MGBChuck March 27, 2019 at 6:35 pm. This engine ran at the August 1950 Bonneville Speed meet in a streamliner sponsored by Lee’s Speed shop. An Ardun-powered open-wheel car. Zora would go on to great success at GM as the “Father of the Corvette” and author of the now legendary memo encouraging GM to do more to appeal to the burgeoning hot rod crazy “youth” market. The famous Ferguson racing family would continue to develop them to set Bonneville records. The Ferguson ARDUN project (picked up where the late Don Orosco of Monterey Speed & Sport had progressed) is based on an aluminum Flathead block (with enhanced main caps and deep skirts, for those wishing Flathead numbing power) and enhanced ARDUN heads (significant design modifications); ARP hardware is used throughout the engine. These imposing looking heads were reportedly built in the ’50s for a Pike’s Peak entry and resemble a big cast-iron version of the Ardun head. https://www.semasan.com/driving-force/q ... class-2019, https://s908.photobucket.com/user/mojo_ ... t=2&page=1, https://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/fo ... ardun.html, https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbsid ... mca-years/. This particular toy is a Ford flathead that’s been converted to work with a set of Ardun cylinder heads that are unique on many levels. These heads were built by Rudy Moller and Kenny Adams and used a hemispherical combustion chamber that was similar to the Ardun but used some complex rocker geometry to make it happen. Later versions (like those featured here) used adapters to allow for a stock-style flathead intake manifold. Heads It includes exceptionally well-cast heads, covers that polish beautifully, complete valve and rocker assemblies, head gaskets, and four-port exhaust flanges (rather than the flathead’s three-port flanges). by GLHS60 » Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:05 am, Post 1953 Mercury block bored to 276 cu. in., approximately 245 H.P. BlockNew 356 high-grade aluminium by Don Ferguson at Ardun Enterprises and polished by The Polishing Shop in Oxnard, California. Ask directly; I am sure you would not be the first: The story I heard, was that at the start of WW2, some of our smaller tanks were built with the flathead Ford V8, and that more power was needed because of the weight of the tank. It reached 175 mph and set a record for OHV V-8 engines, but was not the fastest on the flats. The downside was trifold: The assembly was 12-inches wider than stock, it weighed an additional 60 lb and it wasn’t cheap being cast from heat-treated, 355-T6 Alcoa aluminum alloy. From there, the Ardun became a force to be reckoned with at Bonneville and the drags. I was just over here so have to ask why Ardun never made a SBC Hemi head conversion? We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request. Ultimately, Don Ferguson Jr. would take over Don Orosco’s effort to reproduce them, making it possible for hot rodders to purchase a brand new set of Ardun heads. Ardun Heads by Don Ferguson, Retro Tec Stromberg looking throttle bodies, FAST computer controlled. Don’s business number is 323-775-6803. They operated Ardun Mechanical Corporation in New York. The early history of hot rodding was built on the back of the Ford Flathead V8. Only 3-4 sets are known to exist. Just to let you know, this much improved Ferguson-built Ardun cylinder head conversion set isn’t cheap, as $13,950 is what will be needed to bolt a set on your flathead. There are custom billet pistons and a custom flat-tappet camshaft. But they really came into their own as record-setting race heads in the hands of Clem TeBow and Don Clark at C-T Automotive. Being selected to drive the Speedway Motors house car could make or break a driver’s career. Thank You for sharing these photos of a truly exceptional collection of automobiles that deserve this obsessive care and love from someone who knows what they like and had the means to go all in. The Ferguson contact is www.ardun.com or write to: Don Ferguson, Ardun Enterprises, Box 205, Wilmington, CA. If you want more information on the Speedway Motors’ Museum of American Speed, visit them online www.museumofamericanspeed.com. 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Just to let you know, this much-improved Ferguson-built Ardun cylinder head conversion set isn’t cheap, as $13,950 is what will be needed to bolt a set on your flathead. Sidney Allard used them in his famous J2 sports cars. Austin Products are outstanding. © 2017 Power Automedia. This grew into 6 different Ardun, V8 60 intakes, Lincoln 337 heads and intakes, Lincoln V12 intakes and heads and ford flathead intakes. Fatefully, this interest and desire to race led Don Ferguson Jr. to purchase the tools, drawings, and dies for creating more heat-treated Ardun aluminum heads from High Grade Alcoa 356 aluminum. The Ardun is the best known of all the early overhead conversions. On a load of nitro, this engine made 320 horsepower and ran 229.77 mph in the Hill-Davis City of Burbank streamliner in 1952, breaking a record held since the ’30s by Germany’s