[DeTomaso] Stock 4V Heads vs alloy

michael@michaelshortt.com michaelsavga at gmail.com
Tue May 11 15:02:49 EDT 2010


There is a new Ford Engine family being tested by several teams now, it is
the wave of the future and the old heads do not fit.

I expect 2010 to be the last year that many use the current "old" design.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100422/NASCAR/100429923

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/hrdp_0911_nascar_race_engines/ford_fr9.html

Michael Shortt

On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 2:46 PM, LS <lashdeep at yahoo.com> wrote:

>  Why is that? Sorry, don't follow Nascar...assuming these are all Al
> castings?
>
> Thanks
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* "michael at michaelshortt.com" <michaelsavga at gmail.com>
> *To:* LS <lashdeep at yahoo.com>
> *Cc:* JDeRyke at aol.com; DeTomaso at realbig.com
> *Sent:* Tue, May 11, 2010 2:42:02 PM
>
> *Subject:* Re: [DeTomaso] Stock 4V Heads vs alloy
>
> There will soon be at least a thousand  NASCAR cup heads hiiting the
> market, I'd wait and buy them then.
>
>
> Michael Shortt
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 2:35 PM, LS <lashdeep at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Thank you for the responses.
>>
>> You've offered a compelling argument for the Aluminum heads and something
>> to seriously think about.
>>
>> So, the next obvious question is...which ones?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> LS
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: "JDeRyke at aol.com" <JDeRyke at aol.com>
>> To: lashdeep at yahoo.com; DeTomaso at realbig.com
>> Sent: Tue, May 11, 2010 2:12:18 PM
>> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Stock 4V Heads vs alloy
>>
>> As you mentioned, the 35 lb per head weight-savings is one big advantage-
>> both in physically handing the castings and for the car's improved center of
>> gravity. Along with the intake manifold, the heads are the heaviest
>> high-mounted parts in your Pantera.
>> A second is infinite repairability; I've heard of alloy heads BROKEN IN
>> HALF that were successfully rewelded.
>> Third: the most desirable head configuration is the closed-chamber Boss
>> type and all alloy heads come this way. Converting any common iron heads to
>> Boss specs will cost close to the price of alloy heads. Reproducing the
>> high-efficiency alloy head exhaust ports in any iron head is impossible.
>> Fourth, iron heads- even closed-chamber Boss heads- aren't very stiff;
>> during the '69-'72 period when 351-Cs were being professionally raced,
>> NASCAR shop mechanics developed a number of internal braces for the
>> combustion chambers to keep them from flexing at high rpm/high compression
>> running. All Cleveland cylinder heads are thin-wall construction just like
>> the blocks; some heads flexed enough to reverse the flow of cooling water
>> through the engine! This led to unexplained overheating and head cracking.
>> The required mods called 'posting' are outlined in Waddell Wilson's racing
>> engine prep book; Jr Johnson also had similar brace techniques.
>> Finally, the cooling characteristics of alloy heads are far superior to
>> any iron heads; so much so that one can usually run 1/2 to 1 full point of
>> compression HIGHER than even a fully modified iron racing head. In these
>> days of low octane tractor fuel being sold as premium gas for many dollars
>> per gallon, being able to run pump gas without engine damage is certainly
>> worth consideration! The only time iron heads should even be considered is
>> if high-boost turbocharging is in your future. Iron heads retain more heat
>> and boost than alloy heads- if you can keep the rest of the engine
>> together....
>> My 2¢- J DeRyke (with SVO heads on the street since 1990)
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Michael L. Shortt
> Savannah, Georgia
> www.michaelshortt.com
> michael at michaelshortt.com
> 912-232-9390
>
>
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-- 







Michael L. Shortt
Savannah, Georgia
www.michaelshortt.com
michael at michaelshortt.com
912-232-9390


This email is protected by the Electronic Communications Privacy
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