No, this isn't one of those threads where someone finds an NOS set of Ardun heads in the box. This is just too damn cool not to share with HAMB Members on the main board. and I hope Rick doesn't mind me sharing the add. Enjoy! Built by Rick Schnell owner, builder, tuner of the fastest Flathead dragster in the world, 7.64 @ 176 MPH. OK so this isn't a flathead anymore but you get the idea. No expense was spared on this build. Built with all the very best internals for reliability and for making horsepower while maintaining an authentic 50's - 60's appearance. No reproductions here, genuine original Ardun heads, Stromberg 97 carbs, Vertex mag, 1940 Ford generator 12 V., 51 Merc block. Everything fresh and new with only 3 dyno pulls, 533 HP at 6000 RPM on gas with a soft tune-up. There is much, much more to say, please call for more details as there's no way to get everything in this ad. I have many more pics and videos I can send you. Not cheap at $55,000 but it could not be duplicated for that at todays labor rates. Rick, 763 753 9773
That's awesome! At 500+ hp, the first thing I wondered about was the bottom end. Very nice work and engineering with the main caps and 'girdle'.
When Zora Arkus-Duntov originally kitted these ARDUNS, there were a multitude of them installed on fleets of Ford trucks, many operating in the N.Y. Catskills. Such a number of a rare entity should have been noted, (after the trucks were retired, sold, whatever) Point being, there were Arduns that turned up in the Hot Rod world thru the '50s, most of which were new old stock? Anybody ever hear of any 'big truck' Arduns floating around the East? Wondered about that for years...HAMB time is NOW. Lay it on me, guys...
This needs to be printed as a poster and sold to all of us older kids to put on our bedroom walls. That is one amazing bit of beauty in metal form.
Just gotta say, I could build a 427 SOHC for less than that, or a Kasse Boss 429. Not a MOMENTS doubt which one I would rather have...
What is the thing with the bad kink in the oil line in the last picture or is there something on my computer screen? It is a beauty to behold
Now if I could just sell my house and move the wife,three dogs and I into the RV I could own that fine piece of engineering. Then I would have to buy a 30's roadster or coupe to put it in.....too bad my kidneys are junk......Oh well I guess I can just copy a picture or two and use them for screen savers.
Boy Traffic61, you are right on the money. That is automotive art at its finest. I'd have it in my living room as a art piece!
no doubt that thing is BEAUTIFULLY detailed...still rather have a N/A 800+hp, 500+ci, thundering, window rattling, alarm triggering shotgun though....
Only problem is, if I had one of these, I would get arrested for indecent exposure... cause sure as hell, I'd be out in my backyard with the hood up and my d*ck in my hand... Edit: cropped the "objectionable" bits.
You know you're getting old when you make the following statement: That's only $1000 less than I paid for my first house!
Mike you asked so heres the true history The ARDUN conversion was being marketed as a truck conversion as written in the New York Times press release dated 1951 however there was never any fleets of trucks with the heads installed. Ford already had the big block Lincoln flathead going into trucks which solved the power problem and that rendered the conversion dead for trucks. The ARDUN Engine Co tried to market the heads to individuals I have a letter dated June 1952 sent to a customer in East Acton, Mass the list price for the kit was $490.00 shipment would take place in two to three weeks after receipt of the order. Certainly big money even back then. Some sets were sent out from New York. But the majority were sold when C. T. automotive in California and the Grancor brothers purchased the remaining stock when the ARDUN company was closed. Now Hot Rodders were able to get the heads since C.T. and the Grancors advertised the heads directly to them.. Zora told me personally when I met him in 1991 at Watkins Glen the production numbers for the heads were 225 to 250 sets. Years latter we learned the actual designer of the heads was George Kudash who worked for ARDUN starting in 1947. George still had the blueprints when he was discovered a number of years ago. The blueprint date is September 1947 and from what George told me by November of 1947 an ARDUN headed flathead was running on the Duntov brothers dyno. After the ARDUN company closed George eventually went to work for Sikorsky Aircraft in Conneticut where he had a number of patents in his name from his work at Sikorsky. That first ARDUN was installed in an Allard which Zora drove at the Watkins Glen road race in 1951. Eventually that first ARDUN was purchased by the Bean Bandits founder in Mr Arnettt to my knowledge the family still has that first ARDUN. Zoras Allard from 1951 led an extensive life road racing and changed hands many times until it become just an old race car. The Dutov Allard is today restored and located in CT and I'm proud to say the ARDUN powering the Dutov Allard was rebuilt by me.
your just a young'n, our first house was $11K when I was assigned to sub school in New London in 1965. Ronnie Roadster should tell the story of how he found his spare Ardun though a pennysaver advertisment in upstate NY! Was labeled if I remember right "Ford hemi for sale", no doubt from a race car that probably ran at the NY mile in Syracuse.
The Jalopy Journal