Auto Union. by PackardV8 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:52 am, Post As a bit of trivia, In the 60's Ed iskenderian made several sets of single cam (per head) desmodromic heads for the SBC. This helped to rectify the age-old flathead heating issue caused by the exhaust passages winding through the block and its water passages but didn’t do a whole lot to help actual airflow. After serious work improving the valvetrain, they made 267 horsepower on alcohol and 303 horsepower on nitro. Register now for free!) Tony Lombardi finished the block externally and performed all the internal machine work. Our friends at Speedway Motors‘ Museum of American Speed have done a great job at documenting all forms of racing, paying close attention to circle track racing specifically. Taking a break from the Midwest dirt tracks to fight evil doers in the world, he completed a full 21 year career in the Marine Corps. Thanks again If you want more information about The Tool Box or Speedway Motors, visit them online www.speedwaymotors.com. Being racers, they took their work to other flatheads Ford engines, including the popular dirt track V8-60 engines used in Midget auto racing. by panic » Mon Sep 07, 2020 6:42 pm, Post Ratios are 1.375 on the intake … The Ardun heads evidently took care of that problem. Photo from www.jalopyjournal.com. Developed by Zora Arkus-Duntov and his brother Yuri in the late ’40s. The formula was simple; strip an early Ford down to its essentials, lower it a little, and swap the banger engine for a more powerful flathead V8. ‘Big Daddy’ Don Garlits has this engine at his Florida museum, the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing. by PackardV8 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:16 pm, Post All rights reserved. This was made even more apparent when the hot overheads from Detroit started to make their way between the frame rails of hot rods and race cars at the lakes. Vintage Overhead Valve Conversions for the Ford Flathead by Joe McCollough. Four-bolt center main cap. Ardun heads Looking for a set of Ardun heads for a 8BA block. in., approximately 245 H.P. In spite of the Rube Goldberg nature of this setup, they were very successful, especially in the hands of flathead masters Clem TeBow and Don Clark at C-T Automotive (see above for more on their work with the Ardun). As purveyors of dirt track and historical race engine information, we wanted to repost McCollough’s article here and direct our readers to The Toolbox where more of these type articles are published. Moser built DOHC 4-valve heads for SBC. They featured large ports and hemispherical combustion chambers (which reportedly had more than a little to do with the development of the Chrysler Hemi) and claimed 175 horsepower on a stock Mercury flathead. by Schurkey » Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:06 am, Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited, General engine tech -- Drag Racing to Circle Track. Zora’s Allard still exists, in the hands of a Texas collector. The Tornado ran at Bonneville with a 180-degree crankshaft also. Wonder if this is the same one Don Ferguson of Ardun.com brought out to the LA Roadster show some three years ago. His angry-looking A/V-8 coupes are seriously chopped and dropped, and they’re running vintage OHV V-8s (but not Chevys) with open headers. Reply With Quote (Registered Users Do NOT see this ad! Top Chavers comes apart and goes in trunk. by englertracing » Mon Sep 07, 2020 2:02 pm, Post 3 thoughts on “ Grand Finale Photos: Our Tour Of The 3Dog Garage Heads To Floor Three – A Car Collection Beyond Compare! In addition to Tom Senter’s “Ardun White Papers”, Werksman’s T did a lot to remind the hot rodding world of the Ardun legend. The block and ARDUN heads are from Don Ferguson, famous for his modern reinterpretation of the classic Zora ARkus-DUNtov overhead valve cylinder heads. Bobby grew up in the heart of Illinois, becoming an avid dirt track race fan which has developed into a life long passion. Don Ferguson Jr. is >advertising in Hemmings and I called him for some spark plug tubes. Up Next. Few people equate Ardun head Fords with dirt track racing, but there were many cases where these engines showed up on the dirt in the “Champ” cars, Sprint Cars, and even in the Mighty Midget race cars. