Which V8 or 4 cyl aluminum heads would be a good choice to weld together?

OpelGT+3point3

Well-known member
Yes I did a search. Which ones are the latest and greatest for the 200? I see threads for the LS heads on the 300. The old Buick 300 heads? There ought to be some 4 cyl heads that would work (?). I've welded up plenty of intakes and domes onto pistons for two motors so far, so I figure I could probably weld two aluminum heads together. Maybe the OHV 2.3? Any suggestions or leads would be appreciated.
 
The bore spacing on the SBL6 is 4.080 so something close to that would be easier .
What about the AU barra four valve overhead cam head...I think the bore spacing and bolt pattern is the same....There will be plenty of welding to get the water and crankcase venting to fit the block..Cam drive will test your skills...I do not believe it has been done before..It would be a up one if you could do it.
I would be all over it but I am not done with the unassuming log yet.
 
Forget the sohc or dOHC 4.08" Barra as an expensive joke if you are adding the cam drives, although its possiable.


The Krogdahl heads were 4.08" unifit OHV 250 fORD or 186.202 Holden.

but your in luck with cam in head pushrod. Your name is OpelGT+3point3, so try some old 1900 Opel heads. See below, 4.125" I think. Germans just throw those old 2.5/2.8/3.0 and 3.6's away.

But its like finding common pistons in the 3.68 to 3.76 sizes, or comon rods in the 5.88 to 6.125" sizes, the industry doesn't make engines at 4.08 anymore.

Bearing in mind how Austin and Jaguar would repitch its cylinders in the factory to turn 1100's into 1275's,

or 3.8 into 4.2's, to 3.8125" centres


Before cutting and welding, anything is possiable with a margin of +/-1/16 of an inch. So 4.0175 to 4.1425 or maybee a little more, you can repitch bores, or relieve the bore ledge to allow the valves to avoid ledging. And cut and shut weld like the 4,375 to 4.48" difference in rewelded BOSS 302/ Cleveland to 300 blocks

My old mate Jermey D from Victory Library does this stuff in his sleep.

Nothing but the Holden 149/173/179/186/202 is the same.

2.3 Volvos and 2.0/2.3/2.5 Limas average 4.17",

Don't mess about with S or DOHC, stupid idea.

Edit:02-01-2017

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/47.html



The 4.7 Liter “Next Generation” and “semi-Hemi” V8 Engine (Dodge - Jeep) ... The bore spacing is reduced from the 1955-1998 small block's 4.46 to 4.09"


The OHV Mopars 5.7/6.1 SRT Hemi has the old LA V8 bore spacings of 4.46""

See http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/bore-center-c.htm, error in line 3 , THE 5.7/6.1 IS 4.46, NOT 4.09"

Ferrari/Maserati V8's and Ferrari V12's from 2003 onwards are about the same at 104 mm, BUT 5 Valves PER CYLINDER.

Before that, Fazzes had smaller Colombo or Lampredi spacings
on the Lampredi engine, 4.25"(108mm), same as the Nissan 1984 on wards VQ30E
Colombo, 3.543"(90 mm) first, then revised 3.700" (94 mm),
The Lamborghini based his totally original Bazarini LP350 engine on the revised Colombo crank billet, but with 3.74" spacings(95 mm).

TRAILBAZER cHEVY GM 4200, 4.045"

EAO OHCS, 4.0157, same as all the other Duratechs. VOLVO 60 degree V8's and V6'S are SHO Yamahas, as Ford bought the engine design from Yamaha

Modulars/Romeos, 3.937.

Center section of 1985-2003 sohc/dohc RB Nissan L6s and 1968-1985 SOHC L Datsun sixes are 3.97", but outers are same as the 1959 to date Kent/Valencia/Endura Ford Pinto pushrods at 3.76. BDA/BDT's are based on that kind of block, but alloy.

In 1968, Datsun did he six it that way because the Chysler Slant six has 3.95 and 3.97 bore spacings right thru or something like that, and they didn want to be seen to be copying the Ford Zephyr Six which also had 3.76" bore spacings uniform. .


The Datsun 4cyl L series and NAPS Z's 3.76 centers are nearly the same as Kent/BDA Fords 3.78, and the Mazda made MZR Duraetech 2.3/2.5 4 cyls, rehashed BDA's with Mazda design features. No wider spacing in the center. Just super short stroke 1959 105e bore spacings, which was the British Ford Zephyr 6 bore spacing. Holden Grey motors (130.5-138 cubic inch, based on a preware Chev six that didn't see the light of day) used the same 3.76" bore centers as the later 138 Deap Skirt Vauxhall and Victor FD 97 cubic inch pushrod fours.

