Kong flatheads

[ken-r-mer]

Have access to buying a set of unused Kong flatheads, but owner has no specs on the heads and have not been able to find specs, such as compression ratio, head CC, etc...

[tubman]

We'll need a little more information. Are these the original Kong heads or the reproductions now being made? If original, are they for single or dual plugs? Pictures of both sides of the heads would be helpful.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by ken-r-mer

Have access to buying a set of unused Kong flatheads, but owner has no specs on the heads and have not been able to find specs, such as compression ratio, head CC, etc...

Look like these?

[ken-r-mer]

Single plugs and the plug holes are in the center of the block, not high up as in your pic. I'm running a Tom Roberts (TR) blower setup with a pr of the new Stromberg (BIG) 97's, so ideally looking for CC's in the mid to upper 70's and the CR in the low 8's max. The block I have has a 4" crank, 3 5/16" bore, Isky 77B (mild) cam, beefed up main caps and the block is relived. My alternative is Navarro blower heads. The Kong's show no signs of wear, head bolt seats are pristine as well as the underside. My guess is newer production run, as no signs of aluminum oxidation.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by ken-r-mer

Single plugs and the plug holes are in the center of the block, not high up as in your pic. I'm running a Tom Roberts (TR) blower setup with a pr of the new Stromberg (BIG) 97's, so ideally looking for CC's in the mid to upper 70's and the CR in the low 8's max. The block I have has a 4" crank, 3 5/16" bore, Isky 77B (mild) cam, beefed up main caps and the block is relived. My alternative is Navarro blower heads. The Kong's show no signs of wear, head bolt seats are pristine as well as the underside. My guess is newer production run, as no signs of aluminum oxidation.

This?

[ken-r-mer]

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Yes, but unpolished. Looking at them 1st hand the water jackets seem bigger than either Edelbrocks or even Offenhausers. My theory, more water, cooler running. An extra 1/2 gallon of water running through the system, the better. Also in additional research, a comment was made of recommending domed pistons.

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by ken-r-mer

Single plugs and the plug holes are in the center of the block, not high up as in your pic. I'm running a Tom Roberts (TR) blower setup with a pr of the new Stromberg (BIG) 97's, so ideally looking for CC's in the mid to upper 70's and the CR in the low 8's max. The block I have has a 4" crank, 3 5/16" bore, Isky 77B (mild) cam, beefed up main caps and the block is relived. My alternative is Navarro blower heads. The Kong's show no signs of wear, head bolt seats are pristine as well as the underside. My guess is newer production run, as no signs of aluminum oxidation.

I have one of Tom Robert's intakes - would love to see your overall blower setup. Did you machine a plate for the blower to mount on the intake, or are you running one of the Eaton style blowers with maybe a cast top? I'd like to see the belt setup as well - if you don't mind.

Are you running a 4-71 . . . or? Also, you might want to think about a bit more aggressive cam - as the blower will tame the cam anyway and you could use some more duration and lift (as least I know I would). You could run a L100 or a Potvin 3/8 or an Isky 1007B . . . all three would be good with your setup.

And as Ronnie noted, I'm a BIG FAN of a Potvin 3/8 grind . . . one of the best flathead cams for the street (blown or unblown) that there is!

[ken-r-mer]

BORED & STROKED:Here are the pics, a TR Roberts Blower (6-7 psi) w/ a pr of Stromberg BIG 97's and Patriot lakester pipes on a mockup block next to the TV in the Family Rm. Mufflers can be installed inside the exhaust ends. There are also muffler tips that turn the exhaust down at a 45 degree.

For some reason I enjoy watching TV more.

That is the American Speed 33 fenderless Ford roadster (all steel) that I building except no hood or hood side panels and I'm using a '34 grille vs the '33 with the grill blacked out except for the trim ring. The carb bird scoops will be halfway above the front cowl.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by ken-r-mer

The TR Roberts Blower (6-7 psi) w/ a pr of Stromberg BIG 97's and Patriot lakester pipes on a mockup block next to the TV in the Family Rm. Mufflers can be installed inside the exhaust ends. There are also muffler tips that turn the exhaust down at a 45 degree.

For some reason I enjoy watching TV more.

That is the American Speed 33 fenderless Ford roadster (all steel) that I building except no hood or hood side panels and I'm using as '34 grille vs the '33 with the grill blacked out except for the trim ring. The bird scoops will be halfway above the front cowl.

[ken-r-mer]

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

I have one of Tom Robert's intakes - would love to see your overall blower setup. Did you machine a plate for the blower to mount on the intake, or are you running one of the Eaton style blowers with maybe a cast top? I'd like to see the belt setup as well - if you don't mind.

