1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

building the "ultimate" L-head

Discussion in 'Flat Fender Tech' started by evanjm, Aug 10, 2007.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Aug 10, 2007
    evanjm

    evanjm Yeah, it's got an F-head.

    Leesburg, VA
    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2006
    Messages:
    408
    Alright.. I want to get some opinions here.. maybe even some brainstorming between everyone on what the "ultimate" L-head would be?

    what's the far limit of what can be done to this block?

    apart from all the usual, boring the block out, installing a performance cam (if you can find one), and stuff like that...

    maybe a thin copper head gasket for increased compression..

    i want to hear everyone's crazy ideas about what might just be "possible"--no matter how much machine work would be necessary...

    - evan
     
    evanjm, Aug 10, 2007
    #1
  2. Aug 10, 2007
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    5,349
    Megasquirt, a header and Clifford cam. Grooved bearings and a blueprinted oil pump.
     
    Mcruff, Aug 10, 2007
    #2
  3. Aug 10, 2007
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,586
    Get a Lump of aluminum and get a new Head Machined and go crazy :)
     
    DanStew, Aug 10, 2007
    #3
  4. Aug 10, 2007
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2003
    Messages:
    23,596
    Turbocharge.
     
    timgr, Aug 10, 2007
    #4
  5. Aug 10, 2007
    mb82

    mb82 I feel great!

    Charlottesville Va
    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2003
    Messages:
    2,706
    :iagree:

    Has anyone figured out how much boost you can put in it has to be beyond 10psi?
     
    mb82, Aug 10, 2007
    #5
  6. Aug 10, 2007
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
    Messages:
    4,275
    Port and relief job, balanced crank, Clifford cam & header, HEI, dual side-draft Webers or a Paxton belt-drive blower.
     
    w3srl, Aug 10, 2007
    #6
  7. Aug 10, 2007
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    5,349
    How about a 4-71 detroit blower.
    [​IMG] This one is mounted to a 140ci Vega motor.
     
    Mcruff, Aug 10, 2007
    #7
  8. Aug 10, 2007
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,586
    Mike this is a family forum you just can't be posting pictures like that ;)
     
    DanStew, Aug 10, 2007
    #8
  9. Aug 10, 2007
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
    Joined:
    May 18, 2006
    Messages:
    2,622
    I only count 4 plugs on that coil. I call photochop. :shock:
     
    jayhawkclint, Aug 10, 2007
    #9
  10. Aug 10, 2007
    junkfood

    junkfood Member

    Casa Grande,Az.
    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2005
    Messages:
    222
    That's all the Vega motor had..
    Keith
     
    junkfood, Aug 10, 2007
    #10
  11. Aug 10, 2007
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    5,349
    Definately not photochooped, there is a whole article to go with that picture along with several other pics.
     
    Mcruff, Aug 10, 2007
    #11
  12. Aug 10, 2007
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
    Messages:
    4,275
    :iagree:

    The design was actually pretty darned good, and they could be hopped up decently. The problem was their choice of alloys for the block, and the fact that they didn't sleeve it. The cylinders wore really poorly.
     
    w3srl, Aug 10, 2007
    #12
  13. Aug 10, 2007
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2003
    Messages:
    8,134
    My cousin had a Vega, 2nd or 3rd year production. Had a really cheezy looking little red light mounted to the bottom of the dash. If the light came on you had to take the car in to the dealer for a new engine R)

    H.
     
    Howard Eisenhauer, Aug 10, 2007
    #13
  14. Aug 11, 2007
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
    Messages:
    4,275
    OTOH I have a buddy who has been hoarding the Cosworth Vegas for about 20 years now. He has one that he runs in the SCCA (I think) events and he does pretty well. The Cosworth head is a 16-valve conversion on the standard block, and they had a Delco FI setup from the factory..
     
    w3srl, Aug 11, 2007
    #14
  15. Aug 11, 2007
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,385
    R) Games over, return to dealer! R)
     
    Glenn, Aug 11, 2007
    #15
  16. Aug 11, 2007
    thenoblesock

    thenoblesock Tetanus Collector

    Pittsburgh, Pa
    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2007
    Messages:
    101
    Wow. these are some neat ideas..

    I like the idea of an aluminum head. How would I go about doing that? I guess find someone that does CNC and use an original head as a reference?

    Also, what's the advantage of grooved bearings?

    - Evan
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2007
    thenoblesock, Aug 11, 2007
    #16
  17. Aug 11, 2007
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    5,349
    Machining a head from bar stock is not really possible as the head had water passages in it. I doubt they can be duplicated or done at a reasonable price. The grooved bearings cut down on the bearing surface (friction) and let oil be trapped in the groove and carried much better to the bearing surface. For the dollars spent a blower will make the best horsepower gain. YMMV
     
    Mcruff, Aug 11, 2007
    #17
  18. Aug 11, 2007
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,586
    I dont think the Lhead had water passges. Did it?? If i remember from the parts ones i had it was jsut a peice of steel on top with domes for the combustion.
     
    DanStew, Aug 11, 2007
    #18
  19. Aug 11, 2007
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    5,349
    It had water passages.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    You can see the thermostat housing on top and the passages to the block on the bottom.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2007
    Mcruff, Aug 11, 2007
    #19
  20. Aug 11, 2007
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,586
    OH OK.. Forgot bout thet thermostat thing. Probably could still CNC a head. But bore some through passages and weld the ends up to seal to create the water passages. Since it is such a relatively simple head desing could be done. But that would be possible if you had access to a CNC machine, but if not it would probably cost alot of money.
     
    DanStew, Aug 11, 2007
    #20
Page 1 of 2
New Posts