New Arduns for SBC

Kind of makes me think of the guy who makes SBC-based OHV head conversions for Ford 4 bangers.

Someone asked why? Two possible answers: 1) Because he can 2) Because he wanted to.

There is a lid for every pot. Someone will buy these for sure.
 
Tim Ayers said:
Kind of makes me think of the guy who makes SBC-based OHV head conversions for Ford 4 bangers.

Someone asked why? Two possible answers: 1) Because he can 2) Because he wanted to.
QUOTE]

Most likely reason for the SBC head on a Ford 4-banger is because many different Chevy heads breathe and flow so well, even in stock form. Quite a few "roundy-round" racers in years past did same conversion on CHEVY II four cylinder blocks for that reason. DD
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The original guy that developed the hemi heads for the SBC was Leo Lyons and the purpose was for fuel racing. Sure, they could be adapted to street use but I doubt he cared. Nitromethane will certainly work in any engine but to get the most bang for the buck a hemi combustion chamber is used. The wedge chamber as in a typical OHV engine designed in the '50's-'60's sounds "mean" at idle on nitro. The tight chamber just makes the most noise, there is a difference even between the early 392 Hemi compared to the late 426 Hemi with it's larger chamber. While the wedge sounds great the quench area is it's downfall making it prone to detonation with high nitro loads. Leo wanted to run the can and the label too. It was Don Ferguson that added the Ardun style cover rather than the original Lyons logo covers. Plenty of similarities (plagiarism?) between the Ardun and original 331 hemi but nobody calls the Chrysler an Ardun.
I suppose there are Bonneville classes for the heads, but I agree with Bubba's comment about spending money just for the look if that is what you're after.
 
V8COOPMAN said:
Tim Ayers said:
Kind of makes me think of the guy who makes SBC-based OHV head conversions for Ford 4 bangers.

Someone asked why? Two possible answers: 1) Because he can 2) Because he wanted to.
QUOTE]

Most likely reason for the SBC head on a Ford 4-banger is because many different Chevy heads breathe and flow so well, even in stock form. Quite a few "roundy-round" racers in years past did same conversion on CHEVY II four cylinder blocks for that reason. DD
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Agreed. I wasn't saying the SBC head on a 4 banger as a knock, just kind of got me thinking of how ever since there have been cars, guys and gals have been trying to make them go faster.
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I understand, Tim. I was just noting that there is actually a beneficial and relistic reason for YOUR scenario, whereas (for the most part), it seems like the MAJORITY of potential candidates for THIS Ardun (Chevy block) set-up would be contemplating the "gee-whiz...look what I got" factor, in stead of the already-endless performance potential available from the SBC. DD
 
bugsiegel said:
Questions:
I'm not an engine guy at all, barely a change a tire guy.
I understand that our Flatheads suffer from lack of breathability and that the Ardun setup changed that ( possibly by relocating the breathing portion of the engine to the new heads...). Please correct me if I'm wrong or add to this description.
What is the point of an Ardun setup for SBC. Aren't those blocks very capable blocks already? Is this just another way to make those blocks deliver or are they reaching for even more out of a SBC?[

Hey Bugs: Its been a long time, early 50's...I was in a shop where an Arden was being worked on, "it was look but don't touch" and don't tell anyone .... Your more than half right, the other biggie is cooling, I'm sure I remember the exhaust port in the flathead were used as water returns from the radiator ??
sounds odd but as I remember it, It would sure cool the engine that way ?? and with the intake valve out of the way room for the push rod to pass through, and longer rockerarms open valve much wider, so it could breath.
I remember it sounded like a big bore overhead valve, like Olds or hemi ??
don't .:confused:..Quote me its all ????? ...:cool:.OLD.....BILL:cool:
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Deucemac--thanks for the update with great pics, kudos to Don also. Quite an $$$$$ undertaking. RPM
 
Is it lost on anyone that Zora Arkus-Duntov is considered the "father" of the Corvette and designed some of the best early flat-tappet factory cams for the SBC?