Are you running a 4-71 . . . or? Also, you might want to think about a bit more aggressive cam - as the blower will tame the cam anyway and you could use some more duration and lift (as least I know I would). You could run a L100 or a Potvin 3/8 or an Isky 1007B . . . all three would be good with your setup.

And as Ronnie noted, I'm a BIG FAN of a Potvin 3/8 grind . . . one of the best flathead cams for the street (blown or unblown) that there is!

From users: I read where a .400 lift (Isky 400jr) is a bit too lopy at stop and go traffic and a.364 lift (Isky Max-1) is a somewhat mild race cam. Just as Goldilocks found her porrige at the right temperature, a Schneider cam to the Potvin 3/8 specs (.375 lift) is almost right in between. An exact in-between would be a .382 lift

[Ziggster]

Weird. Never heard of Kong heads until this morning while watching a FB vid by H&H, and then come here to see a thread on them. lol!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14o...ibextid=wwXIfr

[KiWinUS]

Another Kong part. I will finish machining and fit to engine this week.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by KiWinUS

Another Kong part. I will finish machining and fit to engine this week.

[Bored&Stroked]

Unless you can show us the chambers - hard to comment on them. Just about ANY head can be made to work with a blower . . . it just takes some work on the transfer area, around the valves, etc.. You'll want a tight quench above the pistons, but the rest of the chamber can be opened up to drop the compression to what you're looking for.

[tubman]

I agree with B&S above. We need pictures of the combustion side. I have seen these with deep chambers (probably for "pop-up" pistons), while others appear to be more "conventional". It would make a huge difference. The deep chambers could have been an anomaly, but who knows?

[Bored&Stroked]

You might checkout the Edelbrock 1116 heads - they have the larger chambers. They may be temporarily out of stock, so check with Jegs/Summit and see if you can get them to lock-down on a date. You may want to call Edelbrock directly.

[tubman]

One thing I like about the Kong heads shown by the O/P is that they appears to have the spark plugs moved from over the exhaust valve (like Edmunds heads). This allows the use of extended tip plugs that I have found to be quite advantageous.

[ken-r-mer]

Tubman, The original location is between the 2 valves at the furthest point away from the cylinder. So yes the plug tip may clear the 2 valves.The later head plug location is closer to over the piston. I read somewhere, the closer the plug is to being over the piston the less advance needed.

[ken-r-mer]

Ahhh, perseverance in research does produce results. Found a paperback handbook by Aussie Mike Davidson called "Flathead Fever" (1995). In it, he was running KONG heads on his salt flats '29 'T'. He lists 2 head types .525 (stock) w/76.2cc. and his modified one. The advantage of the heads was the ability to machine material away, even with a blower setup. His machining allowed .600 valve clearance increasing cc to 78.6 and with machining over the pistons for domed units brought it to 89.2cc.
Soooo, since I don't want to spend $5,000+ on modified heads, as Mike, on top of the stock head costs, I whittled it down to Edelbrock 1116 and .425 Offenhauser heads. Since the vast majority run the $910 Edelbrock heads, I opted to spend an extra $600 for the Offy .425 heads as on the cover of Joe Abbins "Flathead Ford V-8 Performance Handbook". Hey, if it's good for "Joe", it's good for my blown street fenderless '34 Ford Roadster w/ lakester exterior side exhaust pipes (grunting like Tim Allen). In the overall costs of my build (my one and only ground up build - my vision, my car), $600 is practically (gulp) insignificant. Besides, I told my only heir, he'll have to wait for his money.
Thanks all for your input.

[ken-r-mer]

Check out the Tom Roberts website(TR Designs). The TR blower setup I have uses a Magnuson 112 blower (6-7 psi) on a TR designed manifold. Add to that a dual Stromberg to a quad adapter made by Vintage Speed, a pair of Stromberg BIG 97's (250 cfm each), and a set of Patriot Lakester exhaust pipes with the option of internal mufflers and turn down tips (no under car exhaust for my baby - out the side only). The tops of the bird mouth scoops rise above the body front cowl. It is currently sitting on a mockup block next to the family room tv. Total height of the setup from the bare block surface to the tops of the scoops is 23". I'll try to post a pic in the next few days. Luckily, I bought it just before covid saving myself a thousand or so.
As far as cams go, looking at the Isky Max-1 with a .364 lift. The 425 Offenhauser head + .080 thick copper head gasket (.050 compressed thickness) creates a safe .475 valve height clearance. My thinking is it allows the air flow for the exhaust to flow under and over the valve at the full height open position to get the air out from the full perimeter of the valve (just a theory).