Ardun Engine

Attending the Ty-Rods show a couple of years ago, pre-Covid. I never saw so many Ardun motors at one meet. Very impressive.
 
deuce lover said:
Willie Glass of SC who is no longer with us had like 5 Arduns.2 were NOS.He ran one in his Model A roadster at Bonneville and turned 206.That was back around 2007? He claimed to have owned one that was bought new by Dale Earnhart (sp?) but couldn't run it for reasons I have forgot. I had a set back in 2007 but on the valve covers it said made in England.I was selling it for a widow of a collector. They were run once on a motor then pulled off and put on a shelf.Had them on EBAY and that's how I met Willie.In those days you could get sellers contact info on EBAY.Killed the auction and sold them off line.To bad I didn't save the pics.
Click to expand...

I to was blessed to have met Willy Glass from Virginia. I also loved all over the Ardun heads he owned from here in Charlotte that he purchased from Pete Taylor. Pete purchased the heads at an auction of Speedy Thompson who owned them when supposedly Ralph Earnhardt raced them. I don’t believe Ralph purchased them new as Pete also had the original invoice and it was not Ralph. They we super low mileage and in stunning condition. Ray Everingham purchased all of Willys Ardun heads I believe. I know Ray had several for sale. Just my addition to history of a set of Ardun heads with history. If anything I have stated is not correct then the owners at the time told me details stated. Cheers. Unfortunately At the time I could not afford what Pete wanted for them. They also came with a fresh short block Pete had built and Pete knew his stuff.
 
Ronnieroadster said:
The reproduction that Don Orosco produced many years ago was a limited run EXACT duplicate of the original ARDUN head design. That run was less than 50 sets. The original design did not have multiple issues the only issue was when they were designed in 1947 and then produced was related to the lack upper valve train oiling {easily corrected by adding oilers} and the ignition systems during that time period were inadequate for the conversion to perform well. The original advertisements for the conversion claimed an additional 50 HP over the stock engine.
My vast experience running one of the highest mileage original ARDUNs ever is how I can claim the above as fact. Tim has asked to clarify how many a few actually is the answer is over 50 including the very first set ever run and tested which will be running in August at Bonneville once again.

Heres a good video of the inner workings of the ARDUN conversion enjoy click on this link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5kqa7W0Mfk

Ronnieroadster
Click to expand...


Ronnie, that video was very educating, thank you. One question, in the video, you didn't mention the need for beefed up main bearing caps. Is that something that is not used on all Arduns? I was fortunate to have known a gentleman here in Castro Valley, Doug King, (RIP) who went by the handle Ardun King. Doug made steel caps for his Arduns, and held several land speed records. Doug showed me around his shop, and did his best to educate me on his Arduns also.
 
ford38v8 said:
Ronnie, that video was very educating, thank you. One question, in the video, you didn't mention the need for beefed up main bearing caps. Is that something that is not used on all Arduns? I was fortunate to have known a gentleman here in Castro Valley, Doug King, (RIP) who went by the handle Ardun King. Doug made steel caps for his Arduns, and held several land speed records. Doug showed me around his shop, and did his best to educate me on his Arduns also.
Click to expand...


Your Welcome
Doug was a good friend I always used the steel main caps he made. For a street engine I always add a center main bearing cap support and also do the same for any modified flathead I build the Ford main bearing caps are actually pretty strong.
For our 229 MPH record setting ARDUN I actually have 5 main bearings that's a whole different story.
Ronnieroadster
 
Arotarius said:
200-250 made, that’s the number that keeps popping up online.
Click to expand...

TBH, don't trust any numbers anyone says were made. Anyone that truly knew is likely long dead - assuming the original Ardun company even kept accurate track in the first place.

That said, I suspect more than 250 were made - that would have only been 125 engines worth. There are still quite a few original engines running around, and I suspect many have been lost over the years (destroyed while racing, scrapped, etc).

Each original head has a unique number stamped in it, which one could assume is some sort of production sequence number. I've seen these numbers ranging from the 100s to the 900s.

Of the "early" design I've never seen one higher than 401, and of the "late" design I've never seen one lower than 402. The former head I've seen photos of and talked with its then-owner, and the latter is in my basement.
 
I'm fortunate to have had the pleasure to personally spend time with Zora Arcus Duntov at Watkins Glen at the one and only Ardun gathering held by the late Tom Turner in 1991. Having this opportunity I asked Zora a few questions. One question how many sets were made Zora's answer 225 to 250 now that's not single heads that's sets of heads.
Thus the reason so many original sets survived there was a good amount made and there's a good amount that the owners had poor results with and that just held onto them. Now 75 years after the original blue print date of 1947 original heads are still available. One reason being since the original owners for the most part are no longer with us. There heads have gone to a second owner and now at times a third or forth owner of the same set of heads. Then of course there's guys like me who has been using the same set for a very long time however even my high mileage set of heads Im the third owner of that set.
Ronnieroadster
 
Ronnie, and itslow, do either of you keep track of head numbers?

