Rocker assemblies are done at Jesel. The head is on its way back to the machine shop to add any changes Jesel had to do to make the rocker assemblies. Guy thanks for posting the pictures. I'll have more pictures after Monday. Intake is designed and Ken is working on that out west. I'll get pictures posted when we have them.
Are the ex guides a different material? I like that combustion chamber, it looks like the charge should swirl into and fill the cylinder quite nicely.
Our first set does have different materials. We will install seats, guides,valves etc. to the customer specifications or our recommendation. Looks like heads and associated parts are complete with water and rocker modifications. We will now be working on intake manifolds.
Those holes were added last week Mike. Heads had to go back to the manufacturer for drilling for water and rockers, and at that time the extra head bolt holes were drilled and tapped in the heads. Plenty of material for that, no problem. Two pairs are now being shipped to me for evaluation, valvetrain study, flow testing and eventual dyno testing on a NA 555ci motor for a board member here. Looking forward to that later this spring/early summer. Ken is developing the intake manifold now, stud kits have been procured from ARP and are on the way, Billet valve covers are in the works. We are all very excited. JW
Do you think we may see the TA Wagon sporting a pair? I know I have seen that super cat logo before , I have an article in print that I got way back when I bought some parts from KB, A guy was porting a wildcat intake and a cool runner , was that tated on someone's arm ? And is that someone involved in these heads? Or is the wildcat now the super cat. Well not super cat but now it's 2 letters and a cat .
Anson, I don't think so, although I have been working with Ken's machine shop on machining locations so Ken's heads fit the TA aluminum block. As to why they wont see under the hood of the wagon is our new canted valve head is moving along well. Most all the pattern work is finished. Tom has pulled a core stick from the water jacket box already. I have some pictures, waiting for some better ones to post. Our head is a clean sheet of paper as many of you asked for. We have designed it so it should fit a stock iron block, TA std aluminum block, TA raised cam block, TA low deck block raised cam and a TA high deck raised cam block. Valve train has been designed at this point as well. First 350 head is machined, but we know now there is some minor changes to the tooling needed before a production run.
Ohhhhhhh Mann, canted valve means big ole valve covers!!!! Something else to add to the wish list.... Mike are there any Tall deck race blocks out there? A 732 with 3 guns would be all kinds of awesome
I guess its time for an update! These new billet heads are done and are on their way. The rockers from Jessel are done and we have them. The new header flanges are done, they will accept 2 3/8" to 2- 1/2" headers, the intake plates are done! We will be working on the intake as soon as a set arrives here. I don't have the valve covers in my hands but they should be done also. Two sets of heads will go to Jim Weise. All our heads will have water passages for strip only use. They will fit on any BBB block with valve placement adjustment. When John gets a set we can see how they fit on the old nail head blocks??? These are racing parts for the hard core Buick racer. We have flow numbers well over 500 cfm and we haven't even ported a set yet. They are bigger than most will need and in the next run we will make some available with smaller valves. We all don't want to run in the 5's!
Hugger, I really don't want to jack Kenny's thread here but I will answer your question, there are no tall deck raised cam blocks running but I do have one in stock. Deck height is 11.700", raised 54mm cam, .904" lifter, 3.0 main. I have a Jesel belt drive in stock for it.
AT this time Jesel may have them in stock but until they give me a price I can't sell them. Assembled Head prices will depend on your needs and choice of parts. Bare heads without seats and guides but fully machined for water and rockers are $4,900.00 (a pair) plus shipping and boxing. If bought direct from Calif, sales tax will be included unless a resale tax number and business license is on file with my office. We are working with Jim Weise (Tri Shield Performance) as a dealer for any and all of the parts we sell. Heads are on the way to him for dyno testing. It is a bit premature to cost out racer net until the intake manifolds are finished, soooo please don't ask Jim for prices yet. You can tell him your interest and have him build a complete motor for you!!! A on line web site with parts will be available in the near future. ken I'm sure Jim will chime in with his initial response. They look far bigger than any of the pictures!
