Slant Six Forum :: Aluminium Cylinder Head CNC Milled from a Block of Billet

What about 3d printing a mould to cast an aluminum head? Feasible? Realistic?

And those millions of engines are where? The cars rusted out and were turned into Kia's Toyota's, Nissan''s, et al. And the remaining ones are being replaced with v8s.

It is cheap HP to drop a 440 into an a-body. It is not cheap to hot rod a \6.

Can't believe somebody doesn't have a $100K laying around, that would not mind becoming part of mopar history

I will be much happier to see a 2 piece timing cover, and I'd really like to see a water pump housing to use a BB electric water pump, instead of the light duty bolt on units.

Go get-em Scott!

Quote:

Can't believe somebody doesn't have a $100K laying around, that would not mind becoming part of mopar history

I don't know who you have nout with, but I don't think I know anybody who has $100k laying around to play with, or if they do, be willing to invest it in a business venture that likely will never earn back the $100k initial investment, much less turn a profit.

I love the slant and would love to see updated cylinder head sbe made, but the reality is that slant six fans arer few in number and dwindling every year. Any aftermarket head will be a labour of love, not a business venture. Think about it. For the same $1500 you invest in a set of aluminum heads for a small block, you could swap the slant six to smallblock.

Anybody at Mopar Carlisle this year, and care to guess how many Slants were there, how many AMC 401's were there, and how many 401's had alum heads?

All you under 50 year old guys, stop dying off, we need you.

what would you and others be using for a thrust button that wouldn't dig into the aluminum timing cover?

I bet you would be shocked at how much Howard has in his head

jcc, maybe it's time for you to take the bull by the horns and do the project. I believe you could start up and get a few heads made for $100K, but I seriously doubt you will ever break even.

The best way to end up with a million bucks building a Slant head would be to start with 2 million.

I bet you would be shocked at how much Howard has in his head. However, he is not interested in doing another one.

Quote:

I will be much happier to see a 2 piece timing cover, and I'd really like to see a water pump housing to use a BB electric water pump, instead of the light duty bolt on units.

Go get-em Scott!

Rick, just out of curiosity, what would you and others be using for a thrust button that wouldn't dig into the aluminum timing cover? I already have a BB water pump, so the housing is something I have thought about also.

Author:	coconuteater64 [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 5:43 am ]
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Quote: What about 3d printing a mould to cast an aluminum head? Feasible? Realistic? This is the same thing I was thinking. Most home 3D printers would, at most, make one cylinder at a time. But that's not a big deal, as the individual cylinders could be "glued" together with acetone. Shrinkage would have to be accounted for when going from plastic to aluminum, but these factors can be dealt with. Packing the water passages and ports with casting sand would be somewhat straightforward as well; after all, the factory did it. Strength? well, I don't know. On YouTube a guy named Jonathan W made his own motorcycle engine from melted pistons and cast them in his garage. So I know a few motivated individuals could probably pull it off. To me this seems the only cost effective way to do it.

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:09 am ]
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I will be happy if it ever happens but if you can run 12's with an iron head that is pretty fast. I just painted mine aluminum color and called it a day. I will be much happier to see a 2 piece timing cover, and I'd really like to see a water pump housing to use a BB electric water pump, instead of the light duty bolt on units. Go get-em Scott!

Author:	jcc [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 10:49 am ]
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Quote: And those millions of engines are where? The cars rusted out and were turned into Kia's Toyota's, Nissan''s, et al. And the remaining ones are being replaced with v8s. It is cheap HP to drop a 440 into an a-body. It is not cheap to hot rod a \6. Well it doesn't seem many here are jonesing to drop 440's in their A body's. And if picking the most logical engine upgrade is the objective, this site would not exist and we would all be running LS7's. We want slants, and the saying if you build it they will come comes to mind. To me its more about "want" rather then need the most logical solution, reg an alum slant head. Can't believe somebody doesn't have a $100K laying around, that would not mind becoming part of mopar history, and at the least breaking even on a project like this, Pretty much certain Eldelbrock would not copy it, quickly. I would think if s small volume Small block "LA" pair of heads goes for on the street for $1500?, a slant alum single head in even smaller quantities, would be priced under $2k, and if not, the prospective client is too cheap, and it does not enough bang to go that route from what i can observe. The other biggest hurdle is, no single alum head will make a majority of the market happy, only thing it will be for everyone, new and lighter. Here is a promo on the 401 AMC alum INDY head, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around how big that market is to support that undertaking, but not for a slant, especially when as mentioned, they could drop in a 440. http://www.indyheads.com/images/17.cat2014.pdf

Author:	Reed [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 1:20 pm ]
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Quote: Can't believe somebody doesn't have a $100K laying around, that would not mind becoming part of mopar history I don't know who you hang out with, but I don't think I know anybody who has $100k laying around to play with, or if they do, be willing to invest it in a business venture that likely will never earn back the $100k initial investment, much less turn a profit. I love the slant and would love to see updated cylinder head sbe made, but the reality is that slant six fans arer few in number and dwindling every year. Any aftermarket head will be a labour of love, not a business venture. Think about it. For the same $1500 you invest in a set of aluminum heads for a small block, you could swap the slant six to smallblock.

Author:	CNC-Dude [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 1:46 pm ]
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Quote: I will be much happier to see a 2 piece timing cover, and I'd really like to see a water pump housing to use a BB electric water pump, instead of the light duty bolt on units. Go get-em Scott! Rick, just out of curiosity, what would you and others be using for a thrust button that wouldn't dig into the aluminum timing cover? I already have a BB water pump, so the housing is something I have thought about also.

