Has anyone out there ever tried what I believe was called "Extrude Hone" on
a TR6 head or any other? Its been some time since I read about it but at the
time it made great sense and the results looked great too. They forced some
sort of liquid alloy through the ports of a head at extreme pressure and the
result was a very good looking porting.
>From: "Jim Swarthout" <jswarth1@tampabay.rr.com>
>Reply-To: "Jim Swarthout" <jswarth1@tampabay.rr.com>
>To: "'SHANE Ingate'" <hottr6@hotmail.com>
>CC: <6pack@autox.team.net>
>Subject: RE: Alloy hemi x-flow head [was Next Project]
>Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 21:53:16 -0500
>
>Shane,
>
>Last fall we made a mold for a company that distributes kitchen cleaner
>to Dollar General and several other Dime store type chains. It was a
>simple blow mold for a plastic bottle. Alro metals did not have the
>correct size block needed. Not for immediate delivery anyway, (the
>customer needed a quick turn-around). We went to their "drop" facility
>and found blocks of an Aluminum called QC-7. It is high quality mold
>plate.
>
>Interesting stuff this QC-7, the more we worked with it, the more I was
>thinking billet cylinder head! We drilled a fairly deep large hole into
>the stuff dry on a Bridgeport. The drill didn't get hot, neither did the
>metal!
>
>I'm fairly certain that we could make the head complete for about
>$1800.00. The QC-7 would be about $600.00; the rest is just machine
>time.
>
>The problem is the peripheral equipment!, (A complete Rocker set-up,
>Header, intake, ignition...etc.) We do not, (at present), have the tube
>fabricating equipment to make headers! It would be easy enough to do.
>Tube bending machines aren't that expensive. There are others who
>manufacture stock replacement headers. I think our only market, (as far
>as the purchase of a tube bending machine), would be the special headers
>for our billet head. We have everything needed to make the intake set-up
>but you would still need carbs...and a fairly long list of other custom
>items to finish the install.
>
>I would guess that you would be looking at around 5K for a finished
>installation.
>
>I just don't know that very many owners would be willing to spend this
>kind of money? I know some would...but we would not be able to justify
>one or two sales a year.
>
>In terms of power, 180+ naturally aspirated would be conservative. As
>Robert Lang pointed out "you make power in the cylinder head"...the rest
>just has to hold together!
>
>Which brings us to the next consideration...would you spend 5K on the
>top end without building a bottom end with the best of everything? End
>result, a $15,000...8,000RPM...225HP, 2.5L six that has that Ferrari
>"sound". Now what about the rest of the Drive-train...?
>
>The next time we get a rainy day, and I'm sitting at the box wondering
>what to do next I'll gather all my CAD stuff for the head and create
>some renderings for the web site. If nothing else it's cool to look at!
>
>
>Best regards,
>
>Jim Swarthout
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
> Subject: Alloy hemi x-flow head [was Next Project]
>
>Jim,
>
>What is too expensive? I figure that the 20 extra horses and the saving
>in
>weight
>would be worth $3K for a fully-dressed hemi-head. Is that figure in the
>
>ball park?
>
>If is is a x-flow, figure another $1K for the custom exhaust and
>crank-fired
>ignition (have
>to lose the distributor).
>
>I think it would be an awesome challenge. I'm up for it. The MG and
>Healey
>guys lap up
>the alloy heads for their cars.
>
>Shane Ingate in Maryland
_________________________________________________________________
STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE*
|