the compression and the disks get too hot--but I didn't have any problem--and with modern gas even less likely. Hope that this helps, Herb
There is something really cool about it. Ride height, proportion, and some detail. Some not so much, but I'm glad it survived.
I agree. those front guards don't do it any favours. I wouldn't mind the spare olds head sitting in the tray.
The header is nicely built- and pretty good-sized diameter as well- wonder if the original owner/builder did some porting ? Also didn't notice the Harry Miller tag on the valve cover- anyone know if it's legit?
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