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Old 12-22-2020, 02:06 PM   #1
johnbuckley
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Default Rutherford Head

Can anyone provide evidence that cylinder heads by Slim Rutherford ( see pics) were produced pre 1931 (or pre any date for that matter!) perhaps a contemporary advert anywhere? or invoices ? or history?. Such dating evidence would re-inforce eligibily criteria required by our national Vintage Sports Car Club .
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Old 12-22-2020, 02:44 PM   #2
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

When I first saw the picture, I wondered if that was one of the reproduction heads made by Dick McKee up in Ohio. When I clicked on the first picture, I saw him same on the breather. We used to race with Dick in the AARA, -and on a recent Model-T tour, I asked a friend how Dick was doing, and he said Dick's memory is gone. He would have been the one to ask. Another place to check might be Speedy Bill's museum out in Nebraska.

Is this particular head still in an early Big Car?
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Old 12-22-2020, 02:45 PM   #3
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

Here's a 1938 reference. I looked for the ad on newspapers.com but couldn't find it. Melvin "Slim" Rutherford is noted as a racer in articles dated to 1937, but there's no mention of the head.
https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategoriz...a39c9f4a8.html
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Old 12-22-2020, 02:48 PM   #4
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

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Originally Posted by alexiskai View Post
Thanks Alexiska.. Do you think could you send a screen grab of the article as the site won't let me in being UK based. Thanks very much.
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Old 12-22-2020, 02:48 PM   #5
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

Says he put ad about the head in newspapers in 1938.

https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategoriz...a39c9f4a8.html

Now all of the sudden the content is blocked

Last edited by Benson; 12-22-2020 at 03:01 PM.
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:00 PM   #6
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

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Thanks Alexiska.. Do you think could you send a screen grab of the article as the site won't let me in being UK based. Thanks very much.
PMed you the article contents
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:08 PM   #7
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

John, is your head aluminum or cast iron?
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:43 PM   #8
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

According to my wife, my head is solid rock.
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:46 PM   #9
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

Ali or cast iron? not sure, I'll come back to you on that .. The owner is a fellow club member... . hopefully he'll come onto Fordbarn with better details. Thanks for sending the article Alexiskai ; gratefully recieved.
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Old 12-22-2020, 03:54 PM   #10
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

here's a picture of the car some years ago.. looks rather smarter now but very much still Empy racer
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Old 12-22-2020, 04:25 PM   #11
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Talking Re: Rutherford Head

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According to my wife, my head is solid rock.
Wish this site had a “like” button!
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Old 12-22-2020, 04:59 PM   #12
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

Wow, when I first looked at the rocker rail I thought it was from a Y-Block. Even the oil goes in the same shaft stand. I sure it's not but it sure caught my eye.

Couldn't find a stock setup but here is a picture of my roller rockers. The stocker have spring separating the rocker, just like your's.

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Old 12-23-2020, 01:13 PM   #13
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

I've always the Rutherford head was first produced in '43, as written on the valve cover. I also think the ones made by Slim were cast steel, not cast iron. Joe Gemsa cast quite a few later-on, these were aluminum, later still Don Ferguson cast a few more, also aluminum. Several racing heads weren't cast until the late 30's, Rutherford, Cook, 4-port McDowell, Fargo, etc., and possibly Morales. All were good performers! The first 4-port Riley's were produced in '33.
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Old 12-23-2020, 01:36 PM   #14
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

according to an email received from Kem Robertson ".... McKee .. was a big help to me in my research effort when I started. The #43 on the valve cover is the pattern number, but there were several styles of these valve covers over the years. This one has “scolps” / “bulges”on the flat sides to make room for the cup system castings. "
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Old 12-24-2020, 01:29 PM   #15
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

Interesting, I didn't know that although I did know he did a few OHC conversions.
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Old 12-31-2020, 01:03 AM   #16
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

When I first saw the picture, I wondered if that was one of the reproduction heads made by Dick McKee up in Ohio.
There was one of Dick McKee's heads for sale on Ebay years ago. It was the best looking head I have seen, with a combination of rocker covers like a Riley and fins on the head.
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Old 02-28-2024, 02:55 PM   #17
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Default Re: Rutherford Head

What I have found out and I'm still chasing info for my head. Don Ferguson was said to have bought the patterns from Slim Rutherford and cast some. Joe Gemsa borrowed them and cast some more. Some were cast with a square block section added to use the stock distributor location. Rutherford used the same head casting for both his OHvalve and OHcam heads. I've found a guy in SoCal that has some castings and both OHV and OHC setups. Don Ferguson's son is said to have the patterns for the head, intake and valve cover. I think the complete engine is one of the McKee heads - it's flat on the exhaust side.
Charlie Yapp of Secrets of Speed Society did an article several years ago and is working on an update.
As a side note the head is said to be not a great street head. Designed as a race head to operate at higher RPM it's big ports don't like poking around at 1,500 rpm.
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File Type: jpg gemsa.jpg (75.5 KB, 31 views)
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