Messages

   Joe ran cars under the Reath Automotive , Reath and Velasco , and the best known Dunn and Reath ( Big Jim Dunn) names. A majority of the cars that ran at Lions drag strip used Reath Automotive. The shop on Cherry ave is now a rental yard for construction machinery and barely recognizable.

 Yes , on that forum I post as 161854. To add to what I said there , this is a genuine 427 Ford steel crankshaft. It has been reground and modified by Reath Automotive that "was" in Long Beach California. Joe Reath ( rip) was one of the best crank grinders in the day. You MUST carefully measure the rod journals for sizing as a popular modification was to grind to use a 392 Chrysler rod. The lightening holes drilled in the counter weights suggest that to me. The crank also has been modified to "grooved mains" . This was done before fully grooved main bearings were created.  Contrary to "some" this does not weaken the crank and is not done "now". If it passes mag check and is still for Ford rods , I think it would be fine to use.

 The FACT is NHRA did NOT ALLOW welding on cylinder heads! It's as simple as that.
No guesswork.
    Randy

   Replica , Clone, Tribute , in the blank area will keep you out of the Gray Bar Hotel .
   Using numbers will get you free access! VIN tampering as it's called is a serious offense.

    SAI didn't modify heads or intakes to block off the heat riser , "in the day".  I do know that they did on occasion use a thin piece of steel to block the port "at the gasket". Aftermarket gaskets were also produced without the opening which did the same thing. Yes , reducing heat in the manifold always makes more power. The passages were for better operation in colder climates , and is common on "most" carburetted engines . The advent of electronic fuel injection has eliminated the need for it now.

   Dave ,
       You nay have to machine the safety bead area smaller in diameter to ease seating the bead. I did on another brand of wheel with the same issue.

   Then you add in being a "servant" to rude and unappreciative people . I don't need it any more.

 Doug ,
      Make SURE you re torque the small block intake every week until they don't need it. Non metal core gaskets "settle" more than metal core versions and you will spring a leak if you don't re torque. Guess how I know.

  100% agreement on that one!

    Steve ,
      I tried all kinds of bolt torques and bolt manufacturers in the '60s. I will say it was "MY" lack of experience that caused my gasket failures. Too much compression , timing , and lack of fuel quality ( even though we had 100 octane leaded gas). As I look back on my approach , I was lifting the head off of the block by detonation that I caused. My "seat of the pants dyno" was out of calibration and I was out of control. The good thing is the early failures showed me the limits and strengths of most of the engine parts. I went as far as 100 ft lbs tq on the heads with no improvement on sealing. I also O ringed the heads which helped some and finally tried solid copper head gaskets as a last resort.
     "Now" I use 10 additional ft lbs on the upper row of head bolts as "I" believe the intake manifold torque does play a role against upper head bolt torque. With "modern" head gaskets and 50 years of tuning experience , I no longer lose head gaskets.
    Randy

   Thank you all for the kind words. Having the time to do my projects will free up space and allot of extra parts I have accumulated over the years. I have simply never had the time to do it seriously. Shipping parts I have committed to others who have been waiting patiently will be a top priority.

   Earl ,
As I mentioned SAI used EVERY local porter "in the day" to see who has the best power. Slover , Lockerman, Unser, Fudge, etc. The two most used were Mondello and Valley.
    Randy
   

   Don ,
  Leave the 6.5 PV. "To me" you proved the engine needs more fuel with the squirter change because you are dumping more fuel! It may turn out that you only need 76 or 77 but a four jet change is better than going one at a time. If your carb had adjustable air bleeds we might have fixed it there but you WILL see a difference with the jet change.
   Randy

    I am constantly amazed at the comments from "experts" out there that have never run these heads. Nor do they have any background on why this was done , just guesses. "Some" of you have and that is refreshing. The "banana" shaped water ports "were" a weak point in the head and with ''antique" McCord ( stock) head gaskets the head would flex in that area and cause a gasket leak. SAI went even further on it's "race" blocks and put a pipe plug in the small round hole in the block further preventing a possible leak. Neither Valley nor Mondello did the welding themselves. The work was done by Hydro head ind. here in So Cal for SAI and after it was done , the heads were sent to various porters for rework including surfacing to smooth the welded surface. Contrary to the opinions of those who have not run them this does NOT cause an overheating issue , if it did , SAI would have stopped the procedure instantly.
    Randy ( another owner/user of MANY these heads)

   Don ,
     Try a 78 primary jet. "Feathering the throttle" tells you that you need MORE fuel as you are dumping fuel from the accelerator pump when feathering. You need the jet change as the pump shot won't completely mask the fact that you are lean and it misfires because of being lean. If the bog were from a rich condition , the "bog" usually clears up as the throttle is closing  ( or at least less opening).