Ardun OHV Conversion

[quickchange34]

I have the May and June issues of Rod and Custom 1971. I don't want to sell. I can make you copies. You are talking about Tom Senters article on the Ardun . I have built a couple of engines using the original ardun heads. I have one in my shop now I am doing that is going in a 39 convertible.They are more time consuming to built than the normal flathead.

[Alaska Jim]

Last time I checked , Don wanted about $17k for the conversion set. not sure what it is now. maybe the price came down.

[Fordors]

There was a Part III to Tom Senter's "Ardun White Paper", it was in Hot Rod Magazine's Street Rod Quarterly, Summer 1971. I think Rod & Custom was canned by Peterson Publishing before it could be run in R&C.

[glennpm]

Anyone have a scanned set of the three Tom Senter articles? I just looked through my old quarterly's and mags and don't have any of them unfortunately. They would make some interesting reading.

[JAKEFORD]

I wonder who buys those kits at $14,000?

This must not be their only product as I wouldn't think they sell too many.

[flatrod]

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Originally Posted by JAKEFORD

I wonder who buys those kits at $14,000?

This must not be their only product as I wouldn't think they sell too many.

I got my Ardun set up because the guy didn't want to put the money into the originals, so he bought the repos. People buy them!

[Ol' Ron]

The original Ardun heads didn't work very well for many reasons, but here are the most obvious ones. The heads use a cartridge fir spark pluh which requires a very longadvance curve for street operation, Valves and springs are too short, but this can be solved with early Chrysler Hemi valve train. This leads to valve guide problems, however this can be solved by using roller rockers or aftermarket small diameter valve guides and valves. The last problem is a decent intake manifold.
Ferguson has solved most of these problems. And we haven't even started on the camshafts.

[carguybill]

Originally Posted by Steve/IL

The latest reproduction of the Ardun Heads are available from the following:

Ardun Enterprises
Don Ferguson
P.O. Box 205
Wilmington, CA 90744
323-775-6803 Phone
310-834-9904 Fax

The Complete Ardun Conversion Kit is $14,950!!

Call Don to discuss details and ask for a brochure.

I saw the kit at the LA Roadster Show last year and was impressed.

Very professional done system!

Cool costs. How cool do you want to be?

[JAKEFORD]

There appears to be enough room from the flathead valve seats to the edge of the cylinder to get a combustion seal but there is no head bolt to maintain the clamping force in this area. Was this a problem?

[sunshine]

There is an article in v8 times sept. oct. 2010 about the use of ARDUN HEADS in the ALLARD SPORT CARS sunshine

[itslow]

Originally Posted by JAKEFORD

I wonder who buys those kits at $14,000?

This must not be their only product as I wouldn't think they sell too many

Hot rodders with deep pockets. There have actually been quite a few engines built with the reproduction heads.

[deucemac]

I have been to Fergie's shop many times over the years and looked at those heads. They are works of art. Don bought the patterns from Don Orosco and went from there. He owns Paramount Forge so it is not his main line of work. He also makes dedicated Ardun aluminum blocks and Ardun Heads that fit Chevy's too. I have a good friend in the SCTA and he has a complete Ardun for sale which holds records at Bonneville over 214mph. It is a drop in and run set up. He is asking $45,000. That is a whole lot of aluminum can refunds but it sure makes a WONDERFUL noise singing along at 200+! Here are a few shots at his shop Great eye candy!

[expavr]

Originally Posted by deucemac

I have been to Fergie's shop many times over the years and looked at those heads. They are works of art. Don bought the patterns from Don Orosco and went from there. He owns Paramount Forge so it is not his main line of work. He also makes dedicated Ardun aluminum blocks and Ardun Heads that fit Chevy's too. I have a good friend in the SCTA and he has a complete Ardun for sale which holds records at Bonneville over 214mph. It is a drop in and run set up. He is asking $45,000. That is a whole lot of aluminum can refunds but it sure makes a WONDERFUL noise singing along at 200+! Here are a few shots at his shop Great eye candy!

Not only great eye candy, but a product that shows serious engineering thought. Massive rocker arms. An aluminum block with what looks like a wet sleeve cylinder liner design. My hat's off to this guy.

[Krylon32]

If you wonder who's buying them, Go to Brizio's site and look at projects current and past. There are always a couple going together there.

[Mike in AZ]

I thought that they had an aluminum block also, so it's good to see the pics...saw them at L.A. Roadster show in '07??....great looking engine.....Mike

[ccsampson]

I read in Early Ford V-8 Times that Duntov developed the OHV set up for 337 CI engines to reduce the overheating problem in trucks due to the exhaust passages that pass through the cooling system inherent in the design of flathead engines.

[itslow]

Originally Posted by expavr

Not only great eye candy, but a product that shows serious engineering thought. Massive rocker arms. An aluminum block with what looks like a wet sleeve cylinder liner design. My hat's off to this guy.

That block isn't the aluminum block for the Ardun heads, and those heads with the covers off are the ones he's made for the SBC that look like Arduns. As an Ardun purist, the latter makes me want to vomit. The rocker arms are similar, though.

[Ronnieroadster]

Originally Posted by JAKEFORD

It's my understanding that the ARDUN conversion was originally developed for trucks and than applied to hot rods.
Can anyone elaborate on this and how long were the ARDUNS made?

The history as we know it to be fact.
As reported in a New York Times article in 1951 a revolutionary new truck engine using aircraft techniques has been developed by the ARDUN Mechanical Company located in NY, NY. The actual production was short lived the first prototype flathead conversion with the ARDUN heads was running on the dyno September of 1947.
The original ARDUN blueprints I have are dated December 1947. A letter I have in my collection dated June 1952 the now ARDUN Engine Company inc was located at 37 East 28th Street NY, NY the list price for the conversion was $490.00 shipment of a unit would take place within approximately two to three weeks after receipt of a deposit. Shortly after 1952 ARDUN was no more any conversion kits left unsold went to CT automotive in Cal and a few sets went to the Grancor company owned by the Granatelli brothers. Both CT and Grancor advertised kits for sale during the early fifty's.
Zora Arcus Duntov had the idea for the ARDUN heads but he did not do the design work the design was done by George Kudash during 1947. Georges work on the conversion including the V-8 sixty conversion has been documented in articles written by Bill Hodinott for the Bonniville Racing News.
George related that during the time the engine was on the dyno many people with suits visited to view the engine Zora was always trying to market the conversion for use on a wide scale. At the 1951 Watkins Glen road race Zora entered his J-2 Allard powered by an ARDUN that engine was latter sold to the founder of the Bean Bandits in California Mr Arnett. Its believed to be the first ARDUN conversion the Arnett family still owns that ARDUN.
In 1991 I had the pleasure of meeting Zora at Watkins Glen I asked Zora two questions first how many sets were made he told me 225 to 250 Next question did Chrysler copy the design his answer was yes.
Heres a photo I took of George Kudash at his drafting table with the ARDUN print he drew so long ago.

[Mike B]

Pretty cool Ronnie!!!

[JAKEFORD]

That is a very good report on the ARDUN history. I guess at the time the market wasn't there.