I haven't touched a Stude engine since I installed sbc in my '53 coupe back about '62, except one I did a valve adjustment on in about '67. But I gotta see the result of all this work when it hits the flow bench!!!!!!!!!! Dave
Yes, I was thinking about picking up some tubing similar to what we used for the exhaust side and cutting it in half. I was searching your scrap pile the other day but was hoping to find some 1" x 2", but reall the 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" would work fine if cut down and re welded. Maybe I will head out your way and stop at the steel yard and see what remnants they have around. I am epoxying some water passages right now so I can raise the port quicker off the valve. I think if I was to decide to make this head to run I would cut out intake valve areas even more and put a big grey iron billet in to replace what I cut out. Easy to machine and to finish port with the carbide bits and similar expansion rate I suppose. The valve guides, spring seats, rocker arms mounts , and head bolts would need to be redrilled.
Couple more pics Here is the area above "Jack's port" The cardboard keeps the JB Weld from running out.
More pics Here is the less cutaway next to the full cutaway side by side One more with the cardboard "top" I like the view I am getting of the valve now, not sure if that translates to a good port but.... All for now.
Some goodies I picked up To be modified for use on the modified Studebaker head, still plan on picking up one more of each, intake and exhaust, for this test head. http://www.ebay.com/itm/26096426075...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_500wt_1287 http://www.ebay.com/itm/26096426411...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_500wt_1287 http://www.ebay.com/itm/26096134731...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_500wt_1287 http://www.ebay.com/itm/26096138066...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_500wt_1287 Picked up a couple of other things when I visited Rich today Some scrap tubing, exciting huh? For the port tops. Rich lent me a throttle body from his collection, this is from a ford truck. A little less than a 2 diameter each. Ball bearings on the shafts. Plan would be to use four, one butterfly per cylinder. These run around $50 at the pick and pull, a bit of a rip if you ask me but .core charge? Give me a break. There is a single throat version that is a little cleaner but it still runs $50 so I pick this. Two ports with one Grant so to speak.
A big thanks to nrgwizard here on the Hamb for a packet of information he sent me on Studebaker heads, head modifications, and all sorts of other Studebaker performance info. Z
Here are a couple pics. Here is the tube I bent or "squashed" I am making a tool to make the ends a clean 1" diameter half circle This is the J bend, not sure why I took a picture of that.
Free flowing Heads have always been the stumbling block on Stude performance. Kudos to youse guys for moving the technology forward! ...
Messed with the tubing port idea a little today First off I went and bought some hardware to make a tool to try and bend the port easier Well that was a waste of time, my cheap little vise broke so I couldnt hold the bolts to drill them the way I had planned on the drill press. So after looking at craigslist for a while at vises I took out these tools and used one of the bronve bushings with vice grips and the hammer Here are some pics of the piece of tubing I squished On the head, trying to figure out how I want it to fit I need to make the tubing narrower at the back so the bottom of the port heads toward the valve. This tubing may be too large but I will continue with it for now.
Some more on the head Filled the lower part of the intake runner, glued in a small section of "roof" shaped from a piece of tubing Began to play around with the shape of the port made with tubing. Made a different for the top and the bottom, just to try it. Shaped the back of the top. Lets just epoxy it in and see how it works out I will shape and fill the back of the port with epoxy once it dries in place. Thats all for now.
Valve covers seem like the least of my worries. I guess that easy to say until it is time to make/modify them. After experimenting with making the "port" I wouldn't cut so much of the rail out next time. On a head I was building to run I would have welded a new "rail" onto the two ports already, probably before using epoxy to glue them in. The valve covers would have a similar rail welded in to mate with the one on the top of the ports. At this point it is time to get the head to Jack to flow. Since this has to hold up for testing not for running it will not look exactly the way a head build to run will. Here are some more pictures from today
I was just kidding about the valve covers, I am really impressed with what your doing. I thought making a tri power intake for my Olds was a pain I can't even begin to estimate the time you will have in these heads. Keep up the good work!
Hey, Zenndog; Good guess on the valve angle, but actual valve angle = 9*. Chevy guys get hi-po 23* heads, & w/a lot of mods, get them down to ~ 13* - or so I've read. But Stude? Well, we suffer w/only 9* - stock, from the factory. . BTW: careful on the exh size. Too much will hurt. I'm interested in the final shape you end up with. The R3 Int. port was a lot like the newer Chevy port - just 45+ years earlier... . Similar idea to the raised port you're trying - 'course they weren't as radical. 'Spose you could emulate the Ford Indy Dohc port, using a thin tapered funnel, pointed right at the valve head, inlet sized for the 2", or whatever efi inj you're using. At that point, you'd just have to drill the taper & glue in the tube. Not so much fussin' w/the bridgeport. Probably same deal for the exh would be needed for flow %. Suggest ~ 2* or 3* taper for the "funnel". Don't want much more included angle, unless packaging presents some real problems. Also think you want some curve(s) to help mixture flow & swirl into the port. Thinkin' straight funnel wouldn't flow as well. In or out. Could be wrong, if you try it, let me know. & I can't wait to see your answer for the valve train. . One very good possibility is an Ardemia-type SOHC setup (w/o any finger-followers, just the round tappet-discs). Might be enough room. Like to see how this plays out. Marcus...
I was looking at one of the stock heads I have this morning. Here are some pics Here is a little reinforcement I did this morning That spot is only epoxy for about a 1/4". I did't want it to blow out during flow testing. On a head built to run on an engine that would have been welded. The port feels very strong though.
Any more info on these heads yet??? The journey so far has been fascinating. I'm curious to see how this one turns out.
zenndog, Here is the combustion chamber after cutting the head .125 The valves are Manley Pro Flow 1.88 in 1.5 ex. I never did a compression test after, but the drivability was fantastic. I used these on a 259 cu in that came stock with flat top pistons. No clearance issues.
Thanks Sals54, I appreciate the pictures. The chamber looks very nice. When you mentioned the whole thing to me I was thinking that it would probably make for a very nicely shaped chamber.
Its gonna be a kick ass ride. I cant take ANY credit for that car. Its being built by a friend of mine and his body man/fabricator. I'll have to get some updated pix this week for ya'll.
The head has been crated up and shipped to a Studebaker enthusiast who is going to flow test the modified ports. Will update as the info becomes available.
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