Subject: Re: [Healeys] Alloy Head

From: Curtis Arndt <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2014 17:53:48 -0700

Mike,

I remember talking with the late Mark Baker at Conclave in VT some years
ago and he got very good performance out of his very special 100/R Period
Rally Concept car by carefully porting and polishing a stock cast iron
head, plus other modifications.  Most likely similar to what you've done,
this is afterall not rocket science.

http://www.sportandspecialty.com/100-r.html

I think you'll be pleased with the modifications you've made.  My comments
were made to provide an alternative to someone who needs to replace their
original head, and let them know that the high price is worth it with the
extra cost and increased performance and reliability .

Cheers,

Curt

On Sat, Nov 1, 2014 at 4:36 PM, Curtis Arndt <[email-masked]> wrote:

> Mike,
>
> A fellow AH Club member here in the San Diego club took his head to the
> "Guru" of cast iron welding here in San Diego and had his head properly
> welded and repaired. This person was also recommended to me by a friend who
> owed and raced not one, but two vintage AC/Shelby Cobras.  Everyone he
> recommended to me was a first rate craftsman.
>
> Bottom line, the head lasted a year or two before it cracked again, and
> now he has an aluminum one and is happy with it, no problems.
>
> Yes the original 100 head can be ported and polished to a degree, but the
> SC design was a complete internal re-design, and there is no way you can
> open up the original head and make it breath as well as the new aluminum
> ones, either the SC or the Denis Welch standard road head.  Mark Lambert
> told me after he wrote his evaluation that on the original head where you
> could barely get two fingers to fit, on the aluminum one, a golf ball could
> now fit through.
>
> Remember that in the day the reason for the larger carburetor setup on the
> Le Mans modifications was to try to force more air into already restricted
> intake ports.  I'm not saying that your setup won't perform, but if or when
> the head cracks again, I would not waste any more money on it.
>
> Just saying.
>
> Curt
>
> On Sat, Nov 1, 2014 at 4:16 PM, rrengineer.mike <[email-masked]>
> wrote:
>
>> So, I guess you're saying my repaired cast iron head that was repaired
>> properly will not work as well as a aluminum head. Because the ports were
>> augered out to do the welding, I had the rest of the ports pocket ported
>> for even flow. I will be using the larger 100 LeMans carbs too.  Now you
>> tell me this is not a good setup?
>> Mike MacLean
>> 56 BN2
>> 60 AN5
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From: Larry Varley <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 16:39:02 +1100

Hi Mike, first of all I'm not saying there is anything wrong with your 
setup, only that 4 cylinder heads once cracked are known to crack again. 
Not always, but you do have to weigh up the costs relative to a new 
head. I get my head gaskets made locally in 1MM ( 0.040 thickness ), at 
$180.00 Australian Dollars.
I think it pretty easy to throw around claims of better performance, and 
talk about air flow improvements but that isn't all there is to the 
equation. What about the designs ability to provide thorough fuel 
atomisation through the ports and into the chamber, not rocket science? 
No more like a black art! Just increasing port sizes does not mean more 
power other than maybe at full throttle.
Basically where are the before and after horsepower and torque figures 
to back up claimed more power?
The alloy heads being offered may well be better, but it can only be 
proven on a dyno across the whole rev range with horsepower and torque 
figures and most importantly with before and after results on the same 
bottom end, then there are no doubts. Are the figures out there for any 
of these alloy heads? It would be interesting to see them.
As a matter of interest some years ago when the late David Woodhouse set 
about improving the original DMD 6 alloy cylinder head, the biggest 
improvement was made by increasing the height of the inlet ports. 
thereby improving the transition between horizontal and vertical air flow.
Cheers
Larry Varley
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From: Magnus Karlsson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2014 11:35:57 +0100

I've built an engine with DW full race aluminium head, composite gasket, 300B0
race cam and H6 carbs. I put it in a dyno and it gave 156 hp at 5000 rpm. I
don't remember the torque figures but maximum torque was achieved at around
1500 rpm and maintained as a flat curve up to 5000 rpm. This resulted in a
very competitive race engine and also a very tractable engine that can be used
on the streets without any problems. I would always choose to build a 100
engine like this as you get a real quick car with the better road holding
compared to a 3000. No problems with water leaks and the head has been long
lasting.

Magnus Karlsson

www.concourshealeys.com

> 2 nov 2014 kl. 06:39 skrev Larry Varley <[email-masked]>:
>
setup, only that 4 cylinder heads once cracked are known to crack again. Not
always, but you do have to weigh up the costs relative to a new head. I get my
head gaskets made locally in 1MM ( 0.040 thickness ), at $180.00 Australian
Dollars.
> I think it pretty easy to throw around claims of better performance, and
talk about air flow improvements but that isn't all there is to the equation.
What about the designs ability to provide thorough fuel atomisation through
the ports and into the chamber, not rocket science? No more like a black art!
Just increasing port sizes does not mean more power other than maybe at full
throttle.
> Basically where are the before and after horsepower and torque figures to
back up claimed more power?
> The alloy heads being offered may well be better, but it can only be proven
on a dyno across the whole rev range with horsepower and torque figures and
most importantly with before and after results on the same bottom end, then
there are no doubts. Are the figures out there for any of these alloy heads?
It would be interesting to see them.
about improving the original DMD 6 alloy cylinder head, the biggest
improvement was made by increasing the height of the inlet ports. thereby
improving the transition between horizontal and vertical air flow.
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From: "Bluehealey" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2014 13:42:58 -0000

