SBC Hemi Heads (I kid you not)

[425/409ER]

So a good friend of mine called and wanted to take his Street Rod to the Car show today and after staying up all night we got it going. Now this is a '39 2dr. Chevy with a 3 something SBC cube engine, but it has a real set of custom Hemi heads (really) that his Grandpa made as he was a machinist and wanted something of a, One-of-a-kind. Now to be sure when the car was cold I looked for plug wires under by the exhaust manifolds (there were none) and the plug wires do go into the top of the custom made valve covers Just like a Hemi. This is so cool, but I knew the car existed back in 2004 as I saw this and told my wife that year about this car. My new friend's Grandpa passed away a few years ago and left him the car. I still wonder if he used an existing head or made an all new head for this? It does have the Stahl pattern pipes and I wondered if he used an old SB2 head for this. Either way it's frinkin cool. I will post pictures this week after the cars show is over.

 

[wristpin]

YOU CAN NOT POST A TEASER LIKE THAT AND SAY "SHOW YOU LATER"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jim Sullivan]

 

[425/409ER]

Ok ok here you go,

 

[wristpin]

Any idea what size valves? Combustion chamber shape? Piston dome shape?

 

[MRHP]

I am betting more of a decorative valve cover. If you look at the relationship of the plug wire and the headers, something does not add up.

 

[425/409ER]

I am betting more of a decorative valve cover. If you look at the relationship of the plug wire and the headers, something does not add up.

Nope its not. I got to pull a few plug wires off when I was working on it this past friday and the boot ends are as log as a Hemi plug wire is. I will know more when I pull the valve covers one day to reset the valve lash.

 

[32witha409]

Arias makes or ((used to make?) Hemi heads for the BBC in the 70's and later for the a ford and the LSX GM. Those look like neither.

 

[425/409ER]

Arias makes or ((used to make?) Hemi heads for the BBC in the 70's and later for the a ford and the LSX GM. Those look like neither.

He told me his grandmother has a lot of the paperwork on the car and it's build. I hope he gets it some day. If he pulled the engine and wanted to sell it I would be the 1st on the list to get it. I do remember the Arias hemi BBC's they were pretty strong in the racing world in T/F and pull trucks.

 

[Michelangelo]

Certainly looks unique. Regardless of what the plug wires look like and their location, to be a true hemi it must have a hemispherical combustion chamber.

 

[425/409ER]

Certainly looks unique. Regardless of what the plug wires look like and their location, to be a true hemi it must have a hemispherical combustion chamber.

Can't say, never seen the engine apart.

 

[region rat]

There's a guy on F#book market place trying to sell an olds hemi. Has a picture. I know they made a few. Looked like a scam.

 

[425/409ER]

Well well well. I found out looking through an old Hot Rod magazine from 1998 where his Grandpa got these heads and here they are.

 

[Murphdog]

Well well well. I found out looking through an old Hot Rod magazine from 1998 where his Grandpa got these heads and here they are.

Was that the October issue?
Jeff

 

[425/409ER]

Was that the October issue?
Jeff

I am not sure, I would have to find it again.

 

[region rat]

They were real but hard to get. He went belly up.

 

[Thunder80]

Here ya go - I found this .... https://www.motortrend.com/features/put-up-or-shut-up-982-1639-64-1/

Hot Rod October 1998 (Digital) is what I found​

The sight has the story with pictures

 

[1964SuperStocker]

So not a hemi head but a multi-four valve. Fun! How would you like to be the guy that blows that engine? I'm all about running rare old parts but that would be as rare as I can imagine.