Alloys heads for Cleveland

[Daniel Jones]

> I know AFR makes one and Edelbrock is supposed to have one out soon.

AFR does not make a 351C type head. Perhaps you meant AFD in Australia.
AFD and CHI are both Australian companies that make aluminum 351C heads.
Edelbrock's heads are based upon a 2V port and are meant to be a street
replacement head. The flow numbers are a bit disappointing. Fine for a
stock displacement street car but they could have done much better. The
CHI 3V's or Ford Motorsport C302's (or similar Brodix BF300's) will outflow
them by a wide margin. My C302B's outflow the Edelbrock 2V's by over 70
CFM on the intake side and more on the exhaust side. In addition to AFD,
CHI, Brodix, and Edelbrock, TFS is working on a 351C aluminum head. Like
the Edelbrock, it's based upon a 2V port.

> There is a company that makes a double over head, four valve per cylinder
> head for the cleveland block!

That would be Arao. No seems to have ever run a set of those, though.

> yes there are some aluim aussie heads here in the states.or you can order
> them direct from the manufacture,there.IF I remember rite they are rite
> at 2g's for the bare set.

Last time I checked, the AFD's and CHI's were around $1600 per pair bare,
about the same as the Brodix and Blue Thunder heads.

> For the best heads money can buy, look into the Blue Thunder Heads

> The aussies are ahead of us in Clevelands and Jack21 is offering the best
> of the best suggestion regarding 351C's. Gregro is right that Blue Thunder
> makes good stuff, but CHI specializes in Cleveland research and you will
> get the most bang for the buck with CHI's. These things are winners.

The Blue Thunders and CHI's are both good heads but are suited to very
different applications. The Blue

> If I was to invest more performance improvement on my 351C, it would be
> for CHI Heads.

The CHI heads are good pieces but for the same money, a set of C302B
or Brodix BF300's are better heads due to the raised ports but require
specific intakes (like the CHI) and exhaust headers.

> Remember the complaints about the Clevelands were, as mentioned above,
> no mid range torque. Worse in a heavy car like a Mustang. Not enough
> engine for the airflow.

Grossly overstated, IMO. When built with properly matched components,
they work just fine on the street. You just find that most people that
build 351C's tend to go with cams, intakes and headers that are larger
than required for the application.

> The C3V's should put the mid range torque in the street driving range.

The mid range torque comes from the combination. At present, the CHI 3V
heads are only available with a very tall single plane intake. I have
the dyno sheets which say the CHI heads and intake combo made less torque
to around 4400 RPM than the same engine equippd with cast iron 4V heads
and a dual plane intake. Above that RPM, the CHI's pulled away.

> For a race motor, or a big stroker that will use the flow (Dart 9.2" deck
> block 4.125" bore x 4" crank = 427 ci) use the Blue Thunder aluminum heads.

Yes but don't be tempted to put them on a milder motor. They really are
race heads and need high flow rates to work well (very large bowl areas).
Also, the seats are quite soft (to be compatible with titanium valves)
and likely wouldn't last long on the street.

Dan Jones