New Banger block in the works.

Are you still planning to create a new block?

All of the heads are flatheads, right? There are no OHVs?

 

I sure am doing the block. I am nearing where I can build one and have it running. I plan on a Youtube video of it running. Might just use a new Winfield iron head on it.

No OHV heads as of now.

Tod

 

Did you ever get pictures of the versions of the heads you are offering. I would like to purchase but trying to figure out what would suit my b motor best.

 

No. I'm just a procrastinating bum. What are you interested in?

Tod

 

Looking for a head for my b motor w dual 81 down drafts. Probably a iron head as I have had good luck w my iron lion head.

 

I got pictures of the iron Winfield crow's foot from the guy I sent that one to. I'll post some when I can.

Tod

 

This is what the Crow's foot design looks like. Hardtimes from the Ford Barn is going to try this one out like Bill did with the first one. I think he plans to put it on a B block.

Tod

 

Is there a performance difference between crows foot and regular combustion chambers

 

The Crow's foot has higher compression ratio. I'm waiting on data feed back to see exactly where they come in. Supposedly the regular is 6:1 and the crow's foot is 7:1.

Tod

 

This is the Winfield combustion chamber that I always thought was called ''crows foot''

Note that there is a 45* slope between the combustion and the squish areas, also the wall between the two appears to be a different shape. Is this just the way that Tod's head is sitting, or the lighting?

A heavy model A (Station Wagon) with this head, and an otherwise stock B engine, would easily walk away from my A pickup, which had a stock B block, an original Roof F head and a downdraft carb. Unfortionally, this head is irreparably cracked on the top.

Herb

 

Mine has that angle, which is hidden because of the angle of the picture. I filled in the radii in the corners to reduce chamber size a little more. Since we are prototyping it is no big deal if I need to alter the design a little. I'm anxious to see how Hardtimes does with mine.

Tod

 

Yes Herb's picture showes the true Winfeild "Crows Foot"
The chamber in Tod's head is more like the Weiand chamber.

This is an original Weiand head:

 

Tod-If you want to bump up the compression, why not make the whole chamber shallower, instead of removing one of the characteristic features that may make a difference in the performance? From Crazy's photo, what you have made is closer to the Weiand- which I never heard anyone paying Crow's foot money for--or does the CF depend on the Winfield name for it's value? The head in my pix has been milled at least .200''. Years ago, when my buddy bought the head someone had really f****d up milling it, in that they had one corner about .150'' deeper than the rest--so I had to take that much off to straighten it out, and then recut the piston reliefs. If I get a chance Sunday, I will cc it. Been threatening to do that for about 60 years now. About time, I guess.

Herb

 

I also posted this on the Fordbarn but why test this if the combustion chamber is not like the original? The idea behind this head is the crows foot. If its not correct how are you testing it?

 

OK. I cc'd my head. 172 cc. Someone here has a figure for the head gasket, which I wrote down, and put it in that ''safe place'' that we all have, but none of us can find. anyone have that number?


Herb

 

Herb, Jim Brierley's book says he uses 20cc for a head gasket. You could get both the standard Winfield or Crows Foot in 6 or 7-1 From the research I done most of the top speeds on the lakes were from 6-1 heads.

 

OK, I was wrong with that 172 chamber volume, it should 128cc's--which gives a compression ratio of 7.4. I guess that mine was a 6-1 head to start with.

Ken, you are right about having to trade compression for breathing at high speed--Harley found this out (among others, I'm sure) But I will never get within thousands of miles of the salt flats--my measure now of an A engine is how quick it is up to 2800-3000 rpm--and then I'm going to shift. Surprise the modern iron how fast I am away from a light--even though they beat me. Old men don't like to blow up engines.

Herb

 

The new cores are finally here for the next sample blocks!! The next step is more samples and then implementing an idea I had in the middle of the night Thursday (which kept me up with excitement and planning) to make the blocks easier to cast AND give them as perfect an appearance as will be possible. It may bump the cost up just a little more than I had figured, but it will be well worth it and still keep them in the pricing range I planned.

And, more cores are being made for more Winfield heads. I have at least 30 to make in the first run. I will probably just run 40 to take care of interested buyers that are sure to come along quickly. The crow's foot version sample that is being tested in California has had the piston relief eliminated by the owner (because he didn't want it) which put the chamber CCs at 110, giving it a 7.79 ratio according to my calculations from his specs. I'll post results as soon as I hear something.

Tod

 

Gents, Tod is looking to make some Model A Aluminum blocks in the near future. He is looking for people who may be interested in one over on the FordBarn. See link below if you are interested.

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=191926

 

Why I wanted my version of the crow's foot tested.

"Hey Tod,
Yeah, progress ! I got some time today, away from family problems, to do the necessary tuning on my roadster B that contains your cast iron Winfield. A buddy needed help, so when done with tuning (timing check reset/ carbs adjusted and put a new automatic advance 'BUBBA'...aka Jim Linder distributor on.
I could not believe the response of this head as tuned to this engine ! It ran BETTER than it ever has in the 1600 miles on this engine !! I've had a whole lot of different configurations of carbs and heads and dist on this engine. It never stopped pulling in all three gears , until I took foot out of throttle. No pinging, no hesitations, nothing but good hard work. I could not locate my old cheapo compression gage, but last thing, is that I want to get psi of each cylinder. I'll try to get that and get info back to you tomorrow. This head has strongly outperformed the 7:1 alum Winfield that I had on. I'll attach a picture of that head here... This head is a winner !! Personally, I would continue making it with the 18mm plug threads/holes, but those who wish, can get 'adaptors' from parts houses. I was just experimenting with the plugs that I finally ended up with, but it must have been perfect heat range and reach.
I have heard a couple of people say....that that head combustion chamber is NOT an authentic copy of the original crowfoot. I don't know how you came up with this chamber , but it darn sure is a winner, in my testing ! I wouldn't change what is a winner, eh.
I do not know how to send this message over to the Fordbarn , from here, but think that it should be ! Of course, that is up to you.
I was going to change this head out and put it on my newly made B, but do not think that that is going to happen now. As a buddy here said, 'when it is running this great, how could you improve on that....leave it alone'. "


Tod

 

Tod, I am not complaining about the quality of your work or the combustion chamber . Hardtimes seems to be very happy with the out come. My fault is this has been labeled as a Winfield Crowsfoot from the start and it is not. It is your version not a copy. I have the same problem with the new Indian motorcycles, Indian stopped production in 53 or 55. The new version is just capitolizing on a name and is nothing like the original. I'd just hate to see the same thing happen here.

 

If I buy one, I want the ORIGINAL combustion configuration. 'Nuf said.

Herb

 

When do heads start shipping

 

We are making castings right now. I have at least 30 to make right off the bat. In the mean time I will be cutting another chamber that is an exact duplicate of the original crow's foot for those that want that one.

Tod

 

Can't wait. That's "red" head sounds like a winner.

 

Tod,
any update on including the Winfield logo on these heads?? Thanks

 

I actually did start working on that.
The modeling of the original crow's foot chamber is finished.
I have a block ready to go to the builder.

Tod

 

When can we buy one?

 

I'm working on head castings right now and blocks are in the works also.

Tod

 

As it so happens, I just got my hands on a Scofield OHV head and started modeling up the ports. This is something I might produce later if I can get 10-20 people interested.

Tod