Anyone converted a marine or industrial hemi for street use? How about one that does not have water outlets on the front of the heads? My blower intake manifold covers up the water ports on the heads... Drill holes in the front of the heads and start plumbing?
I did BEFORE I posted the question. Everything I found was related to a naturally aspirated application. The problem is my Cragar blower manifold covers (blocks) access to the areas all the other guys attached their upper hose(s) to. In other words, the area I'm talking about is where a stock 392 head water outlet is at. Anyone running a blower with industrial or marine hemi heads?
Don't mind dave, he's an asshole sometimes. the only heads I've seen without water outlets on the ends are 331 heads. Are you sure your motors a 392? If it is a 392(unlikley) you can swap on standard 392 heads. If it's a 331 or 354, you can use standard 354 or 392 heads with custom pistons to set your compression.
My blown 354 has '55 passenger car heads..came that way when I bought it...(I have three of 'em..all the same)...what part #'s are yours? Are they the early heads? I guess they are...drill and pipe thread tap the manifold and run water hoses to the radiator. www.hotheads.com covers this in the catalog.
Dodgeboy if the heads are blank at the front drill and tap for a 5/8 gas thread and screw in two tails then attach radiator hoses 5/8 will be enough to slow the water to keep it cool with a SBC water pump JR
krooser - got any pics of your blown 354 with '55 car heads on it? I am working with a 1956-ish M45S 331 marine engine. Block is 1619826 with a 3.812 bore (std for 331), heads are 1730438-1. What most people here are not understanding is that i can't drill and tap the manifold to let the hot water out between the front two intake ports like everyone suggests... the blower covers that part of the intake manifold up! However, QQMOON seems to get what I am talking about. Thanks. The front of the head - the part closest to the radiator - not the top where the intake attaches. In other words, where the water outlet normally is on the later heads. I just have never seen anyone do that before on all the ealy hemi's I've seen. Thanks again for the answer.
If those are industial/ marine heads or 1954 331 heads I undestand your problem . I have a pair of 1954 heads that were drilled and tapped in the front for just the application you are using , Cragar blower manifold, low profile with no room to tap into the water . The industrial head will have no heat riser passage but a water passage in the center. I consider the lack of end passages a cleaner set up . I ran an '53 331 with four 97's and the manifold had bungs in the casting which i drilled to 1/2 " and used two upper hoses, never overheated .
It's a marine engine. According to the casting number on the heads, those heads are also used on 331 & 354 truck engines. The center port of the head at the intake manifold is indeed water, and also taller than a later passenger car port. I plan on welding it smaller...
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