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Old 03-10-2018, 11:46 PM   #1
Paul Bennett
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Default Flathead City's new billett heads

Claims:
100% billet aluminum CNC machined
Water passages are 100% accessible for cleaning.
Heads fit 1939-1953 24 stud Flatheads. Water outlets are in the center of head for all including 49 to 53 flatheads.
Spark plug threads have been raised for Big Cam clearance at valve.
Extra high Fins allow for more air flowing over the Heads.
Heads hold more water for better cooling.
Tests show our heads lower engine temperature considerably.
Better combustion chamber design for maximum airflow. Will add horsepower to your engine.


So, anyone here had experience with these $2350/pr super heads?
Flathead City is a So.Oregon rebuilder who I'm considering.


Last edited by Paul Bennett; 03-11-2018 at 01:07 PM.
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Old 03-10-2018, 11:50 PM   #2
RalphM
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

For that kind of $ I’d choose a set of Navarro heads and save the leftovers for intake and carbs.
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Old 03-11-2018, 12:46 AM   #3
Paul Bennett
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Many of us don't make performance decisions based on insufficient funds.
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Old 03-11-2018, 12:54 AM   #4
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Some questions I have:
1. "Water passages accessible for cleaning". What's to clean? Wouldn't any sediment/whatever settle down into the block, or get pumped into the radiator and stay there(if too large to flow through the core)?
2. Are center outlet heads truly compatible with 49-53 blocks, or might there be hot spots?
3. "our heads lower engine temperature considerably". Is this necessarily a good thing? An engine running too cool does not completely vaporize fuel, which leads to oil dilution, ring/cylinder wear, and poor performance.
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Old 03-11-2018, 03:22 AM   #5
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Yowza , thats a mere $3226 NZ$ with our normal poor exchange rate .Hard decision to make .Ah an affirmative no here. Spending big bucks there wont make it perform noticeably better unless you have deep pockets and other very radical mods. May impress some folk though.
A well built clean flathead does not overheat (down under any way) in any conditions we can throw at them. Heck we have been stuck in barely moving traffic in mid summer in both our flatheads for maybe 7 or 8 miles and no issues, just frustration.
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Old 03-11-2018, 05:35 AM   #6
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

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Other than the 'Oooh and Aaaah' factor what can one expect by installing these 'magical' heads.
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Old 03-11-2018, 05:58 AM   #7
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

I wish you lived closer to me , I would hire you in a Heart beet. KEV
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Old 03-11-2018, 06:05 AM   #8
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Can anyone out there help me find freight for a 1934 BB truck pickup in Kansas to NJ. Please ! Thanks so much. KEV
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Old 03-11-2018, 06:52 AM   #9
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Nice looking heads but the billet look water outlets, takes away from the 50's nostalgia feel for me.
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Old 03-11-2018, 07:30 AM   #10
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

I know this isn't on topic, but here's one of my latest aluminum Thomas Model A heads that a guy polished some. With CAD design and CNC cut tooling all metal walls are .25 thick, except the deck and around the chambers. It sold for $400. I don't see the advantage to billet. I was actually planning to offer my own aluminum 24 and 21 stud heads eventually. I could also make them hold more water, so that is not an historic accomplishment. My pricing would be more around the $1200 range. The only advantages from manufacturing perspective in going with billet are -> no cost of tooling, no foundry issues, no heat treat, no impregnation. From a buyer's perspective -> no waiting for castings to get to my shop, cleaner look, slightly better metal, personal satisfaction, and perhaps other reasons.


The billet heads do look pretty nice.


I will delete this post if it is not wanted.


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Old 03-11-2018, 07:38 AM   #11
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

"Tests show our heads lower engine temperature considerably."
And what about the function of the thermostats?
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Old 03-11-2018, 08:00 AM   #12
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Very poor choice to have center water outlets. This interferes with 4 barrel carbs, alters best water flow characteristics, increases difficulty of maintaining and sealing thermostats, and puts the blower back on the shelf.
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Old 03-11-2018, 08:33 AM   #13
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

"Tod" - In my opinion, your post should be quite welcome here. The pictures of your Thomas head should convince any doubters that may still be out there of the level of your skill and commitment.

