Many of you may have seen the urgent broadcast I posted a couple of weeks ago in the Classified section for a set of aluminum heads. 'Brokengate' (Ted) responded and sold me a set of early castings (079) ---thanks again, Ted.  These heads will be used to replace the original heads modified by ace hot rodder, Doane Spencer (most well known for his iconic '32 roadster), in his 1955 Thunderbird which achieved 149.58 mph at Bonneville in 1961.  After a highway accident, parts from the original Tbird were used by Spencer on a donor car to replicate his original car.  The ECL heads had extreme modifications made by Spencer--the heads were ported to an inch of the lives, valve size and position were changed, pushrod location changed, rocker arm spacers custom made, water circulation moved to the top of the heads with custom fab'd transfer tubes, highly modified aluminum dual 4 barrel intake was used, a self ground radical camshaft was installed, the compression ratio was north of 11.5 to 1.  After years of driving on the street, and at least two re-welds, the area around the valve seats could not be successfully repaired---several areas leaked water.  Mummert aluminum heads were chosen to replace the original heads.  Tony Oddo, Jr of TOE Performance, Suisun City, CA is rebuilding the engine with the new aluminum heads to mimic the Ford cast iron units.  The photos below show the transformation:

Thanks for sharing that. I know that car has been a point of interest here. It's always nice to see a piece of history being maintained and used.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

That is awesome.



Lawrenceville, GA

Impressive.

Hi, could you post pictures of the work done on the old heads? (chamber, ports)

Thanks Cliff

Great work in making those aluminum heads look like the early heads.  Fifty plus years from now that will be a real head scratcher in trying to figure out where those heads came from.
 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Aha! the plot thickens!! Neat! Do you have the original car or is it going to be a re-creation. Interesting project. Maybe contact Mummert and see if he or Geoff could flow one of the heads to see how well they worked. That would be a subject that would interest everybody!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Pegleg/Frank/Rebop

The Thunderbird/engine combo these heads are being prepared for is the second car.........or recreation as you stated.  The other car which carries the original VIN has a 90's spec SVO C302b headed motor and a Spencer built tube frame with a Valley Customs inspired nose.  I'll attach a photo of  that car.

As soon as I can, I will have Tony Jr take some photos of the original heads.

If we have the opportunity to flow the original set.....I'm suspecting the as cast aluminum heads will outflow the ported cast units......but that's just a guess.  The original Spencer configuration had 11.5-1 compression and needed good fuel to run.  I don't have dyno numbers with that piston.  Upon purchase, new custom JE pistons that matched the dome of the original Arias pistons were installed with relief's to lower the compression to approx. 10-1.  In this configuration the motor with the ported cast head put out 350 HP. 



The car pictured is NOT the car the Mummert heads are going into:

Just a point of clarification......this car and motor (the one the Mummert heads are going into) were both built by Doane Spencer....it just does not carry the original VIN.  It's a Spencer built car

Gary