Finally a real world Ardun test!

[Henry Floored]

Hey guys grab yourself your favorite beverage, lean back in your chair and enjoy this great test of an ARDUN converted 8BA. This is a great video that was preceded by a couple of in depth build videos.

The most striking thing for me is how this old Ford can handle the power it made and it turned 5800 rpm to boot. In fact it sounded like it wanted more.

Enjoy fellas!



https://youtu.be/D5p4YMu1sa8?si=uVJcjLddE3I_Ubnh

[Ziggster]

Yep. Just watched it and some of the other vids featuring Steve’s other flathead engines. Really incredible numbers considering the age the the engine design and that if the Ardun heads.

[rjlester]

Man did that thing sound wicked! Impressive numbers.

[azlkk]

I talked with Steve before the video came out while checking on my flathead with Ed Smith. He was quite happy with it.

[Tim Ayers]

Ronnie Roadster. Paging Mr. Roadster..... If you want to about hear from real world experience of running Arduns on the street or getting every possible HP out of one while racing one flat out, no better person to talk to then our own Ronnie Roadster.

[glennpm]

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Wow!

[Ronnieroadster]

Overall what you see is the output one can expect without to much effort. All it takes is the proper parts and the guidance of someone who has built many ARDUNS. In the video you see one of the few guys who knows how to do it. That person is Don Ferguson no doubt he guided Steve on what parts to use and how to get it all together. And continued to offer guidance during the dyno session.

Its been my personal experience the power we get from our ARDUN engine's range from three to six times the stock HP of an 8BA Ford flathead. That horsepower is at the tires testing on a rear wheel dyno. When it comes to reliability my daily driven ARDUN has been driven across America and back twice and has thousands of miles on it without much effort at all.
Ronnieroadster

[deuce_roadster]

I drive mine as often as possible. Not mentioned above, but due to the exhaust exiting the heads instead of the block it runs as cool as it looks.

[glennpm]

Gorgeous car and Ardun!

I noticed in the video that 140 F was good for the setup. I was wondering why it wasn’t 180-210 for best efficiency?

[deuce_roadster]

Mine has 180 stats and it runs there all the time even in stop and go traffic on a 90 degree day. My late friend who built this car put 38k miles on it driving it to southern Cal 3 times from the Seattle area.
In my folder of pictures "New car to me" there is a "before" of it that is impressive. Car is all steel, all Ford.

[Bored&Stroked]

I liked the video . . . was done well, wasn't a lot of unrealistic expectations or claims - very nicely done engine.

[Ronnieroadster]

To add to the excitement here's a short video of another ARDUN this one completely machined and built by my son and I. I'm just doing some carb tuning not really greeting into the RPM band which is 6500 red line. The engine is a duplicate of the one we machined and built that we run at Bonneville. The record on the salt we set driving off the starting line to mile number three is 225.003 MPH. Plans for 2026 is to return to the salt with the engine in our rear engine modified roadster this time running to mile four and five. Both engine's are 292 cubic inches burning gasoline.
Ronnieroadster


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RQGIjuMBSQE

[Ronnieroadster]

Originally Posted by glennpm

Gorgeous car and Ardun!

I noticed in the video that 140 F was good for the setup. I was wondering why it wasn’t 180-210 for best efficiency?

The engine temp really needs to be at least 160 to 180 degrees. With the overhead valve heads the oil return from the valve train is an external line. If the running temp is to cold the oil will not flow fast enough to the the oil pan from the heads this will creating an oil level issue in the pan becoming to low.
Learned this from personal experience an ARDUN engine will run extremely cool so water flow control with good thermostats is extremely important to get the temp high enough.
Ronnieroadster

[Ziggster]

Yeah, I was also surprised when Don said he wanted to keep the coolant temp no more than 140F otherwise they would lose power. Surprised no one played with timing during the test. Something weird with the torque and power curves at the upper rpm range. Both just seemed to drop off suddenly and then rebound a bit.

[Bored&Stroked]

I'm with Ziggster - why put an engine on a dyno and not explore the fuel curves, initial timing and total timing.

I would have richened it up a bit and added 2 degrees more timing and then ran it again . . . buy hey, I like to use my dyno time wisely! LOL

[IronFord]

I'm curious what the numbers would be using a set of original Ardun heads vs the Ferguson heads. Anyone have an idea?

[Ronnieroadster]

Originally Posted by IronFord

I'm curious what the numbers would be using a set of original Ardun heads vs the Ferguson heads. Anyone have an idea?

Overall the numbers would be near identical. The new heads have roller rockers so there's a slight improvement in power. However with a little amount of engine tuning that has original heads that slight difference is easy to eliminate.
Been there done that.
Ronnieroadster

[Bored&Stroked]

Also, the new roller rockers should have a bit more lift - as the ratio is a bit more than on the stock Ardun rockers.