Plus, I needed something to divert my attention from a $2350 set of heads that may just be inferior to what's already out there.
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Old 03-11-2018, 09:28 AM   #14
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Billet two piece heads have been done before. Mostly by folks that don't want to cast any parts. It's another place to leak. Chamber shapes & spark plug placement are important too so I wonder that they look like. The 8BA was specifically designed for better cooling by placing the exits at the front and incorporating thermostats. The larger deck coolant ports at the back are part of that. To change any of that doesn't make much sense. To add any of it to the earlier prewar or post war 59 series heads doesn't make sense either. One type does not necessarily fit all well.
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Old 03-11-2018, 10:49 AM   #15
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

[QUOTE=Paul Bennett;1603588]Claims:
100% billet aluminum CNC machined
Extra high Fins allow for more air flowing over the Heads.
Heads hold more water for better cooling.[QUOTE]

Barney always claimed that more water in the head, simply meant more hot water. The key he said is where the water flows, and carries heat away from the chambers.

Higher fins, of course should increase cooling. Given the style and weight of your ride, I can see where you might want to 'stack the deck' for a better ride.

Someone with Flathead City personal experience is bound show up.

Good Luck
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Old 03-11-2018, 11:00 AM   #16
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

To me a 2 piece bolted togetter design is always more flexible then a solid cast head...
So making a 2 piece head to avoid pattern making and casting cutting costs ended up being more expensive then the real deal...as i see it.
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Old 03-11-2018, 11:14 AM   #17
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Somebody is going to lose tons of money on this venture. I would go Navarro or Edelbrock for sure but for now the stock heads are fine.
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Old 03-11-2018, 11:17 AM   #18
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Mike Davason already makes a very good set of heads at half the price. In my quest to find the "Holy Grail" of port flow. I find the cylinder head is part of the intake port with a valve in it. I made many different combustion chambers in old alum heads and wooden "Planks" To find the best flow. Unfortunately the best flowing heads have low compression.One shape is a wedge chamber and piston like the old 409 Chebbys. The location of the spark plug is another issue. Originality it was placed in the exhaust flow area to keep clean and has never changed except for the Edmonds heads and some special heads. Right now I think the best location is in the transfer area and at the same angle. This would create a shorter flame front and with a power tip plug more complete combustion for better r fuel mileage. Just about everything you do to these engines is a comprise, but you should be able to have good performance and economy as well
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Old 03-11-2018, 12:10 PM   #19
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

$2350.... adding a turbo to a flat motor would be better/probably cheaper too.


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Old 03-11-2018, 12:19 PM   #20
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Here's an 8BA with a Holley 390 with original MCF heads that were made for running without a thermostat. Holley is bolted on backwards and sitting on a 1 in. spacer so original 40 linkage can work. Running fine since '99.
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Old 03-11-2018, 12:38 PM   #21
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Ugly looking things; beside being billet, the access covers on the sides and pipe plugs on the ends sure don't help in the looks dept.
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Old 03-11-2018, 12:45 PM   #22
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Quote:
Originally Posted by JWL View Post
Very poor choice to have center water outlets. This interferes with 4 barrel carbs, alters best water flow characteristics, increases difficulty of maintaining and sealing thermostats, and puts the blower back on the shelf.
I looked at the website and the heads, seems you can get them for blower set up but it’s $pecial order. IMO there are better heads and performance mods that could be done to a flathead. But if you like them for the looks, after all the chrome acorns on my merc flatty don’t make it any faster.
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Old 03-11-2018, 01:26 PM   #23
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Quote:
Originally Posted by rich b View Post
Ugly looking things; beside being billet, the access covers on the sides and pipe plugs on the ends sure don't help in the looks dept.
And if there weren't any pipe plugs, where would you put all the temperature senders?

Last edited by 36rgtop; 03-11-2018 at 05:09 PM.
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Old 03-11-2018, 04:00 PM   #24
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Tsk tsk.
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Old 03-11-2018, 04:34 PM   #25
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

Taking a look at them on their site reveals that they seem to be a drilled through design instead of two piece. The plugs in the ends and the caps on the edges are where the drilling and relieving was going on. The others I've seen had a separate top from bottom to allow for coolant over the top of the combustion chamber. These may not have that. Coolant flow appears to go around the chambers only. Flow would likely favor a top center design but this isn't the way the 8BA was supposed to flow. They are definitely different.
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Old 03-11-2018, 08:51 PM   #26
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

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Quote:
Originally Posted by 36rgtop View Post
And if there weren't any pipe plugs, where would you put all the temperature senders?
Guess I'd put them in the water outlets.
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Old 03-12-2018, 05:16 AM   #27
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Default Re: Flathead City's new billett heads

I applaud any new developments for the Flathead Ford. I like those machined chambers that are probably far more equal in volume to a cast cylinder head.

They give the Flatty a little bit of a different look which is great because variety is the spice of life.

Additionally I’ll bet those can be had with unmachined combustion chambers for the racer that want to put in his or her own design.
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