Re: [FWDLK] FIRST HEMI HEADS

[Curtis French <cmf392@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Ardun hemi heads were originally conceived around 1947 to fix a chronic
overheating problem in Ford flathead V-8 motors used in trucks (exhaust on
flathead Fords ran between the cylinders to exit the block).  For the 49
model year, Fomoco began offering trucks with a much larger flathead V-8
which also was used in the 49 Lincolns.  So Zora and Yura Arkus-Duntov
decided to build and market their heads in England for Ford-powered Allard
sports cars.  Around 250 sets were cast before the kits basically became
outdated by the introduction of OHV V-8's.  California hot rodders got hold
of some of the kits and reworked them for use as a hot rod motor, by using
cut-down Chrysler hemi valves and Lincoln or Olds valve springs, among other
things.  Never were very many, but they could make lots of power.
Underneath, of course, was a flathead Ford bottom end with only three main
bearings, which was the real limiting factor on ultimate power.  Nowhere
near as durable a motor as a Chrysler hemi.

Curtis

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Homstade" <dhomstad@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2003 12:12 AM
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] FIRST HEMI HEADS


> Ron,
>
> Ardun heads were used on flathead Fords to convert them to
> a hemi. As I remember, they were introduced at the height
> of the flathead Ford hot rod period in the early 50s.
> After the 1951 Chrysler. Chrysler experimented with hemi
> head designs during WW2 and continued to develop them for
> passenger car applications in the late 40s.
>
> Dave Homstad
> 56 Dodge D500
>
> On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 23:53:48 EDT
>   Ron Allyn Swartley <Archangel1390@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >
> >Dave the name of the first Hemi Heads were called "ARDUN"
> >I think they were
> >named after the guy that invented them?
> >
> >                                               Ron
> >56 Fury Stock
> >56 Fury 392 Hemi
> >58 Fury 350
> >70 Superbird
> >65 Dart GT
>
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> NAME="Signature" ROWS="4" COLS="60">
>
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