I had to look at the engine at the start of this thread as it looks just like mine before I got it, but I didn't get all the goodies with it. I am told Don Ferguson got the injection and the valve covers are wall hangers now. I still need valve covers if anybody has any extra.

I am the second owner of my heads. They are the later ones. My numbers stamped in are 1144 and 1146. Did they start numbers at 1000 or at 0001? The original owner said he bought them new in 1950. Being my numbers are so high, I always wonder just how many were made as well.
 
Itslow has a list of head numbers, and I know he would love anyone with original Arduns to contact him with their numbers.
 
The numbers from what I see were never sequential meaning if the first head cast was number 1 then from that point every one would be in numerical order. We know that's not the case. As it was explained to me once The Ardun Engine Co in New York City received an order for a set of heads a call was made to the foundry located in England to put a set together. That's where the serial numbers were stamped on the heads. Since the numbers are all over the place its obvious who ever stamped the numbers in England had free will to pick what ever number they pleased. That's the only logical answer to how the numbers vary so much with such a low production.

On a bit of a different subject but still Ardun
One of the original documents I have dated June 1952 is a letter answering questions from David Engman in East Acton Massachusetts. The letter is from the Ardun Engine Co listing the new address as Empire State Building 350 5th Ave. Answering David's question about price and installing the Ardun unit on a 1949 Mercury block. The cost was $490.00 but offering a dealer discounts of 25 and 15 percent. Shipment could take place within two to three weeks after receipt of the order. No doubt sent by air from England.
The last sentence from this letter I found interesting. Ardun units have been installed in 1934 Fords in California without any particular difficulty to the best of our knowledge.
No mention about garbage trucks.
Ronnieroadster
 
Ronnieroadster said:
The numbers from what I see were never sequential meaning if the first head cast was number 1 then from that point every one would be in numerical order. We know that's not the case. As it was explained to me once The Ardun Engine Co in New York City received an order for a set of heads a call was made to the foundry located in England to put a set together. That's where the serial numbers were stamped on the heads. Since the numbers are all over the place its obvious who ever stamped the numbers in England had free will to pick what ever number they pleased. That's the only logical answer to how the numbers vary so much with such a low production.

On a bit of a different subject but still Ardun
One of the original documents I have dated June 1952 is a letter answering questions from David Engman in East Acton Massachusetts. The letter is from the Ardun Engine Co listing the new address as Empire State Building 350 5th Ave. Answering David's question about price and installing the Ardun unit on a 1949 Mercury block. The cost was $490.00 but offering a dealer discounts of 25 and 15 percent. Shipment could take place within two to three weeks after receipt of the order. No doubt sent by air from England.
The last sentence from this letter I found interesting. Ardun units have been installed in 1934 Fords in California without any particular difficulty to the best of our knowledge.
No mention about garbage trucks.
Ronnieroadster
Click to expand...


Ronnie,

This is very interesting. So Ardun's can be mounted on both 21 & 24 stud blocks or would the engine installed in the '34's have to be 24 stud engines?

Thanks,

Tim
 
Went to see an acquaintances' motorcycle collection in NS in a place where you have to come out to hunt. Seriouly. Behold, there is an Ardun powered sprint car out of the 40s. Had never seen one in person before. The MC collection was over the top. Several Vincent Black Shadows lined up like Hondas! Bill.
 
So I spent Sunday afternoon babysitting a very nice collection of cars and petroliana at a museum not too far from my place. They were hosting a charity rod run and the curator asked me to help. While I was there I took a couple of photos of their Ardun collection. They also have another Ardun that was recently shipped over from Australia but has not yet been assembled for display.

Here is the red motor on the dyno. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIkH7eQxyus
 

Attachments

  • sign.jpg
    sign.jpg
    62.5 KB · Views: 70
  • head.jpg
    head.jpg
    40.8 KB · Views: 61
  • 85-95HP.jpg
    85-95HP.jpg
    61.6 KB · Views: 73
  • 60HP.jpg
    60HP.jpg
    49.6 KB · Views: 68
Last edited:
Bummer that the Schnell sedan was disassembled. Always liked seeing that car at Back to the Fifties.
 
That must be Rick's grocery getter. Wet sump with carbs.
His race car engine is supposed to be making over 800hp and it is a FLATHEAD.
 

Attachments

  • Rick Schnell grocery getter.jpg
    Rick Schnell grocery getter.jpg
    21.4 KB · Views: 69
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top