Old stuff like Lotus is just OHC Vauxhall Firenza 4.125" in alloy.

The old Opel 1900, 4.125" as well, or near to. Same as the related 6 cyl block, the Vauxhal Calton 3.6, Opel 2.5/2.8/3.0, or Bitter 3.9.

The average bore spacing of the even fire 3.8/4.2 Essex is 4.1875", but the block is slewd left to right bank to remove rod offset and add a fillet between the two journals, so the 4.48" bore BUSCH engine is uniform without the fillet, because its odd fire. My understanding is that you could repitch one form the other, it wasn't a dead end concept like people think. But head pitching on the 3.8/4.2 is nearly as big as the Buick 225/231 GM 3800 V6 and BOP 215-300 /ROVER 3.5/3.9/4.2/4.6 and LEYLAND P76 at 4.2125" or so.

Huricanes, or whatever Ford calls its OHC 6.2 TRUCK, 4.52 OR SO

Other info:-
/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=70602
http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread. ... ost1585630
http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread. ... his-engine
 
That 215-Buick/Rover head might work if I scoot the two cut heads together in the middle and open up some bolt holes. I'll see if the gaskets are close. I'm not going to even try to weld two iron heads together.
 
Unless you come up with a head that has the same intake and exhaust valve layout, you will also have to come up with a cam.

If you're willing to modify the block, you could use the Australian 200/250 Crossflow head.
With that head, you can get ready made cams, intakes, and headers.

The stock crossflow EFI banana intake is restrictive on the 250 (4.1) engine, but works well with the 200 (3.3).

Just an option.
 
I didn't think about the valve layout. The late hemi is alternating and the 215 is paired wrong-with two siamesed intakes in the middle; backwards. Better look at four cylinders I guess.
 
And now I've realized that V6 heads wont work because you'll always have at least one head that wont have the valves matched up correctly for two of the cylinders. Unless I cut both ends off one head and weld a single cylinder section on both ends... I'll keep looking but still work on my cut off log. I have the tubing stubs ready to weld on the intakes.
 
See if you can match up the valves from the heads you are looking at with the Australian Crossflow head.
If they match, you can always get one of the crossflow cams.

I've got one that is a direct replacement for the stock EFI cam if you're interested.
 
Trying to siamese old technology heads together, and then have to use a cam for a crossflow head would have me wondering,...why not just use the crossflow head in the first place?

The benefit to cutting and welding an LS(x) head together and then putting the thing on a 300 is obvious...better chamber design, great ports, w/huge flow potential, and a great source of aftermarket parts for valves, springs, and rockers. The intake manifold would be on one side, and the exhaust would be on the other,....just like it should be.

But,.. As we are all aware,..........cylinder spacing is different on a small six.

That leaves trying to find a head w/ similar spacing........a needle in a haystack. Ancient design that wouldn't be worth the effort and expense welding it together then having to have a cam custom ground to open and close the different valve order. Except there's the one from Australia.That doesn't have to be cut and welded,.... additionally, one that has cams, valves springs, and rockers, intakes and exhaust headers already made for the thing.

All you gotta do is butcher the block,..and glue a plate on it.
 
mike1157":cm0qv7jo said:
Trying to siamese old technology heads together, and then have to use a cam for a crossflow head would have me wondering,...why not just use the crossflow head in the first place?

The benefit to cutting and welding an LS(x) head together and then putting the thing on a 300 is obvious...better chamber design, great ports, w/huge flow potential, and a great source of aftermarket parts for valves, springs, and rockers. The intake manifold would be on one side, and the exhaust would be on the other,....just like it should be.

But,.. As we are all aware,..........cylinder spacing is different on a small six.

That leaves trying to find a head w/ similar spacing........a needle in a haystack. Ancient design that wouldn't be worth the effort and expense welding it together then having to have a cam custom ground to open and close the different valve order. Except there's the one from Australia.That doesn't have to be cut and welded,.... additionally, one that has cams, valves springs, and rockers, intakes and exhaust headers already made for the thing.

All you gotta do is butcher the block,..and glue a plate on it.

It seems that the obvious is often overlooked as the best solution to our problems. The Oz crossflow head is by far the best choice not only because of price, but because it is also a proven contender to other options. It is economical, i've purchased several before for under $100 for the aluminum ones. There are many builds on the former Hotsixes forum by username xrglen that produced over 400 HP naturally aspirated, so the crossflow head can easily support that kind of HP and beyond with a turbo or supercharger. Plus as Mike mentioned, they are a bolt-on with no need to siamese other heads together and then having to cobble up an intake and exhaust and valve cover and then valve train and camshaft, which is exactly all you're doing....cobbling up!
 
Back
Top