Rutherford Head

[johnbuckley]

Can anyone provide evidence that cylinder heads by Slim Rutherford ( see pics) were produced pre 1931 (or pre any date for that matter!) perhaps a contemporary advert anywhere? or invoices ? or history?. Such dating evidence would re-inforce eligibily criteria required by our national Vintage Sports Car Club .

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

When I first saw the picture, I wondered if that was one of the reproduction heads made by Dick McKee up in Ohio. When I clicked on the first picture, I saw him same on the breather. We used to race with Dick in the AARA, -and on a recent Model-T tour, I asked a friend how Dick was doing, and he said Dick's memory is gone. He would have been the one to ask. Another place to check might be Speedy Bill's museum out in Nebraska.

Is this particular head still in an early Big Car?

 

[alexiskai]

Here's a 1938 reference. I looked for the ad on newspapers.com but couldn't find it. Melvin "Slim" Rutherford is noted as a racer in articles dated to 1937, but there's no mention of the head.
https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategori...cle_1317c6d6-fa5e-5959-b47b-fd4a39c9f4a8.html

 

[johnbuckley]

Here's a 1938 reference..
https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategori...cle_1317c6d6-fa5e-5959-b47b-fd4a39c9f4a8.html

Thanks Alexiska.. Do you think could you send a screen grab of the article as the site won't let me in being UK based. Thanks very much.

 

[Benson]

Says he put ad about the head in newspapers in 1938.

https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategori...cle_1317c6d6-fa5e-5959-b47b-fd4a39c9f4a8.html

Now all of the sudden the content is blocked

 

[alexiskai]

Thanks Alexiska.. Do you think could you send a screen grab of the article as the site won't let me in being UK based. Thanks very much.

PMed you the article contents

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

John, is your head aluminum or cast iron?

 

[nkaminar]

According to my wife, my head is solid rock.

 

[johnbuckley]

Ali or cast iron? not sure, I'll come back to you on that .. The owner is a fellow club member... . hopefully he'll come onto Fordbarn with better details. Thanks for sending the article Alexiskai ; gratefully recieved.

 

[johnbuckley]

here's a picture of the car some years ago.. looks rather smarter now but very much still Empy racer

 

[California Travieso]

According to my wife, my head is solid rock.

Wish this site had a “like” button!

 

[Y-Blockhead]

Wow, when I first looked at the rocker rail I thought it was from a Y-Block. Even the oil goes in the same shaft stand. I sure it's not but it sure caught my eye.

Couldn't find a stock setup but here is a picture of my roller rockers. The stocker have spring separating the rocker, just like your's.

 

[Jim Brierley]

I've always the Rutherford head was first produced in '43, as written on the valve cover. I also think the ones made by Slim were cast steel, not cast iron. Joe Gemsa cast quite a few later-on, these were aluminum, later still Don Ferguson cast a few more, also aluminum. Several racing heads weren't cast until the late 30's, Rutherford, Cook, 4-port McDowell, Fargo, etc., and possibly Morales. All were good performers! The first 4-port Riley's were produced in '33.

 

[johnbuckley]

according to an email received from Kem Robertson ".... McKee .. was a big help to me in my research effort when I started. The #43 on the valve cover is the pattern number, but there were several styles of these valve covers over the years. This one has “scolps” / “bulges”on the flat sides to make room for the cup system castings. "

 

[Jim Brierley]

Interesting, I didn't know that although I did know he did a few OHC conversions.

 

[Bick in New Zealand]

When I first saw the picture, I wondered if that was one of the reproduction heads made by Dick McKee up in Ohio.
There was one of Dick McKee's heads for sale on Ebay years ago. It was the best looking head I have seen, with a combination of rocker covers like a Riley and fins on the head.

 

[ModelA29]

What I have found out and I'm still chasing info for my head. Don Ferguson was said to have bought the patterns from Slim Rutherford and cast some. Joe Gemsa borrowed them and cast some more. Some were cast with a square block section added to use the stock distributor location. Rutherford used the same head casting for both his OHvalve and OHcam heads. I've found a guy in SoCal that has some castings and both OHV and OHC setups. Don Ferguson's son is said to have the patterns for the head, intake and valve cover. I think the complete engine is one of the McKee heads - it's flat on the exhaust side.
Charlie Yapp of Secrets of Speed Society did an article several years ago and is working on an update.
As a side note the head is said to be not a great street head. Designed as a race head to operate at higher RPM it's big ports don't like poking around at 1,500 rpm.