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. They built the very engine you see here using these heads and a sophisticated slide-valve injector to run Bonneville. Ardun’s are rare, but the smaller versions made for the V8-60 are super rare. However there was no need to even consider the ARDUN conversion due to the fact the larger Lincoln Flathead solved the problem of more power and torque needed in … The Answers: Isky’s Nolan Jamora Answers Your Tech Questions, Pt. The Ardun remains famous today thanks to the efforts of Clark and TeBow as well as several hot rodders that have continued to develop them over the past 70 years. Being selected to drive the Speedway Motors house car could make or break a driver’s career. by Tuner » Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:50 am, Post Ardun Heads by Don Ferguson, Retro Tec Stromberg looking throttle bodies, FAST computer controlled. Competition Fuel Systems Vassar, MI. Thank goodness it was garbage truck motors and not fire engine pumps. But before he rose to fame, he created these heads to improve upon the flathead’s relatively low power and tendency to overheat. by Kevin Johnson » Mon Sep 07, 2020 5:40 pm, Post by Kevin Johnson » Mon Sep 07, 2020 10:46 am, Post II met a gent at the Mid-West NSRA Nationals who had a 32 roadster with Ardun Heads and Weber carbs. ARDUN ENTERPRISES Don Ferguson P.O. The Museum of American Speed Pays Tribute To The Ardun Heads, Recently the Museum of American Speed paid deep respect to the legendary Ardun conversions with an article by Joe McCollough, Rodeo Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram Returns as Pace Truck, COMP Cams Super Dirt Series Releases 2021, Speedway Motors Partners With Keyser’s Wild West, Bringing The Show To You: PRI Embarks On Cross-Country Road, Lawrenceburg Speedway Looking To Lease The Facility, Brandon Sheppard Scores Five-In-A-Row With Duck River, Strapping Your Race Car Or Hot Rod To A Trailer Just Got, Get The PerTronix Wiring Products You Need In Your, QA1 Releases 2.5-Inch I.D. Tornado. Not only does the Ardun have solid performance chops, but they are also beautiful engines that look like jewelry when places between the rails of a hot rod or Bonneville streamliner. Ultimately, Don Ferguson Jr. would take over Don Orosco’s effort to reproduce them, making it possible for hot rodders to purchase a brand new set of Ardun heads. Four-bolt center main cap. All rights reserved. Menu Close Home; SERVICES That being said, it doesn’t surprise us that Smith’s Museum of American Speed has many examples of the Flathead Ford engines with Ardun heads. Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from OneDirt, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! by Pete1 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 10:17 pm, Post Ardun’s are rare, but the smaller versions made for the V8-60 are super rare. 1932 Ford ARDUN V-8 Brookeville Body ( Well over $100,000.00 invested) $40,000.00 Motor Alone! So, even if they don't pump up the horse power much they are reliable and sure look trick. The Complete It Hobe. Box 205 Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 872-9286 D2DFerguson@gmail.com Cancel. Hers is what I have uncut original 32 grille shell, stock mount to frame, Don Ferguson Blown Ardun, SST A41 (4L60E equivalent) with Vintage A/C. Lee’s Speed Shop in Oakland, CA was one of the first speed shops in the country, having been founded by Lee Chapel in the early ’30s. I see this engine right at home in a '32 Ford or just as happy poking out of a '51 F1 pickup. 1932 Ford ARDUN 1932 Ford ARDUN V-8 Steel Body ( Well over $100,000.00 invested) Top Chavers comes apart and goes in trunk. Speedway Motors founder, the late “Speedy” Bill Smith, was personally invested in dirt circle track racing. The result: big power (for the time) and new records at the lakes. The Fergusons developed a high-flow Ardun hemi cylinder head created from High Grade Alcoa 356-T6 aluminum. Autoplay is paused. Tom Senter wrote a series of “Ardun White Papers” that appeared in Rod & Custom in the early ’70s. These cast-iron heads were built by “Colonel” Alexander before WWII. The polished Ardun heads and six Stromberg carbs give this V8 a nostalgic look, yet the blower and red paint let you know it's not your father's Mercury. The ARDUN conversion was designed in 1947 by George Kudash who was employed by the ARDUN Engine Co. People walked by it all day long not really understanding what was there. Ardun's are rare, but the smaller versions made for the V8-60 are super rare. Most of the Speedway Motors’ Sprint Car drivers ended up in the Sprint Car Hall of Fame. These intake manifolds will fit original Ardun Heads as well as the reproduction heads made by Ferguson. by pdq67 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 5:25 am, Post Rick advertises the engine at 533 hp at 6,000 rpm running pump gas. Re: Why no Ardun hemi head SBC conversion? by GLHS60 » Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:09 pm, Post 1953 Mercury block bored to 276 cu. 1931 Ford Roadster Packs ARDUN V-8 Power You could say that Bobby Hilton has reinvented the Model A Ford. 1953 Mercury block bored to 276 cu. 1953 Mercury block bored to 276 cu. Post You're signed out. Smith was considered a “career-builder” by many in the sprint car circles. Recently the Museum of American Speed paid deep respect to the legendary Ardun conversions with an article by Joe McCollough on the Speedway Motors’ publication The Toolbox, which highlights how-to and historic work. In 1947, they were hired by Ford to improve the power of their truck engines. Steve S September 10, 2014 at 12:17 pm why Ardun never made a SBC Hemi head conversion. Don Ferguson Sr. and Jr. were among the lucky few who raced the dry lakes and the Bonneville Salt Flats with Ardun equipped engines. Later versions were