Inliners International Forums General Discussion Hi Performance port matching

Good evening folks:
While I'm waiting to get back on my friends milling machine to continue the cylinder head/intake modifications, I thought I would start on making my headers. First step (as far as I know) was to port match the exhaust ports to the gaskets on the spare motor. Lots of rough edges and not too round port openings. Small lumps here and there along with the occasional sharp bend and casting flash are part of the "quaint" nature of this 56 year old Willys motor. These ports were more or less 1 3/16 in diameter. Basically I've rounded them out and lowered the circle, so to speak, so that the bottom floor of the port extends to the side of the block (had a low spot sort of like a spoon at the bottom of the ports) instead of going up hill to the side of the block.
Anyway, they'll all be the same size, more straight than before and about 3/32 larger than before.
Hope is that with the improved breathing on the intake side (two Carter YH carbs) and less restricted exhaust and headers (two three into ones) and higher compression.... Well, hope springs eternal!
I was hoping to add a late model electronic ignition, but so far no luck. Counter clockwise rotation of the distributor and space limitations aren't helping, so I've rebuilt the distributor. Had to drill out the weights and put bushings in (silver brazed them in place) and reamed the inside diameter to fit the posts...Finally found someone who rebuilt the vacuum advance canister for it and got a new (rebuilt) one.
It's an exercise in what I've been reading most of my life and now I get to see if I can make it work. Sort of a period resto-rod type thing along the do-it-yourself road much as it might have been done 40 or so years ago.

Slow going, but it's fun.

Sincerely:
Paul aka Xerxes

Normally you do not want to lower the exhaust port floor,leave it alone. Short turn radius, we are talking here.

You just do not what the exhaust to hit a step from the port to the exhaust manifold, blend those out.
Sounds like you are haveing some fun doing some porting.

If possible , it would be good to post some pics of what you are doing.

MBHD

MBHD:
Right..I'm trying not to lower anything but the lip after it passes the low spot where it would have forced the gasses to go back uphill so to speak. The port area below the valve was larger than the actual exit from the block. It sort of choked itself in that area.
I have pics of it so far.. I'll try to get them posted tonight.

Sincerely:
Paul..aka Xerxes

Okay, let's see if I can add a picture of this motor...


Okay, this is the motor.. carb and intake in the cylinder head, passenger side, exhaust in the block (like a flat head)on the drivers side. Intake is integral.

More to follow:
Paul..aka Xerxes

Here is the spare block which I'm starting on. exhaust ports visible,,front two ports I've gotten matched to the gaskets.

It's basically a test mule at this point. If things go well, it'll get rebuilt and replace the one in the truck.

Same with the head.

This is it im the milling machine, starting to cut off the integral intake.. first into the water jacket and then into the intake plenum

This is what it looked like when I got to the intake.


More to follow
Paul..aka Xerxes

Here's the head after bead blasting and washing and machining for the nuts to hold the intake.. You can see the square steps of the intake passages. Those have been smoothed out since this pic was taken.

This is the aluminum plate that will be the intake, machined with matching holes and bolts ready for lineup with the head

And again with the plate in place before welding the nuts into the head.

Nuts welded into the water jacket area and rough cut. Later they were machined flat again.

Next will be machining the aluminum for the carb bases and making a gasket. I've got new valve guides and valves to put in it. It everything goes according to plan, I'll pull the existing head and put this new one on and start tweaking.
Sincerely:
Paul...aka Xerxes

Wow ,,,,looks like you have done this before.
Is this a common thing to modify, or are you the first to be doing this?
Goodluck w/the rest of your build.
What carb/s are you going to use?

MBHD

thats too slick

MBHD:
Done it before?... No. Mostly my "hot rodding" experience has been about new carbs and manifolds, headers, cams, shift kits in trans's. Bolt on stuff..body work..lots of that. Read a bunch over the years. Anyway, semi retired now and lucky to have a friend with a bridgeport milling machine. Been asking a lot of questions here at this forum.
Is anyone else doing this to these motors?.. Not that I can find. There are stories about the first Excaliber J cars built on a Henry J chassis with one of these motors with headers and three SU carbs on it used in road racing with success, much to the chagrin of Henry J Kaiser. I also found a picture of a Darrin with three Carter YH's on it on carnut.com website. I figured it was likely that I could make it work based on those photos. You never know until you start cutting however.
What carbs? Carter YH's..Two of them. Asked before about it and CarbKing confirmed my discomfort about putting three on it. Two will probably be a gracious plenty on this motor. With the "manifold" (plate) however, I can fairly easily change it if I need to to take perhaps motor cycle carbs or fuel injection, even perhaps a small eaton blower. Drill a few holes for the bolts to mount it to the head and what ever size and shape holes for the application.
The good news is that I have one of these motors in stock condition running in my truck now. (truck isn't finished but it runs) So I'll have a base line to compare it to. The trick will be to get it running like the plan is now. If I can pull this off I'll be a happy camper.

Sincerely:
Paul...aka Xerxes

Excuse my ignorance but, what is the project engine?

Charlie:

The motor is a 1951/52 Willys F-head 161 cu inch 6 cylinder. It was used in a few Willys vehicles, 2wd station wagons and sedan deliveries, and in some of the Willys Aero cars. Also in Kaiser cars including the Darrin. Produced from 1951 until about 1956 or so in this country and into the early 70's I think in Brazil. They are around although not in large numbers. Rebuild parts are still available, although patience in finding them is necessary. Without the internet this thing would be a boat anchor.

Sincerely:
Paul ...aka Xerxes