Well just got back from the car show and got me a set of NOS 24 stud heads . I don't know much about them so looking for some help and info... Any one run them on the streets and polish them? How do they look on the flatty? Also what could have they come off of? The heads have stamped MF II on the and a raised A other then that nothing I could find not even a compression stamp.. thanks John
I have been looking around my area for a set. I havent found any and I dont know what years they came out with them. I know they were mainly a Canadian thing though. I know Ive seen a few guys (HAMB'rs) with them.
i have a pair of 21 stud factory alum. heads... and i know lincoln V12's had aluminum heads as well, although in very limited numbers. i *think* they were considered high compression heads for truck motors... guaranteed there are other reasons for their production, and im sure someone will have a more thorough answer. my canadian buddy tells me he has seen a few sets in yards during his travels through the province's..
early 24 stud with centre water neck? or late as in 8BA? I have seen both. however ( at least here) the late 8BA alloy factory heads are rarer than the early. the early's turn up regularly at swaps, maybe not NOS tho. the Pic tommy posted above are the common ones we see as all our motors came from canada, part of the commonwealth thing.
Some '33-'34 U.S. V8's had aluminum heads with Ford script in the middle. They are the 21 stud type with the water pump mounts on the head as have already been mentioned. I had one set of them, but the water passages were pretty ugly, and I sold them off. The restoration guys with cream-puff trailer queen '34's like them, but I've never seen any in good enough shape from a mechanical standpoint that I'd use them for real driving. The 24 stud ones are Canadian. They would polish up similar to an intake with smooth curves, such as an Offy.
Hello guys: I am not a flathead expert, however; here is what I believe is correct regarding these great heads. Many of these aluminum heads may have been produced here in Kingston, Ontario, Canada at Alcan (Aluminum Canada), My buddy has just built a 51 flathead with Ross pistons, compression is 9:1 with these heads..... The heads polished up to a mirror finish and look awsome.... Some Canadian pre-48 Ford cars and post-48 Canadian Merc's came with these heads. A flathead guru (80 years young and still building great flatheads which would nail a stock small block) up here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada also advises there was no rhyme or reason as to which Canadian flatheads received these heads. If anyone is looking for these heads, drop me an email and I will provide you with a phone number in Picton, Ontario, Canada of an old scrap yard which is going out of business, crushing everything which is junk. However; there are a few sets of pre-48 heads in there warehouse which are not NOS, but 99%. I am not affiliated to this business, just passing on good stuff for fellow rodders....
I haven't seen any yet and have had a Canadian 8RT pickup motor and seen a bunch of flatty truck motors. Rare in these parts as far as I know, and you can see Canada from this county. I want some because I plan doing a late motor later on. I love my early alum. heads, don't really care for the aftermarket look even if I could find ( or afford) them. I wire wheel the dust off, sand them and don't have a polishing wheel so I rub them with scotch brite, Shoot some clear engine paint. Good enough for my girlfriends, may need occasional freshen up but better than leaving them naked. Before: http://www.directimagehost.com/is.php?i=102089&img=DSC02466.JPG After: http://www.directimagehost.com/is.php?i=104311&img=DSC02517_(2).JPG
There are a LOT of Canadian aluminum 24 stud heads and variants, but the only USA ones that I can think of would likely have had the A designation... 81A aluminum ones, very uncommon. These were used on some production vehicles, but not many, and I think most were done in by corrosion. These would of course be 24 stud center outlet. Look along the top edge near manifold--many prewar heads have numbers up there. I've got CC specs and such on these at home. 81A heads indicate '38 intro and were used 1938-42 with lots of minor variations, but I believe the aluminum ones were only used early in this run.
Here's a picture of what I got at the show.. It does have the A but that's it and has MFII stamped into it? thanks John
Thanks for th info on the heads guys, I don't know if I'll use them but would like to find out what the compression is just in case? thanks john
I can get you the CC info from the Ford bulletins; you do a rough CC by leveling them and pouring full with slightly soapy wawa from a measuring cup just as a reality check, to see if the numbers match up and we have these correctly ID'd. Did you look on upper edge for numbers?? Another thing...Ford valve angle changed slightly on postwar engines; these heads will need some very slight clearance work around upper edges of valves. Ford sold a toolkit for this to keep all interchangeable... If you choose not to use, let me know...these will I think work well on a bigger displacement block I have. Bruce
HI Bruce I read your post, I have a set of Alumium 24 stud 59ab heads like the ones you are talking about, the only markings on them are mf 12 and the letter T no numbers any where, do you know anything these type heads, thanks FRED
Just bought a NOS C8CM-B right side head from Canada and will polish out for wall art if I can't find the mate. In my limited research I understand that these heads ( for a Mercury) actually had a lower compression ratio because of the longer stroke to standardize the Ford family engines regarding compression ratio. I have not found the reason for the use of aluminum in production. Interesting topic, subscribed.
The Jalopy Journal