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Author:	jcc [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:33 pm ]
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Quote: Quote: Can't believe somebody doesn't have a $100K laying around, that would not mind becoming part of mopar history I don't know who you have nout with, but I don't think I know anybody who has $100k laying around to play with, or if they do, be willing to invest it in a business venture that likely will never earn back the $100k initial investment, much less turn a profit. I love the slant and would love to see updated cylinder head sbe made, but the reality is that slant six fans arer few in number and dwindling every year. Any aftermarket head will be a labour of love, not a business venture. Think about it. For the same $1500 you invest in a set of aluminum heads for a small block, you could swap the slant six to smallblock. Anybody at Mopar Carlisle this year, and care to guess how many Slants were there, how many AMC 401's were there, and how many 401's had alum heads? All you under 50 year old guys, stop dying off, we need you.

Author:	Reed [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:43 pm ]
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Quote: Anybody at Mopar Carlisle this year, and care to guess how many Slants were there, how many AMC 401's were there, and how many 401's had alum heads? All you under 50 year old guys, stop dying off, we need you. I'll do my best not to KICK THE BUCKET, but I generally don't go to car shows because I don't have the time to go and I don't have the money to make my old heaps look nice enough to be there. I am just a daily driver routine maintenance kind of guy. Letting me loose at comething like Carlisle would be, in the words of my high school auto shop teacher why I asked him why he didn't go drag races, "Like asking an alcoholic to hold your beer." I would end up broke dragging home tons of crap I don't need and will never use. I hope there were lots of slants there.

Author:	slantzilla [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 4:29 pm ]
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jcc, maybe it's time for you to take the bull by the horns and do the project. I believe you could start up and get a few heads made for $100K, but I seriously doubt you will ever break even. The best way to end up with a million bucks building a Slant head would be to start with 2 million. I bet you would be shocked at how much Howard has in his head. However, he is not interested in doing another one.

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 4:52 pm ]
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Quote: what would you and others be using for a thrust button that wouldn't dig into the aluminum timing cover? Not sure Scott, but everyone I know is just welding a fine thread nut into the steel timing cover. I adjust it to where I want it and them smear a little bit of silicone around the threads so it doesn't leak. There probably is something a little nicer out there for a new aluminum cover though. Rick

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 4:56 pm ]
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Quote: I bet you would be shocked at how much Howard has in his head I'm pretty sure that head or car does not exist! Ain't been to a Slant 6 race in how many years? Come on,I think it is all a photoshop deal!! Maybe Clay City in September????

Author:	afastcuda1970 [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 5:43 pm ]
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Making a slant head should be no problem. lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckbpq6OoiEY

Author:	ProCycle [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 6:12 pm ]
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Yeah, making it is not really a problem for the folks that do that kind of thing. The problem comes in where you are trying to convince the makers that it is a good idea. I run into this ALL THE TIME in my business. Folks that make stuff make what they make and don't usually see new opportunities very well. A new product idea has to practically hit them over the head. AND they are MUCH more likely to make parts for the applications they love and ignore the applications they aren't personally excited about. Even if you get them to agree that it's probably a workable idea - that's a LONG way from creating production parts.

Author:	jcc [ Tue Aug 01, 2017 6:59 pm ]
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Quote: jcc, maybe it's time for you to take the bull by the horns and do the project. I believe you could start up and get a few heads made for $100K, but I seriously doubt you will ever break even. The best way to end up with a million bucks building a Slant head would be to start with 2 million. I bet you would be shocked at how much Howard has in his head. However, he is not interested in doing another one. Trust me, I'm tempted, but getting my ex to return $100K is putting a damper on the idea right now. Anybody that takes this on would need IMO to do a lot of market research/homework/consulting if breaking even/profit was the goal. I've tackled many things before that many said wasn't possible, where I differ from most, I see a demand here, and taking a smart risk never bothered me. But I'm not technically qualified to take it on, I would think a partnership? with a current head manufacturer would be the solution, if this pie in the sky ever got off the ground. I don't want to give anyone any false hope, I'm just thinking out loud. And not trying to hijack the OP's custom head project, because that is a horse of a different color entirely.

Author:	Killer6 [ Fri Aug 04, 2017 6:27 pm ]
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http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/thr ... ad.372489/ this wasn't that long ago........ The benefit with a head that's new and lighter and more efficient is that it's NOT ported to within an inch of it's life and fragile, the same as any other modern aftermarket head, more consistent results & reliable. Building a race only head dooms any prospect to strictly DIY turf, period. But since I'm sure I'm holding the winning Mega- Millions ticket, I'm going to put all this BS to rest!!!!!!

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Author:	hyper_pak [ Fri Aug 04, 2017 6:42 pm ]
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Quote: Quote: I will be much happier to see a 2 piece timing cover, and I'd really like to see a water pump housing to use a BB electric water pump, instead of the light duty bolt on units. Go get-em Scott! Rick, just out of curiosity, what would you and others be using for a thrust button that wouldn't dig into the aluminum timing cover? I already have a BB water pump, so the housing is something I have thought about also. A had an old time Mopar engine builder provide me with a Teflon button that looked like a mushroom top. It was cut out for the single cam bolt head and sandwiched between the cam and the cover. Simple but effective. This should work fine on an aluminum cover IMO.