Technical Stephens overhead valve conversion to flathead v8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21kd_wkR9V0&feature=related

Can anyone tell me how to get the u-tube view picture to appear instead of just putting the link in the post?

 

I saw these on youtube and searched the HAMB to see if it had been posted before and I came across your thread, so bump.

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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/21kd_wkR9V0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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Very cool, I hadn't heard of Stephens before. I wonder how many sets they produced? They look like true hemispherical heads? Also looks like there's not much oil getting to the topend.

 

I saw an add for Stepheds heads in an early '50s Hot Rod. I never knew if any were ever made. First pictures I have ever seen.

 

That's something you don't see everyday.

 

Those are some ginormous valve covers.


Very cool.

Rich

 

Wow! Those make arduns look commonplace. Thanks for sharing


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Way cool!

 

Is it just me or do those videos have no sound?

Edit: Nevermind, got it to work. Sounds gooooood! And looks even better.

 

I love it. hopefully it will get fitted into a car. Neat to see it run with the cover off. I never heard of that conversion before.

Mart.

 

Very cool. That engine needs to be in a Hot Rod.

From Youtube;
This is 1 of 4 known to exist. Speedy Bill has one in the speedway museum. Made in Denver. Originally made in the 50's for the pikes peak hill climb. Mounted on a 59AB flathead ford.

 

Here is the car that ran Pikes Peak in the early 50's. They weighed too much and flowed too poorly to be really competitive despite the huge valves (1.813") and hemispherical design. They cost $750. That was in 1951, I believe.
I have to check my facts but I believe the car that ran pikes peak sucked a valve. Not sure if it finished the race or not.
The whole engine is 32" wide.
The engine at the Speedway Museum is the only example of the few remaining that uses a 2X2 intake. The rest are 3X2.
The valve covers in the pikes peak car were the only known examples of that design and have been lost to time.
Speedways engine is shown for comparison. Speedway has the original patterns which can be seen behind the engine.

 

That thing looks like a BBQ. Its kind of beautiful and ugly at the same time.

 

Those LONG rocker arms on the bottom section look like they would have failed pretty quickly.

 

They did break.
Original Shephens piston is shown in the background.
I'm not sure who owns the Stephens in the video but it looks great.

 

thanx for reposting, missed this

 

They don't appear to be any longer than those from an Ardun, although they definitely aren't as well designed.

 

For sure the Ardun ones look better designed. The Stephens just have a wide section in the center of the arm while the Ardun's have thicker material on the top and bottom where most of the forces would be directed.

 

Seen out a pinkee's before the good guys show in northern colorado

Full Kustom, drunk mobile posting

 

Great to see one in a car. Is that the same one as in the video? All that running on the test stand may have not done it much good.

Mart.

 

This ran at HRHC last year, sounded pretty healthy. I can't download the video...

 

what angle are those valves pointed at, they almost look sideways

 

The motor in that video is in that 34 3w, Don Palmer, he attends the Hot Rod Hill Climb frequently. He got called out of town this year for work. It's one bad ass motor! Some where there is a video of it running up the hill at the Hot Rod Hill Climb.

-nick

 

The Lattens run one,,
And I know of another set,,,,

 

They sold for $750. new.

Bob

 

The one that Jim Latten runs are made by him. He has the patterns to them and had them on display at the LARS a few years ago.

 

Don hangs out on weekends at my buddy Charlie's garage. That's my grandson he loves Don's car.

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So the set I saw on a shelf are an original

 

The intake and exhaust valves are at approximately 47.5 degrees and 40 degrees respectively.
The engine in Lattin's Victoria is completely original and came from the Doug King collection.
Many original parts existed which led Jim to make exact patterns for the heads themselves so the remaining original parts could be used. He cast the heads in aluminum as opposed to the original cast iron examples. To my knowledge only 3 pairs of aluminum heads were cast before the patterns were modified extensively for use on Jim's lakes car. The lakes car ran approximately 182 MPH. The patterns had to be modified because the original ports are poor.

 

Current rockers