Hot Rods Best Small Block Ford Heads?

Sorry thought you were looking at aluminum heads too. Lippy

 

I cant see any Windsor inline valve cylinder head even the world products stuff coming close to a 4V Cleveland head. The Boss 302, Boss 351 iron stuff is probably the best power making, mass produced small block cylinder head by any manufacturer.

 

http://dartheads.com/dart-product/iron-eagle-20-215cc/

 

They are great heads, but don't make power across a wide powerband, you have to be at the top of the tach. Bigger isn't always better if you're looking for mid-range power. And their shortcomings in the exhaust department are well documented...

 

Ported and mildly milled DO0E heads (1969-70 351) used to be "the thing," and can be further improved with 1.94/1.60 valves, but it seems the Explorer heads (GT-40 or GT-40P?) are deemed better nowadays, and with none of the work. I still like seeing those old heads, with their bigger spark plugs and extra intake manifold bolts. Kinda tells me some old-school guy went to the extra effort to get a little more power.

 

Nope! Not at all.... The GT-40 heads I was talking about were issued by Ford in the early '90s...

 

Iron,huh?!...............World Product (Windsor jr. & sr.) Dart
GT-40P heads are suppose to be THE BEST flowing production FoMoCo head out there. Just needs a funky header to work. Regular headers might work but spark plugs get in the way. GT-40P headers out there but are pricey.
6sally6

 

AFR



Sent from my SM-G970U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

If OP is looking for 3000-7200 rpm, 3000 is where the 351C-4V heads switch on. 2.19 intake and 1.71 exhaust valves let 'em breath. Exhaust duration should be 10-12 deg larger. Pick a cam grinder that knows Clevelands, like Bullet or Cam Research, and it will run like a scalded ape. Several of the SEGA guys run 4V heads to good effect.

I run unported 351C-2V heads on a mild 87 octane build in my '31 coupe. The "small" 2V has 2.05 intake and 1.65 exhaust valves, larger than the biggest factory SBC. It has strong midrange and pulls hard to 6000 rpm. It's all I'd want on the street with a toploader and 3.89 gears.

 

There's your winner, right there, and your only hope of running anywhere near a 4V Cleveland.

All those guys talking about Cleveland's not making enough low end, or having poor exhaust ports have never actually built one that runs well. Gear the car to take advantage of that supreme top end power, and hang your azz on.
There is a reason nearly every circle track in the country bans their use, especially in entry level, bomber, street stock, or claimer type classes.

 

I would look at ProMaxx heads . I have a set on my Morris Minor . Full CNC machined set up for a .700 lift roller with good valves and springs and adjustable guide plates.
After I got them I took them apart and checked them and the machine work was right on. If you are restricted to iron heads. I would look at Dart. If stock Ford heads, go to Brezinski and get his under cover ported heads.

 

The Dart heads I dug up should be as good as it gets for an iron head. Speedway carries a line of WISSOTA stock car heads, made by Dart as well. I'm not sure what they have for the 351 Fords.

 

I almost went that way...also looked at some NKOTB heads from some guy in TN..I’ve heard the Promaxx stuff was good...Chinese castings and all machine work done in Al....I just couldn’t get around the “ there’s no quality control in China...they throw pots and pans, old bike frames, etc in their metal...so I figured I’d buy once...cry once...could have saved a few hundred bucks, but....

 

I’ve looked at a lot of heads and kinda like the heads from Ford! The Motorsport heads N351! Kinda like that raised exhaust port, I think it’s the only iron head that does that? Has anyone here run a set of these before? Good? Bad? Speedway sales them.



Bones

 

I mentioned them in my post. My old engine builder used them a lot. The good points are they have a 10* valve angle and need no notch on the piston tops for many cam profiles. The flow numbers aren't that great when you look at them but they flow well, you have to remember the 10* valve angle is a huge plus.

Negatives are as I mentioned earlier. They take an offset rocker arm. If you can fun full roller aluminum rockers, no problem. If you have to run stock steel type rockers, you are pretty much screwed. Offset lifters won't do it, has to be the rockers. If you can run shaft rockers that's all the better.

