Engine: Cylinder heads : 101

[jackb]

Another thread is tossing around various cylinder head numbers and applications. How about someone spelling out Studebaker cylinder head production and applications, availability and hems' teeth if there are any....?

[karterfred88]

The most comprehensive list I know of is: http://www.studebaker-info.org/Headcasting.html#64ohv
No idea on production numbers or what is still left over in some vendors stockpile.

[StudeRich]

The BEST Heads for most uses are the 1557570 CASTING Number (NOT Part Number) 1963 & 1964 259/289 Heads on Lark, Hawk and R1 Avanti, the most easily found because of wide usage.

You will get approx. 8.5 to 1 Compression with flat top stock 259 Pistons, or Deep Dished 289 Stock Pistons with stock on '57 to '64 Thin Shim, beaded Steel Gaskets. You will lower it by .50 using '55-'56 Thick Sandwich Gaskets.

If you use Avanti Flat Top stock Pistons you get 10.25 to 1, a lot for today's fuel without a lot of cylinder head Porting.
The other option with those heads is the special Avanti Shallow Dish Pistons for about 9.0 to 9.5 Compression.

No need to look for rarer ones as none are better.
Normally New Heads are never required, there are too many used available, now that their Cars are being made into Hyundais or Kias.

[Xcalibur]

ALWAYS have old ones checked for cracks between the valves, especially if used hard and/or larger valves were installed. I've just seen three out four in the last couple months that were cracked.

[Mike Van Veghten]

What's a "hem" ?

Should be hen ?

I've found that the 570 heads are slightly more uniform as far as the water jacket surface to the port surface (wall thickness) also.
And yea, check for those cracks before ANY work is done to a cylinder head.

Mike

[PackardV8]

One other caveat, when installing hard exhaust seats on V8 heads, the two center cylinder exhaust bowls are very thin under the seat area. A special thinner seat is required, as the standard depth seat will often break into the water passage. We had to learn this the hard way, so if you're thinking of doing it, make sure the machine shop has done it successfully before.

jack vines