Baby's getting new heads !

New heads just arrived at the shop! I just want to go pet them...

what are the heads for?I never have seen a set like them. Lee

Those head(s) are different indeed. Looks like a single casting that will fit either bank and plug the unused water outlet? I guess they changed the spark plug location for symmetry as they are now located above the intake valves. Yes, tell us more and who manufactured these?

Those head(s) are different indeed. Looks like a single casting that will fit either bank and plug the unused water outlet? I guess they changed the spark plug location for symmetry as they are now located above the intake valves. Yes, tell us more and who manufactured these?

Well therein lies a story...

I was trying to track down a set of finned heads to match the finned dual carb intake I had Empire Motors from El Paso TX make as I did not have the intestinal fortitude to deal with them for their heads. Their intake is a thing of beauty with quality casting and very nice machining but the process of getting it wore me out. So, I was off to find heads from somewhere else. In looking I found an article (http://www.enginelabs.com/news/hot-rod-lincoln-hh-flatheads-v-12-lincoln-engines/) on H&H which had a picture of an engine with these heads on it - they looked very nice and I noticed that they had HOGAN N Z cast into them - great a manufacturer! A little digging and I found info on the web that the heads were made in the '60's & 70's for marine and racing use by Garth Hogan (http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/279880/dragster-racing-spotlight) in New Zealand. Some poking about on the HAMB and I got some very dated info on Garth Hogan and then tracked him down via a page on Aero-Racing - I suppose that after you become the first guy in NZ to break 200MPH - planes are the next logical step. I popped off an email with little hope of success and went on about my business. I was astonished when Garth wrote me back and put me in touch with a friend of his Tom Lieb at Scat Enterprises (http://scatenterprises.com). Apparently, Garth had pulled out the molds and had 36 sets of heads made a while back and Tom had what appears to be the last 2 sets around - I pounced on them and ordered a set. The 2 outlets allow for hooking up a return manifold so that water flows from both ends of the head to allow for better uniform cooling.

I will post pics of the build - the current heads with Zephyr Scripts are going to Fatcat...

Wish me luck...

thanks for the information. They sure are different. Lee

They look good!

I took a picture of the combustion chambers of the stock 39 head and the new heads. Quite interesting, I wonder how the chamber shape or change in plug location will affect the performance.

I see that the new head(s) have some of the water passages increased in size, perhaps because the heads are interchangeable (side to side) or enhance the cooling especially if higher volume (Skips) pumps are used? A temperature check (fore and aft) after you get it running might be in order?

I have a pair of Skip's pumps waiting to go on the engine as well. We will need to make a set of water return manifolds out of stainless to get water to the radiator.

Here is a pic of Garth's set of returns and an engine in the shop with a 3 carb setup. Note the distributors on the unbuilt engine...

H&H flatheads lists them in their catalog, claims they are from Australia. I like your source better.

Abe

H&H flatheads lists them in their catalog, claims they are from Australia. I like your source better.

Abe

I found out from Garth that the distributor set up is one of two that his father made for running dual distributors on flathead 8's and that he adapted it to allow for running two 6-cyl dizzys on the 12. He does not know where the other is...sure looks cool!

There's more. This came at a good time for me. I e-mailed SCAT and was told they had one pair. So I called, and the fellow answering said they had several. Casting is a not very smooth, so probably won't polish other than the fins. I need to fabricate connections to radiator hoses, temp gauge, heater, etc.

Abe

There's more. This came at a good time for me. I e-mailed SCAT and was told they had one pair. So I called, and the fellow answering said they had several. Casting is a not very smooth, so probably won't polish other than the fins. I need to fabricate connections to radiator hoses, temp gauge, heater, etc.

Abe

Cool! I am planning on just polishing the tops of the fins as the rough surface of the casting actually increases surface area and allows the fins to cool better. My 39's engine is in line behind my 368 for my Mark II so I will be awhile for the install.

Thanks for the info. I just contacted scat to get a price, they would look great on my 48 conv coupe. I have read articles about these heads a long time ago and if they are the same they are high compression heads that will give you a lot better cooling and a little more hp.

I was thinking I'd mill the heads for a bit more compression, but after I set on engine with some silly pudy on the Egge pistons and found basically just the clearance of the head gasket, I decided to install as out of the box. How much torque for aluminum heads? The heads are thinker on the bottom than the cast iron heads, so you need new, longer studs for the bottom row.

Abe

On 5/7/2014 at 1:20 PM, 65Starfire said:

Well therein lies a story...

I was trying to track down a set of finned heads to match the finned dual carb intake I had Empire Motors from El Paso TX make as I did not have the intestinal fortitude to deal with them for their heads. Their intake is a thing of beauty with quality casting and very nice machining but the process of getting it wore me out. So, I was off to find heads from somewhere else. In looking I found an article (http://www.enginelabs.com/news/hot-rod-lincoln-hh-flatheads-v-12-lincoln-engines/) on H&H which had a picture of an engine with these heads on it - they looked very nice and I noticed that they had HOGAN N Z cast into them - great a manufacturer! A little digging and I found info on the web that the heads were made in the '60's & 70's for marine and racing use by Garth Hogan (http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/279880/dragster-racing-spotlight) in New Zealand. Some poking about on the HAMB and I got some very dated info on Garth Hogan and then tracked him down via a page on Aero-Racing - I suppose that after you become the first guy in NZ to break 200MPH - planes are the next logical step. I popped off an email with little hope of success and went on about my business. I was astonished when Garth wrote me back and put me in touch with a friend of his Tom Lieb at Scat Enterprises (http://scatenterprises.com). Apparently, Garth had pulled out the molds and had 36 sets of heads made a while back and Tom had what appears to be the last 2 sets around - I pounced on them and ordered a set. The 2 outlets allow for hooking up a return manifold so that water flows from both ends of the head to allow for better uniform cooling.

I will post pics of the build - the current heads with Zephyr Scripts are going to Fatcat...

Wish me luck...

Empire Motors of El Paso TZ has a long history of fraud. Constantly in in court for a couple of decades now. He took me for $6000. Very smooth talking con artist.