R Model Heads, Cam and Intake

[gt350hr]

   Doug ,
      Back in the days of poor head gaskets , the OEM McCord was known to "blow" upwards into the "banana water port as well as the round hole in the block . SAI had a local company ( Hydro Head) nickle weld the banana ports closed and an allen plug was put into the block . Problem solved.

[shelbydoug]

Welding these ports didn't cause any overheating issues or hot spots?

[gt350hr]

 No and they were removed from the 351W head when it was created.

[shelbydoug]

No and they were removed from the 351W head when it was created.

I never found the right combination to make the 351 heads work. The engine ran like ka-ka. Down on power.

[gt350hr]

  You did something wrong. Thousands of others use them including "most" of our west coast "legal" vintage racers.

[csxsfm]

Then they must work well on those stroked Dart blocks.  However, won't work on Fords new Boss block.  Go figure!

[gt350hr]

   Yup , serious water jacket compatibility issue there.

[shelbydoug]

  You did something wrong. Thousands of others use them including "most" of our west coast "legal" vintage racers.

I thought that they moved on to the "N" heads?

1/94/1.60. Ported. Shaved .020. Doug's headers, 4776. Crane solid 550/236 on a 302. Crane gold r/rockers,etc, etc.

Nothing off of idle.

[gt350hr]

No compression if you have a flat top piston.

[shelbydoug]

No compression if you have a flat top piston.

No compression or no comprehension? It was thirty years ago and I'm thinking that it measured out as 8.8:1?
I'm into 'luminum now.

[CSX2259]

We ran a 1966 GT350 in the HMSA sanctioned vintage racing events at Laguna Seca and Coronado, HMSA has ver strict regulations. We ran a new BOSS 302 block with 351W cast iron cylinder heads, that car went like rocket! 

[CSX2259]

When I took my SAI Valley Head Service cylinder heads to Larry Ofria at Valley Head Service to get them freshened up I asked about the banana port modification. Larry said that the cylinder head combustion area would flex and allow the coolant to enter the combustion chamber during competition use. He said the fix was to weld in the banana port and plug the block.

[shelbydoug]

We ran a 1966 GT350 in the HMSA sanctioned vintage racing events at Laguna Seca and Coronado, HMSA has ver strict regulations. We ran a new BOSS 302 block with 351W cast iron cylinder heads, that car went like rocket!

What was the compression ratio? It sounds like the setup needs something like 11:1?


The old "Ford Off Highway" book states that they are "similar" to the GT40 heads. I don't recall anyone mentioning flow numbers other then Randy saying that the GT40 heads flowed around 240 on the intakes?
What did the 351w heads flow? I know that the "N" heads were acceptable substitutions by some sanctioning bodies.

I believe that Curt Voght prepared 292's were running the "N" heads before he had the GT40 heads recast?

[CSX2259]

I do not recall the flow numbers of the cylinder heads. The compression ratio was somewhere around 12:1, we were running 100+ octane at the track. I also remember our engine guy filling the heat riser in the cylinder head before doing the porting work.

[pbf777]

We ran a new BOSS 302 block with 351W cast iron cylinder heads, .................

     This is not recommended due to the proximity of the lower/outside water relief holes on the deck of the M-6010-BOSS302 block deck being awfully close the outside perimeter of the O.E. production cylinder heads (including the aluminum "Y" & some earlier "X" heads) this perhaps not providing surfaces to adequately clamp the head gasket for sealing or retention.

     But I and others, with close observation, luck in the placement presentation of the water passages on the blocks' deck, and even as I have practiced, the filling of the the this lower/outside row of water passages not communicating with such adjacent in the cylinder head, have gotten away with this.     

     Scott.