That's a very interesting spec Magnus.
I have the H6 carbs and a Fast Road DW alloy head on the shelf ready for my
next project.  I don't recognise the '300B0' cam spec however.  Could you
expand a little on who the supplier would be?
Many thanks.
  _________________________________________
(______________ Alan Bromfield_______________)
        (______\__1957-BN4__1959-AN5__/______)
                       (_____BlueHealey.com______)

-----Original Message-----
From: Healeys [mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Magnus
Karlsson
Sent: 02 November 2014 10:36
To: Healey Lista
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Alloy Head

I've built an engine with DW full race aluminium head, composite gasket,
300B0 race cam and H6 carbs. I put it in a dyno and it gave 156 hp at 5000
rpm. I don't remember the torque figures but maximum torque was achieved at
around
1500 rpm and maintained as a flat curve up to 5000 rpm. This resulted in a
very competitive race engine and also a very tractable engine that can be
used on the streets without any problems. I would always choose to build a
100 engine like this as you get a real quick car with the better road
holding compared to a 3000. No problems with water leaks and the head has
been long lasting.

Magnus Karlsson

www.concourshealeys.com

[email-masked]

---

From: Magnus Karlsson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2014 15:41:51 +0100

ItB4s a 300 degree camshaft supplied by Denis Welch. My text got altered
during transmission. I didnB4t write 300B0.

I would always choose the 300 degree over the 278 degree as you get a very
noticeable change in performance with the 300 degree and retain the
tractability.

Magnus Karlsson

www.concourshealeys.com

> 2 nov 2014 kl. 14:42 skrev Bluehealey <[email-masked]>:
>

[email-masked]

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From: Bob Spidell <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2014 15:29:40 +0000 (UTC)

Magnus, 

I presume we're talking about a 100? Would similar mods--i.e. alloy head, race cam, gasket, all else stock--be desirable for a BJ8? 

Thanks, 
Bob 

----- Original Message -----

Magnus Karlsson 

www.concourshealeys.com 

[email-masked]

---

From: Curtis Arndt <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2014 10:54:03 -0800

Everyone,

I've just called Mark Lambert in Nashville, TN and left him a message and I
hope he's not too busy to call me back.  As some of you may know Mark
started hosting the TV show* "Classic Car Restoration"* on the DIY network
starting in 2003.

http://www.diynetwork.com/mark-lambert/bio/index.html

Anyway from what I remember, and it was some 15years ago, Mark did a
detailed technical evaluation of both the original unmodified head and the
SC aluminum head, measuring not only the airflow but power output as
installed on running cars.  This was not just his off the cuff opinion, or
an arbitrary claim of better performance.

Back in 2008 this same question was asked on the List by "Tadeusz
Malkiewicz", and here was my response back then...  BTW I did not reference
this old email when I wrote the one I sent yesterday.  If nothing else I am
consistent.

Curt

*From: "Curt/Nancy Arndt" <(email redacted)>*

Tadek,

I spoke with Denis Welch some years ago about his heads and other issues.
Originally the Aluminum head was completely redesigned by SC to improve the
breathing. Denis Welch initially used the same casting but has modified it
over the years to improve what he saw were shortcomings in various areas. I
don't know if he is still using the same casting or not, but I assume that
both source the same basic casting from one foundry. I believe that Denis
has a bit more input now than when he first started.

Several years ago I visited with Mark Lambert of Nashville, TN who was
technical adviser for the club at the time. Mark has done the only real
technical evaluation of the aluminum head (The SC version) that I know of
and the results were impressive. According to Mark the original power band
of the engine with the cast iron head was 2,500 to 3,500 rpm. The power
band with the new head (stock H4 carburetors) was increased to 2,200 to
4,200 rpm. Mark also claimed that a 100 set up with the aluminum head and
stock carburetors would outrun a stock car with the LeMans setup as
delivered from the factory, all do to improved breathing in the head. The
LeMans modified cars with the H6 carbs were trying to force more air into an
already restrictive stock head which of course assumes that the iron head
was not modified (ported and polished.)

Even then, according to Mark there was just so much you could do to open up
the original iron unit which is one reason that led to SC's decision design
a new head. And, there is Micheal's quote which I also use, that it's just
a matter of time before an iron head will crack this making the supply of
original heads a diminishing resource.

Cheers,

Curt Arndt
Carlsbad, CA
'55 BN1, '60 AN5 :{) '72 RWA Midget, '06 Cooper S
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From: Bluehealey <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2014 20:09:54 +0000

Thanks for the prompt response Magnus.
That would be the DWR2 cam and your observations about low revs tractability
make it an attractive option.
I'm grateful for the insight.

Alan - from my iPad

> On 2 Nov 2014, at 14:41, Magnus Karlsson <[email-masked]> wrote:
>

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