The earlier castings were prone to cracking. If you are looking at used stuff, get it checked out before throwing any money down. I've seen a whole pile of cracked ones waiting to go back. Sorry, can't tell you the dates of the re-work that got rid of the cracking. We ran an un-ported iron head late model rule and looked at them seriously around 1995 to 1997 and there were a lot of cracked ones out then. ​

It can be hard to find headers to fit the "N" bolt pattern, too. Schoenfeld has most of their lineup with the "N" pattern available (also fit World Products and Dart wide bolt patterns). Won't find any cheap stock style over the counter headers with the "N" flange other than all out race headers. Schoenfeld did sell flanges so you could always cut a set of regular Windsor headers and put the Schoenfeld flanges on them.

It would really help to know hat rules you have for engines. Makes a huge difference.

SPark

 

Thanks Spark, I guess I didn’t do my home work! Last night , at our weekly meeting at our watering hole, I told my friend I liked the N351 heads. Well he told me they were illegal in our class! We are running under Mod-B,USRA rules. I guess we will go with Victor Sr. head???





Bones

 

Why not the Dart 215cc Iron Eagle??...it will smoke the Windsor Sr. head. Rules not allow it??

Ahh, I just looked....Windsor Sr not allowed either, only approved SBFord heads are stock or Windsor Jr. Amazing that the rules are written so restrictive but yet do not mention the Cleveland AT ALL. I'd run with that until they are forced to alter the rules when you dominate.
If you aren't dominating with the Cleveland then you need to seriously work on your chassis program....because it ain't a lack of power keeping you off the podium every week. ...and I'm a Chevrolet guy admitting this





Bones[/QUOTE]

 

Looking at USRA B Mod rules ( http://www.usraracing.com/ClientFiles/Downloads/2019-USRA-B-Mod-Rules.pdf ), looks like you will be running a Windsor Jr head, unported with flat tappet cam and steel rockers with only a roller tip at best. 9.5:1 compression will probably take a dished piston.

Can't run a "Victor Sr" head (whatever that is, never heard of it). Not much choice there.

I would cut the World Products Windsor Jr's for the 2.02/1.60 valves and stay on top of spring pressures. Shim them to 135# on the seat when new and test them after every night (I used a Moroso "on the head" spring testor for checking them). I shimmed them new to 135# and after the engine was assembled used the Moroso tester to compare baselines. After break-in, you will lose 10-15# on every spring. When you hit 105-110# on your checks it's time for new springs. The best bang for the buck valve springs we found were at Speedway (https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Racing-Valve-Springs-1-465-Inch-O-D-Set-16,29651.html).

Something to consider would be the Concept Engine with it's limited cam and RPM limits. Work with a GOOD cam grinder and you can make a lot of power with the 4bbl carb over the 2bbl stuff.

Staley once offered me the job as the National Director of Late Model tech when he was trying to start that division out. I turned it down, twice. I had too good of a job to take a chance on making the change for a new class that may not have existed a year down the road.

SPark

 

Reading the rules... it’s a little vague. We think we can get the Victor Sr. Heads past inspection at our local track..... they are all Chevy people....know nothing about Fords. Our Clevor never had any problems getting through tech. The rules are written with Chevy in mind.... even give a lot of Chevy part numbers. We are going to campaign two cars next year, two different Ford engines. We did OK this year with our Cleavor..... went to a track in Arkansas and beat 36 Chevies! Felt real good, being the only Ford and out running all those Chevies! We have been plagued with problems this year, mostly stuff we should have know. But that racing...... if it was easy everyone would be doing it!



Bones

 

That spring part # is originally a Crane number, I've used it so much on street/strip and circle stuff I have had it memorized for years.
Better deal is here tho', half of Speedway's price. Note the part number when you read the lower listing specs, the "E" stands for "economy", they are bought in bulk and don't come in a fancy box, just a Ziploc bag, Competition Products has sold them for years. Great spring for flat tappet solid with a long lifespan.
https://www.competitionproducts.com...5-425-1110/productinfo/HTC99893/#.XR8qfndFy70

Put them individually in a vice with soft or protective jaws and collapse each one until they stack solid before you install them and they will loose less than 5-7 lbs at the first heat cycle.

Hard to beat Competition Products on almost anything performance engine related...especially valvetrain.