modifying a log head

[ski4evr]

Has anyone modified the log head themselves for a direct mount carb? Mustang Geezers site says that he had his log planed at a local shop for $35 bucks, but all that shops around where I'm at are claiming they'll need at least $100! This is pushing me towards doing it myself. How should I do it? Hack Saw, angle grinder, file?

Ski

 

[addo]

A 9" grinder is pretty good. Take all appropriate safety precautions, and go slowly!

 

[Anonymous]

Personally if i had to borrow or rent a tool i would go with a belt sander as you already have a good flat plane to work with.
Although now that i think a little more use a side grinder to take off the big nubs first.
Use'd to use a belt sander to brind big block Ford v-8 exhaust manifolds back to life after they warp--and they were really bad about warping.

 

[ski4evr]

The head that I want to modify is a D8 casting. 9" grinder? Wow, that's big. I have an electric 4.5" grinder that could be used for taking off the current carb mount (and any other high spots). The D8 head does not have that tall of a carb mount so grinding it off should not be too laborious.

A belt sander sounds like a good idea for making the large flat area once the high spots are ground off.

A steady hand and alot of patience

How does that sound?

ski

 

[CZLN6]

Howdy Ski and All:

Anything is possible and I love home grown solutions. But the plus of the milling machine or a planer is that you can more easily achieve a flat surface and have better control of the depth of the cut. If you do attempt to create a new carb mounting surface keep these criteria in mind-
*Leave as much metal as possible for drilling and tapping to mount the carb base.
*Finish up with as flat a mounting surface as possible.
*Once you've achieved a flat mounting surface, use a die grinder or Dremel to shape the new carb holes.
*Plan to use new gaskets and appropriate sealer to assure no vacuum leaks at the mounting surface.

The quote of $100 at you shop is probably a reflection of their thinking time because they've never done something like this before. You might want to shop around for a more adventurious shop. Done once it's not near so intimidating.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Adios, David

 

[80broncoman]

The quote of $100 at you shop is probably a reflection of their thinking time because they've never done something like this before. You might want to shop around for a more adventurious shop. Done once it's not near so intimidating.

I agree completly shop around and don't be afraid to ask anyone, sometimes the smallest shops are the best at this type of thing.
When I needed the big end of some valves turned down .060 I found a gunsmith who did them for $18.00 for 16 valves.

 

[wsa111]

Ski, on my 1980 head, I had to fill in some low areas by brazing. This required preheating the head, filling in the low areas, mill the top of the log flat. Install new freeze plugs, valve guides,valve job & then mill the head surface flat, because preheating most of the time will warp the surface.

Hope this helps. William

 

[ski4evr]

William, I read your post about the modifications you did. Awesome work. I understand about the brazing and the requirement to preheat the entire head. I also read about the muggy weld - no preheating required. What kind of low spots are you talking about? And, if they are minor, wouldn't JB weld work? All is required is a nice smooth, flat spot for a carb to sit? I'm into DIY and SIMPLE

ski

 

[CobraSix]

You are in CT...take most people's prices and double it and that's what it costs in New England.

I have an already cut up head that you can practice on if you want...hehe. YOu just have to keep it after I give it to you.

BTW, that rear end is pretty much toast. You are still welcome to it (coming out in May) but the clutches are toast and there is a bad wheel bearing.

Slade

 

[wsa111]

Ski, if you want to save some $$ use the JB weld but mix some iron filings with it & it will make the JB weld a more solid filler.
My 1980 head was round at the top & definately had some open areas to be filled. Leave at least .125 thickness or better .150 thickness for your adapter mounting surface. This is necessary so when you drill & tap the mounting holes for the hold down fasteners that they have plenty of threads to prevent stripping. Good luck, the head will make your engine come alive.
Of course the best head is an aussi or an argie, they flow much more air, but this is a vast improvement over the stock head. William

 

[hasa68mustang]

I finally got my head done and on yesterday. I used some jb weld in a couple of spots just to make it wider for the gasket to mount onto. I used an adapter from some kind of car (I dont remember but it was an oddball car) and it worked out awesome. Its not very tall and was gret for what I needed it for. I drilles 2 holes in it and tapped the same holes in the head and it worked good. My dad insisted on doing a linkage, because it would look better, and more original. I told him about how many people said the cable was soo much smoother, but he still thoght he could make the linkage work. Well we used all of the old bar things for the linkage, but we extended them to make them work. I included a pic. If you do go this way make sure you dont use the same pieces.... I told my dad that the gas goes almost to the floor pretty hard then it starts, and its extremely sensitive. well I told him to drive it and he left a 15 foot long burnout along the grass.... after I type this message I'm gonna go either switch to the cable that I have or replace the small bars.

UPDATE: I left the message on the computer and never sent it, so heres the update. We looked at the linkage and saw that if we mounted the linkage to a different spot we could obtain more leverage. So, we move it towards the back farther, and IT WORKS AWESOME!! Its kinda scary how much different it feels from the old non levereaged linkage. I need to do something with the exhaust to make a really big difference. If anyone wanted to know about the linkage it is pretty much home-made.. the main part of it is from a 1941 chrysler, and parts from my old linkage. It is kinda too sensitive if you ask me... but I like it. Below are links to pictures of my carb and linkage. warning.. they are pretty large...

old inkage, engine bay
The head together
Me torquing the head bolts
Linkage close up
Linkage close up
Engine bay with new carb
Car complete with goofy air cleaner....

 

[hasa68mustang]

Oh and the total cost is right around $450. I got the head from the junkyard, got it checked. They found a crack. They fixed it. They replaced the valve guides and valves, and springs. The head inside is all new except the rockers and pushrods. The carb was 217, with tax and everything. Overall it was pretty expensive, and the feeling of the seat difference wasnt that noticable becaust I need headers, but headers and turbos dont mix... (hint hint does10s and mike and whoever else is working on the project) I also need to get my tach working and do a 0-16 timing. My old time was 13 secs. I wonder how much it will improve.... Tommy

 

[ski4evr]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm going to attempt this myself. Patience will be the key - and doing it before my daily consumption of a pot of coffee

ski

 

[6bangerwanab]

so did you do this yourself with your angle grinder and belt sander, if so, maybe i will do it too for my 144, but i think that i will run one of those 2v carbs that have primaries/secondaries.