Technical Are heads worth the cost on a flathead?

I’m doing a flathead in my 30 A.....

I’m pricing out rebuild etc. my question is... is the $700-$800 price worth the cost in terms of performance for a flathead?

Or is it just for looks mainly....

What are we talking 10-15hp
Or 40-50hp?

 

What??? Are you talking about buying high compression heads?

 

The smaller number.

A hot Flathead is like 150 hp I can’t see you getting 50 of that from the heads. I’d like into getting the stock heads milled for some compression and move on

 

...and don't forget to include the price of attaching hardware..quality stud kits are not cheap ....in saying that I love the look of finned heads on a flatty !!

 

I have a good running 350 I'll sell you for $700.00.

 

I’m saying does the higher compression heads make how much more HP. Or is it mainly for looks....

Also I would never put a 350 in my A

 

Which flathead are you starting with ?

You say you are rebuilding it.... What pistons and what compression will it have with the stock heads?

Are you changing the cam?

Which heads are you considering ?

 

Aman!!!


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I'm guessing he already has a belly button

 

i had the iron heads angle milled to get .050 over the pistons, used studs, new nuts, i think it looks fine for a whole lot less. in the old days not every kid had money for fancy heads, this kid dont either

 

It’s a 1946 59ba

Just rebuilder pistons.
Didn’t change the cam but could if needed.
I was looking at the edelbrock or Offenhauser heads.

Just looking for decent runner in my coupe

 

Spend the money elsewhere.
If you decide you want to go that route, you can always switch later.
Personally I prefer stock looking heads in Ford green.
But, them again, I'm more of a prewar look kinda guy.

 

What is the purpose of the piece of wood on the left framerail with the two alligator clips?

 

that is a temporary ballast resistor so i could run it the first time. so far, all good.

 

Building my first flat head model A myself and went the finned alum. Edelbrock head route while it was still on the run stand. Won't be fast and it won't be doing 100 foot burn outs so what modest horse power gains are to be had will be modest. There is something special about a flat head powered A. Your choice so build what you can afford it's strictly a personal decision.

 

Ya I’m thinking the heads arnt going to add much in any more power so it’s mainly a look piece...

 

JMO but if you're going to run the fancy heads put them on before installing the engine. Yes, you can change them later but its much easier to do it with the engine on the build stand. On a stocker they probably don't had much in the way of performance but they might have some benefit in the cooling department. But they do look cool as hell, but again that's JMO.

 

That’s good because it sounds painful...

 

A flathead us expensive enough without willingly adding g to the cost...
I have a copy of the receipt the PO spent building the flattie in my car...over $5k...
And that is with a set of EAB heads... a lot of that bill was shop time, machine work, and assembly.... on the other hand, those finned aluminum heads sure look good....
Chappy

 

IMO... when buying a flattie, don't pay for what you can't see...
every flattie stuffed under the bench or out in the shed, ran great... that must be why they pulled them out...

 

Yes, he said he has a flathead......

 

Best reply in the thread!!!

 

well I have a flat head six. from the factory the compression ratio was just under 7 to 1. for 45 bucks I had .050 taken off the head and for a few bucks more I also decked the block .010 and run a thin solid copper marine style head gasket. I can tell you by the seat of the pants dyno the current 8 something to 1 compression ratio is quite noticeable. So my opinion a bit milling is the best bang for the buck. my engines valve to cylinder flow route is not as fussy as the ford engine but more squeeze makes more bang especially with todays fuel blends.

 

agree. a little higher compression is often the best thing you can do to old motors

 

Add another 40% when you have CAN$$$. I just can't justify an additional CAN$2K for "performance" aluminum heads, intake, and carbs. I'm in already in over US$2K in parts alone for a non-performance build and counting, and still waiting on the cost for the machinist work for a short block.

 

I like Edmunds aluminum heads because the slight relocation of the spark plug so it's not over the valve head allows me to run extended tip plugs. I have had great success with them. I have been lucky enough to find two sets of the 8BA version used for less than half of what new ones cost. Not matter which you chose, make sure and check the clearances and modify them for a consistent .045-.050 clearance over the piston dome to get the proper "squish". A couple of posters have mentioned this in passing, but I believe it will do as much or more than the increase in compression will. Check 'em, mill 'em, and grind 'em to get the "squish" right, and you'll be happy with the results.

 

Ok I’ll have to just decide how the budget looks at the end

 

You can’t find good usable second hand aluminium heads where you are?

 

It all depends on what you are after in the end. Any engine stock vs. more carb, bigger cam, higher compression, heads etc will make a big difference. It’s about a matched combination, not one part alone that makes an engine perform.

 

It took 3 months to find a decent engine let alone a set of heads. I’m in a NJ