SR & SOHC FRONTY Head INFO

Roadster62

Roadster62

Well-known member
Did anyone else look at the FRONTY HEAD at Hershey? Something odd looking about it to me. The head casting was very narrow compaired to a standard T or S Fronty head. Do you think it was a Single Over Head Cam head with all the front gear drive and cam, cups and cover missing? Wish I took a photo of it.
 
The top of an SR is not full width as are other OHV heads. On the rocker arm versions, the rocker cover hangs off of the right side of the head and the pushrods are exposed. Since they used the same style rockers and stands from the T, R and S heads on the SRs, you will notice a 4 small pads protruding from the exhaust side top surface of the head casting to provide support for the rocker stands. I hope this answers your question- what you saw was not strange- thats the way they are.
Dan
 
Thanks Dan! The rockers only had one bolt, so I guess the pads you mentioned for the two side by side bolts were missing or in a box with extra parts. The exhaust header doesn't have any clamps on the two outer ports does it? If the rocker cover doesn't cover everything how was dirt kept out of all the valve gear? First time I've ever seen an SR, and there are any photos in the original catalogs of the exhaust side.
 
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Fronty rocker stands are only held on with 1 bolt- the two holes you see are guides for the push rods and hang over the side of the head- the rockers do not have adj. screws- the 2 rocker stand holes guide the upper end of the pushrod and keep the pushrod on the rocker arm. The upper pushrod end is adjustable- you can see the pushrods in the third picture laying on the intake manifold. You are correct- there was nothing to keep the dirt out! It's pretty simple to make a thin plate to go between the head and the rockers to seal up that area.

The exhaust header was held in place by the flange on the center pipe only, and held the other two tubes in counterbores in the exhaust ports. Dan
 
After all these years, about 45, this is the first SR Fronty I've seen, and the design is a bit of a let down. I would think a BB RAJO, or ROOF Liberty 8 would be a better head back in the day, or side by side in a race today. This IS NOT ment to knock the item for sale, just a comment on the design.
 
SR- decent size valves, good ports, twin spark lotsa compression.

BB- all the above plus fragile seats due to the bigger intake except no compression.

BBR- all the above plus fragile seats due to the bigger intake. Roller bearing rockers on some. lotsa compression. Every bit the runner against a rocker arm SR.

Roof- good street head, no compression, terriible intake ports and fragile chamber roof due to no support around top side of intake seats. Can be made to run pretty well in spite of design issues.

Just my opinion and not worth much.

Dan
 
Thanks Dan, can you think of any reason the SR Fronty removed all the cooling area with the narrowed head? The right side just looks "unfinished" to me, open area with a rocker cover that doesn't cover everything and a header that only atched in the center port. Is this the same head casting used with the SOHC setup? Thanks, Bob
 
Bob, that SR belongs to my Dad. To bad you didn't talk to him while you where at his space. He is about as knowledgable as they come when it comes to racing stuff. The SR is a straight up racing head. With the exposed push rods in makes it impossible to pump oil to the rockers like you can with an S or an R head. So they don't work well with T speedsters. Never seen anything written on why it was cast that way but certainly form follows function. You match that head up with a built bottom end and you have a very potent and reliable set up. As a side note, the package didn't sell. People wanted to piece it out and he didn't want to. Kind of like splitting up a family. Cheers. Jim
 
Hello Jim, Welcome to The Ford Barn. That was the very first SR Fronty I've ever seen, glad all the parts are still a package deal for someone. Bob
 
Thanks for the welcome Bob. You don't see to many, that is for sure. If your back at Hershey next year, make sure you introduce yourself. We always seem to come up with something fun to sell. Jim
 
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