best aluminum head?

H

Howard Hull

Well Known Member
What do think is the best aluminum head out there?
Is it smart verse economical verse foolish to buy used aluminum heads or just use new ones?
Does any one make a tunnel ram for 409?
thanks for advice.
 
yellow wagon

yellow wagon

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
There are several options out there now for Aluminum heads for W Motors. Nothing wrong with a set of properly prepped Edelbrock heads. Some porting and clean up and they would work really well on a street engine.
 
Skip FIx

Skip FIx

Well Known Member
Howard a few choices and different opinions out there among our group.

Big manufacturer-Edelbrock is the only one I would call big- pros-large manufacturer has I think an in house foundry and from what I have seen on several heads of various types of engines a little better aluminum as far as porosity and finish on threads etc than the smaller guys can. Cons a big company and soem have not had good support from them with issues. I have more on my Pontiac stuff. Their assembled heads have just average valves and valve springs -OK for flat tappet and probably hydraulic rollers not for solid rollers.

Smaller companies Bob Walla-Bob has spent his time and personal money to bring heads and blocks out for our W motors at decent prices and is to be commended he started his projects before Edelbrock popped theirs out and a big reason to consider looking at his. Bob is great to deal with and can add parts to customized the head to your intended use.

Lamar Walden-He is the original pioneer of aluminum heads having billet Z-11s way back years ago. I've never personally seen a set of his heads to judge quality or finish. Lamar has partnered with World Products to bring a aluminum 409 block to market.

I've never seen either Bob's or World's aluminum blocks first hand to judge them. ther is a thread going in aluminum block here using a World block and a previous one using Bob's.

Tunnel rams-McQuillen has one coming as well as one Walden had had for years. A few folks have had custom sheetmetal done. Otherwise modified factory or Edelbrock dual quad intakes are the norm. I have heard 383.440 style Mopars have the same port spacing so modifying one of their tunnel rams might could be done .
 
models916

models916

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
Edelbrock head for W has revised valve/rocker/pushrod angles that can be a problem if you mix parts. If you don't know what you are doing with valve geometry, buy all the parts from Edelbrock.
 
Carmine

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Just took a look at the above manifold. Very nice. Would this manifold be considered a tunnel ram manifold?? Doesn't seem to have the height to it that I've seen others have. Would there be a big difference in power between this manifold and the plain dual quad manifold?? Just wondering. Thank you, Carmine.
 
409newby

409newby

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
Weiand built some tunnel rams for 409's years ago, kinda like finding a hen with teeth! :dunno
 
4

409

Active Member
Supporting Member 2
This manifold makes a bunch more power than a factory intake on any 409 engine, mild to wild.
The height is somewhat of a compromise, to work way better than stock and still be possible to fit under a stock hood.
 
H

Howard Hull

Well Known Member
Carmine agree, that is not a tunnel ram, it would be nice to have a dyno comparison between true tunnel ram verse the Mcquine manifold, I don't have a hood problem, this is in a dragster.
Howard
 
P

Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
Howard Hull said:
Carmine agree, that is not a tunnel ram, it would be nice to have a dyno comparison between true tunnel ram verse the Mcquine manifold, I don't have a hood problem, this is in a dragster.
Howard
Click to expand...
Then get the biggest one you can Howard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
blown 409

blown 409

Well Known Member
Friend builds them for me, less money then Hogans, very nice Quality , ask anybody that has gotten 1 from me,,,
 
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