driven by a belt, but those pictured here are the earlier shaft drive versions. by Kevin Johnson » Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:16 pm, Post Copy link. in., approximately 245 H.P. by NormS » Mon Sep 07, 2020 12:23 pm, Post A stock Hemi, Olds, or Cad overhead was capable of putting the hurt to a seriously built flathead. They were very successful in tests. Check out the gallery below for evidence of this. Chapel created the Tornado OHV Conversion seen here. Box 205 Wilmington, CA 90744 (310) 872-9286 D2DFerguson@gmail.com The Ferguson contact is www.ardun.com or write to: Don Ferguson, Ardun Enterprises, Box 205, Wilmington, CA 90744. Ultimately, Don Ferguson Jr. would take over Don Orosco’s effort to reproduce them, making it possible for hot rodders to purchase a brand new set of Ardun heads. Ask directly; I am sure you would not be the first: CONTACT ARDUN ENTERPRISES Don Ferguson P.O. This is one story on why the Ardun Heads were created. Allegedly, the Ardun was to be a stop gap, ↳ Vintage/Classic/Historical Engine Tech, ↳ 3V Performance Engine & Valve train Development, ↳ Race Cars & Parts - For Sale or Wanted, https://www.hotrod.com/articles/modern- ... -ferguson/. We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. Smith was considered a “career-builder” by many in the sprint car circles. Top Chavers comes apart and goes in trunk. Yura Duntov was big on small engines, and he ramrodded the V-8 60 Ardun heads, of which about a hundred sets were made. The price on his brochure for "Complete Ardun Conversion > Kit" is $12,950. Harvey Crane was involved. Arms in a gennie Ardun head look downright delicate compared to the beefy 2024 aluminum arms in Don's Ardun. Keep smiling, it only hurts when you think it does! in., approximately 245 H.P. 90744. Don’s business number is 323-775-6803. Around 1998 Ken began making Ardun intake manifolds for a friend. Zora Arkus-Duntov (Ar-Dun), would later become known as the “Father of the Corvette,” originally began business with his brother Yura. His passion for Hot Rods and to create new products has helped the after-market industry continue to grow Ardun Heads by Don Ferguson, Retro Tec Stromberg looking throttle bodies, FAST computer controlled. But hot rodders are a resourceful bunch, and even before the factory overheads became a threat, they were repurposing and fabricating overhead conversions of their own to be fitted to the beloved flathead. Cotton Werksman’s famous T ran an Ardun long before repops were available. The info supplied by Curt Giovanine Bishop, CA is very important if you are looking for good set of Ardun reproduction heads. Ardun Heads by Don Ferguson, Retro Tec Stromberg looking throttle bodies, FAST computer controlled. The Ardun heads are 12-nches wider than a stock flathead Ford V-8 and consequently will not fit in most stock vehicles and they weigh at least 60 lbs. © 2020 Power Automedia. The Ford Motor Company decided they needed larger displacement engines, but the cylinder head conversion kits made by Ardun Mechanical Corporation began to filter into the hands of racers. But there was a second, unintended consequence to these feats of engineering: they were absolutely beautiful. sorry about that but I am now at the radiator selection point. But then as now, in the quest for speed and power, more is never enough. The brothers worked with staff engineer George Kudasch and came up with an overhead-valve cylinder head with hemispherical combustion chambers that improved the breathing and combustion efficiency of the flathead Ford engines. Don Ferguson’s Ardun is as complete as by comes, albeit by with a commensurate price tag. Early versions reportedly had the intake coming in on the outside of the head. 1953 Mercury block bored to 276 cu. 1932 Ford ARDUN V-8 Brookeville Body ( Well over $100,000.00 invested) $40,000.00 Motor Alone! We'll send you the most interesting Street Rod articles, news, car features, and videos every week. 1932 Ford ARDUN V-8 Brookeville Body ( Well over $100,000.00 invested) $40,000.00 Motor Alone! These heads were developed for the early 21 stud blocks and were surprisingly sophisticated, featuring four intake and four exhaust ports (unlike other contemporary designs like the Alexander which forced multiple cylinders to share an exhaust port). It had well over 50,000 miles on the clock and had been driven in every state in the continental US. These heads were of an “F-head” design, which relied on the stock flathead intake passages and moved only the exhaust valves and ports out of the block. It wasn’t long before the limitations of Ford’s valve-in-block design became apparent. In the 1990s, Don Ferguson Sr. and Don Ferguson Jr., working with information from Tom Senter, brought Ardun heads to a new level of performance and reliability. Top Chavers comes apart and goes in trunk. in., approximately 245 H.P. This engine also features a Lee Chapel custom made intake manifold. by Schurkey » Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:23 pm, Post Shopping. 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