Re: Big Boys Heads
When desiging a racing style combustion chamber for a flathead. I think the wedge style is the best. having a flat surface at an angle and a piston with a corrising angle. This allow a very hi compression without restricting flow. Navorro made a set like this bacl in 2007??? JWL worked on this car someone else had this back in the 60's, but I cant remember who?? Altho the HD chamber is a good one, the ports are alsoverywell designed and aid in the power output. Today we have coputer programs that can help us eliminate questionable designs. Back in the 80;s I spent allot of time on a flow bench looking for the "oly Grail" of port and chamber design. In a flathead the port doesn't stop at the valve. The valve is actually in the intake port, which ends at the cylinder.
On another note, supercharging has shown us just how bad the ports really are. I build the block assy for Ron Horrell, a 294 ci engine for the street . however it had a magnason blower assy. On the dyno it produced 300ft/lbs of torque at 3000RPM and 235 HP at 4500 rpm ON 3/5 lbs of boost. The blower was liminated at 5lbs. The intake port was cleaned up with a 1.6 valve.
I like experimenting with these engines and I respect others that do the same and every year we learn more. Take care, be safe, and think Flatheads and you'll go to Heaven
Gramps
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