Thanks Ken, I am really happy and excited to be working with you on this project. Your willingness to invest your money to make this a reality, and pricing at minimal markup, to get these into the hands of as many fellow Buick Drag racers as possible, shows your true commitment to the Buick racers out there. We are lucky to have someone in our midst that has made his money elsewhere, and wants to share his success with his fellow Buick enthusiasts. This is a big deal.. even Ron Flood, who does my block and head prep, is giddy at the idea of billet heads.. this says a lot, Ron is surrounded in his shop by all kinds of aftermarket, high buck performance stuff. I was just over there last night picking up the latest 555 block from him, and noticed that alloy blocks were everywhere.. Hemi, Pontiac, Ford .. and when I mentioned that the CNC shop in TX called me to get my address to ship the heads and parts to earlier in the day.. even someone hip deep in serious performance stuff got excited. We are now getting some great add on stuff for the foundation we now have to work with, The TA Tomahawk engine block. These heads flow serious air at big lift numbers now, and the TSP Tool Steel Billet camshaft I had created a couple years ago is ready to spin the big rpms and handle the serious valvespring pressures, required to take the next step in Buick Performance. My cam is the same tech they run to 10,500 rpm in Pro Stock, with Godzilla valve spring pressures. The big billet core is one piece, including the flange, which was widened to increase the thrust area at the alum block. It's a beast.. and the best, bar none... I am happy to be involved in all these developments, it's one reason that I stepped away from the restoration stuff here a few years ago. Guys, while I can't as of yet give you hard numbers on everything, billet head castings for $4900 a pair is unheard of.. prices are typcially closer to twice that... as you can see, our pricing strategy is consumer focused. No one involved in this deal is getting wealthy. These parts are the pinnacle of technology, and as such, carry a serious price tag, and our goal is to help as many Buick racers as possible compete with any make. Please contact me with your plans for anything from a set of heads, intakes, tool steel cams, to complete engines. We are trying to get an idea of what is a realistic for demand in the way of cam cores and head and intake billets. I had 3 cam cores made for me in 2015, which are all spoken for, and it took almost a year to have them made. So I want to make sure we get ahead of the demand, so the parts are available when needed. This is not a project, not an idea, not a plan.. this is reality folks, and it's happening now! Depending on how they shipped the parts, I may have the first sets of heads TODAY. Early next week for sure. The day when it will be possible to call up and get an 1100-1200 HP single 4 Buick bracket race motor is coming. All that will be required is the desire, and the money to buy it. Right now, its a tough get, regardless of finances, and certainly not "on demand". That will put us on par with any make out there, in power and availability. And much wilder stuff will be possible. ________________________ What's my personal dream??...... Ring Ring Ring... "Tri-Shield, how can I help you"... "Hi, I am interested in one of your 1100 HP Super Wildcat series engines" "Sure, we just took one off the dyno, it's ready to go, how would you like to pay for it"... "Wow, here is my card number"..... "Great, you will have it next week." ____________________________ :eek2: I work every day to make that a reality, for not only the big stuff, but for the every day 470 motors... I certainly am not there yet, but am trying.. I also will take the opportunity to announce that the very first set of heads, serial number 0011703, have been sold to Guy Parquette. When Ken tapped me back in January to retail this stuff for him, and asked if I had any current customers who might be interested, I knew right away who to ask. Guy has a great rep as a die hard Buick man, and a guardian of Historic Buick hardware, and I am happy we can add to his collection. Good thing is, he can have fun with these parts. they are billet, we can fix anything he might do to them... His TSP 555 is the first in our new "Super Wildcat' series engines, and as such, will test and prove out the heads and other new parts. Thanks JW
could have one put on it your really want one.... :laugh: come to think of it.. :idea2: Actually, that is not that bad an idea, I do have a mechanical fuel pump that will feed 800+ HP.. Would fill the gap on 54MM cam street 'hawks.. then again, the $1390 price tag on that cam might encourage folks to run an electric... not to mention you have to grind the block to get it to fit.. and you need an in tank pump to run cool EFI/DIS... JW