I suppose the guys with the bow-tie can claim "some" heritage at least....something a little more glamorous than garbage trucks. ;)

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have an Ardun flathead, but short of me winning the lottery, that isn't going to happen anytime soon. If someone wants to reproduce them for our flatheads, like Ferguson, I think that's great and the improvements are good too (it's not original, so why not make it better?). If someone wants to make these adaptations for other engines - again, why not? As mentioned, it doesn't detract from the originals in any way, shape, or form at all. This isn't like the fake valve covers we saw years ago, at least.
 
Seems like you can hardly improve on the Chevy engine....I don't see an advantage.

You sure can wake up a T engine tho with Chevy parts!!!
 
What most people don't realize is Mr Duntov had very little tod withthe design of the Arduns. Can't think of the guys name just now,but somebody will. I bought a running Ardun for 300 bucks in 58
 
I think Mr Kudasch passed away just a few years ago. He drew the prints for the Arduns and then went on to work for a helicopter company. He never looked back and was quite surprised a few years ago about all the fuss over those heads designed in the 40's. Did any of you get an autographed set of his Ardun prints for sale a couple years back? I think they were half scale.
 
Arduns were a really cool accessory for the flathead... Now it seems like the flathead is an afterthought in the face of the Ardun mystique.

I have to admit, I also find it a little confusing. Not knocking the work or the performance, though.

I'm sure for similar money I could have an all aluminum Cammer. I mean, you're throwing the rule-book out the window anyway, right?
 
RPM said:
I think Mr Kudasch passed away just a few years ago. He drew the prints for the Arduns and then went on to work for a helicopter company. He never looked back and was quite surprised a few years ago about all the fuss over those heads designed in the 40's. Did any of you get an autographed set of his Ardun prints for sale a couple years back? I think they were half scale.
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Geroge was given the job of designing the Ardun heads by Zora who hired Geroge in the summer of 1947. By September of 1947 the first Ardun convesion was running on the dyno in New York City at the Ardun mechanical company.
Jay Fitzhugh a senior contributing writter for the Rodders Journal wrote a feature about the Ardun during his reserch for the feature in the Journal he discovered George Kudash. Jay told me about Geroge who lived less than twenty miles form my home in Milford CT.
After contacting George I along with my wife drove our Ardun powered Deuce roadster to Georges home. George had no idea that the Ardun conversion meant anything to anyone the conversion was the only auto related design he ever did. Eventually after leaving Ardun George went to work at Sikorsky Aircraft designing various components. He had a number of pattents in his name for aircraft systems. When we arrived at his home in our roadster he was seeing the Ardun for the frist time in over sixty years.
I visited with George many times after that first meeting we spent many hours talking about his time working for Zora as well as his design of the V-8 Sixty Ardun heads. He told me Zora driving the company car powered by the first Ardun street raced a Long Island cop just hearing the storys was amazing.
George was also interviewed by Bill Hoddinott who published the article about the Ardun and Geroges history in the Bonneville Racing News.
This is the picture I took of George sitting at his drafting table signing one of his original full size blueprints of the Ardun.
Ronnieroadster
 

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Ronnieroadster- What a wonderful story!! Thankyou. I would love to get a set of those signed prints. Are you the fellow who was selling them several years back? RPM
 
RPM said:
Ronnieroadster- What a wonderful story!! Thankyou. I would love to get a set of those signed prints. Are you the fellow who was selling them several years back? RPM
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Hi RPM
Its been my pleasure to help set the record straight about the Ardun conversion. Having had the pleasure to meet with Zora in 1991 to talk about the Ardun conversion and then meeting George I feel very fortunate to have asked them both what I felt were some very important questions.
The signed full size prints was something I did with George. Besides the head print there's another that shows the original valve train design I do have a few sets left. You can send me a PM for information.
Heres a picture of Zora and I talking about the Ardun in my roadster he was a very interesting man.
Ronnieroadster
 

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Here is the way that I feel about it.....if one wants to be a flathead fan then use this site. If one wants to put an eggbeater in a model A....go for it. Innovation is what rules the world. Some people still use a rotary phone....I like a cell phone.:)
 
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