Thread: Faux Ardun Heads for SBC

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Another rodder and I are making up a few sets of fake Ardun heads to go on a SBC. Got them cast up in heavy, heat treated aluminum. Doing the machining on them now. What 'cha think of them??

Done UR.JPGCover off.JPG

Looks like you are doing a better job than the last fakes I remember seeing, go for it.

i admire your workmanship
but I have too ask WHY ????
I cringe when I see oldsmobile valve covers on a smblk chev.
full marks for thinking outside the square !!


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If you want to make something-think about making a flat head and a in block valve arrangement to create a flathead out of that sbc---valves could be operated rite off of tappets , intake in the valley---exhaust over to the outside is all that I haven't worked out-------

Looks nice from where I'm sitting and will be a heck of a lot cheaper than a real hemi.

Welcome to CHR! Like Sharpmark, I'm not much for "faux" on engines, as in my experience people lose interest very quickly once they realize they're being fooled. All that means is that I wouldn't be a potential customer, but I applaud your ingenuity and thinking outside the box, as Mark said.

Cool looking, the faux extensions on the heads make it look closer than others I have seen!

I'm with Sharpmark, I suppose there is a small market for these, but with the intake manifold, water pump, distributor location, etc. I don't think they would fool Ray Charles. Just my opinion.

Mick

Good idea, will try that next!

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

If you want to make something-think about making a flat head and a in block valve arrangement to create a flathead out of that sbc---valves could be operated rite off of tappets , intake in the valley---exhaust over to the outside is all that I haven't worked out-------

This idea has jetted through my brain maybe once a year ever since I was a kid. I considered welding up a prototype, but you know how life gets in the way of your projects.

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I little bit of logic would help make it more believable. Of course it won't fool an experienced motorhead.

A multi two barrel intake would help. Three deuces, or maybe something like the old Manafree four deuce model. I believe the flathead had three exhaust pipes per side, so some simple custom exhaust would help, or at least non-ramshorn factory manifolds with the single pipe per side.. Paint anything that you don't want noticed flat black or gloss black to hide it. And maybe you could distract from the details by doing the valve cover lettering in a light or bright color, along with some chrome air cleaners, and colored plug wires.

These things won't fool the experts, but you would be making the Chevy heritage less obvious.

I'm sure it would fool more people than some think. There are a lot of people looking under hoods at shows that have no business changing oil let alone building a hot rod.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

I'm sure it would fool more people than some think. There are a lot of people looking under hoods at shows that have no business changing oil let alone building a hot rod.

theres a lot of people over here exactly like that.
if your going to all the effort to make one of these setups and they look very well made - why not do one to suit a flathead
I bet that would get a better reception altho having said that - your probably only doing it for yourselves and full credit for thinking outside the square.

I really doubt if a complete flathead repop... even with the Ardun-style heads... would be accepted by builders used to more modern power.

I had a couple buddies in the late sixties who built flatties with all of the usual bells and whistles, and they could not even come close to the 327 smallblock Chevy power in my toys at the time!

I respect the basis that they made for hot rods of the fifties, but today they would only make good paperweights. You need to be able to run seventies on the freeway, and the imports would run all over you at stoplights. {:-(

I think you are right, but cool is just cool and that goes for a flatty, they are just cool old motors, the top of the heap being a Ardun motor, sure they might not be as powerful as a late model but cool factor is a lot of rodding. I would trade my blown small block for a less powerful blown Ardun motor anyday!! Just think at one point the cross fire fuel injection in the 80's vettes was the top dog, 30 years later its not much more than a paper weight but the flatty was cool and still is cool in my opinion, though its true I would want mine to be able to do highway speeds as well.