Hi Tom, and Listers,
I got out the heads (boy do they look good) and measured them up.
The heads are the Twisted Wedge, pedestal mount rocker type castings. NOT the
'R' heads.
These heads are supposed to accept standard intake and exhaust
manifolds/headers (according to the box), and work with Ford Motorsports or
Crane rocker assemblies. They come fully assembled with valves, double valve
springs, retainers etc., and include washers for the 1/2" shoulder head bolts,
which are not included. The package is supposed to include pushrod guide plates
but I didn't see them... Anyway, on with the show:
The intake side measures 3.6" from the block mating surface to the valve cover
flange.
The exhaust side measures 5.0" from the block mating surface outside corner to
the outside edge of the valve cover flange (i.e. a diagonal measurement, not
parallel with the block surface OR the valve cover flange).
The exhaust side mounting flange is 1.35" from the block mating surface to the
top surface where the bolt heads sit.
The valve stem protrudes 1.25" above the valve cover flange.
I then measured up my doorstop engine, a '78 302 from a Mustang. The intake and
exhaust side measurements are +0.1/-0.0" tolerance because the valve covers are
installed and I don't know how compressed the gaskets are.
The intake side measures 3.15".
The exhaust side measures 4.66".
The exhaust side mounting flange is 1.4" thick.
Then I measured some stuff on the Tiger. I couldn't jam my fingers between the
valve cover (old-style "COBRA" lettering, with 3/16" fins all the way to the
back) and the firewall at the #8 cylinder, which equates to less than 3/8"
clearance (applying nominal squish with the vernier calipers). However, the
valve cover tapers forward, and the firewall comes up and forward at about a 45
degree angle there, so there's a little more room there than the measurement
suggests.
The engine is mounted on Sunbeam Specialties' latest engine mounts (about 1600
miles worth of sag on them), with a .050" heat shield and two washers of about
1/16" each between the block and each engine mount.
So my options (your mileage may vary) are to machine off the fins at the rear
for 3/16" of clearance, followed by seeing how close the fan really comes to
the rack and maybe trimming the fan some more so I can run with no spacers, for
another 1/8". Last resort would be to dimple the firewall's stiffening rib (in
the corner) where the valve cover meets it.
Here's a dumb question: How close to the inside rear of the (cast) valve covers
does the last rocker come -- is it possible to gain firewall clearance by
machining the rear corner of the cover off, and welding on a patch?
Theo Smit
tsmit@home.com
tsmit@novatel.ca
B382002705
Tom Ballou wrote:
> Theo, got your post via Dick Barker. I have a pair of TFS heads also and
> talked to someone at TFS. They claim the heads are .300 higher than a stock
> Ford head and the exhaust ports are in the same location both vertically
> and horizontally. The only problem, as you suggest is the potential
> interference at the top corners of the rocker covers. I think the cast
> covers are about .100-.125 thick (where the fins are missing). That adds
> up to just under a half inch. Do you think you have clearance. My car is
> disassembled and the body is out for painting, so I can' t measure.
>
> Tom Ballou
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