My '68 Charger Upgrade Thread: Eddy Heads & Plug/HP Manifold Clearance Pics!

[bill440rt]

Thought I'd create a thread here with some projects for my '68 I've had planned for over the winter. Thought I'd get started with them early.
I have 4 projects planned:

1) Edelbrock head swap: I scored a set of Eddy Performer heads brand-new in the box on eGouge from a fairly local seller. He was selling off some stuff from former cancelled projects, so I ended up getting a great deal on them. The cast iron heads on there now are modified a bit, but they are still not the best for my combo.

2) Intake: Swapping an Eddy Performer intake to a CH4B. Got a GREAT deal on one, practically right under my nose.      The CH4B is currently getting bead blasted.  

3) Steering box: Swapping the worn original and the pitman arm for a new Stage 2 unit from Steer-n-Gear.

4) Disc brake conversion: Upgrading from the original manual heavy-duty drums to manual discs from Master Power.

So, I've got the top end of the engine just about all apart. I'll be pulling the heads soon. Exhaust manifolds will be sent out to Jet Hot to get redone, they were ceramic coated about 10 years ago and there are a few questionable spots on them now.
I'll be updating this thread from time to time with progress pics.

[tan top]

  good stuff !!  

   keep the pictures coming !!     ...........

[Bob T]

Thats enough to keep you busy  over the winter.
I'll be keeping an eye out for some tips on your progress  .
Have you already got the Master Power discs? Complete? How much if I could ask?

Cheers Bob

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Bill, keeping the heads aluminum or gonna "hide-em" with paint?

[Brass]

Very cool.  It looks like there were manifolds on the car.  Are you keeping them or will you be putting headers on?

[BananaDan]

Are you going to replace the white zip tie on your heater hoses, or is that OE?    I'm kind of shocked to see that there.  Are you sure that car is a Bill440RT joint?

[bill440rt]

Thats enough to keep you busy  over the winter.
I'll be keeping an eye out for some tips on your progress  .
Have you already got the Master Power discs? Complete? How much if I could ask?

Cheers Bob

Hoping to order the brakes soon, Bob. Yes, they come complete with M/C, prop valve, etc. If memory serves correctly, I think they are in the $725 ballpark range.

Bill, keeping the heads aluminum or gonna "hide-em" with paint?

Top half of the engine will be resprayed turquoise, I want to keep it camoflouged to at least keep a stock appearance. Wrinkle unsilenced air cleaner will also be going back on. 

Very cool.  It looks like there were manifolds on the car.  Are you keeping them or will you be putting headers on?

Keeping the manifolds. I want to keep it "stock" appearing like it was before. Manifolds are just being sent out to Jet Hot to get recoated.

Are you going to replace the white zip tie on your heater hoses, or is that OE?    I'm kind of shocked to see that there.  Are you sure that car is a Bill440RT joint?

Dan, the zip tie is a vintage, date coded piece. Very rare. I scoured the swaps for years trying to find the correct type with the correct color & markings. I bought the very last tub of 1000 just to make sure I would have enough for any future concours resto projects. 
(Actually, it's just there temporarily to hold the engine wiring harness out of the way.) 

[b5blue]

Let us know what/how the convert to manual goes, I did my drums to manual and other than the peddle sitting higher I like it much better. I'll be swapping to 11 3/4 rotor disks next year. What are you running for rockers/valve train on that engine, adjustable? Also I thought Eddy heads had angled plugs requiring headers?   

[bill440rt]

Let us know what/how the convert to manual goes, I did my drums to manual and other than the peddle sitting higher I like it much better. I'll be swapping to 11 3/4 rotor disks next year. What are you running for rockers/valve train on that engine, adjustable? Also I thought Eddy heads had angled plugs requiring headers?   

Hey, b5!
The manual brake pedal does sit higher vs power. So I'm already used to it in this car. The cam is the ol' MP 484/284, so I really don't think it will produce enough vacuum for power brakes.

Rockers will remain the same: tried & true stock stamped steel. The valvetrain probably has less than 4000 miles on it, they're in great shape. It's a mild street engine, so the benefit from adjustable or rollers would be minimal, IMHO.

I spoke to firefighter (Ron) here at length about the heads/manifolds, & he assured me in our conversations that the stock manifolds will work with the Eddy heads.
I certainly hope so now. Anyone have any different info? 

[1970Moparmann]

Don't be dogging Ron - he's the man

Just kidding. 

Keep the pictures coming as your moving along.

[bill440rt]

Don't be dogging Ron - he's the man

Just kidding. 

Keep the pictures coming as your moving along.

I owe Ron a kidney some day from all the advice he's given me!
I'll be the first to admit, I'm primarily a paint & body guy & have somewhat limited mechanical skills. Sure, basics I can do. I've done intakes, carbs, exhaust, suspension rebuilds, brakes, etc, but this is my first head swap in my home garage. So, anytime I hear conflicting info I'm open to ALL comments. Especially if it's something conflicting from Ron's advice. He's never let me down in the past. 

[Charger-Bodie]

Don't be dogging Ron - he's the man

Just kidding. 

Keep the pictures coming as your moving along.

I owe Ron a kidney some day from all the advice he's given me!
I'll be the first to admit, I'm primarily a paint & body guy & have somewhat limited mechanical skills. Sure, basics I can do. I've done intakes, carbs, exhaust, suspension rebuilds, brakes, etc, but this is my first head swap in my home garage. So, anytime I hear conflicting info I'm open to ALL comments. Especially if it's something conflicting from Ron's advice. He's never let me down in the past. 

From what I understand the cam selection is key for running manifolds.

[b5blue]

  Hey Bill! If Ron said they will work....I'm wrong!  I'll be really interested how it all works out as I'm using HP exhaust manifolds and was thinking of using the Mopar/Eddy 452 "replacement" aluminum heads as they don't have the angled plug feature. (As I thought I had to with manifolds instead of headers.)
  I've got to admit I don't have ANY hands on experience ANY aluminum heads....yet. 

[BananaDan]

All done!      

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Sweet!!

[69 OUR/TEA]

Hey Bill,just pull the motor out so you can do it easier on a stand,and while its out,since its out,sand down the eng bay,car,etc,paint black,add some hubcaps and whitewalls,MMMMMMM Bullit car !!!!!!   Just had to say it,I know you would'nt do that !

[bill440rt]

Sweet!!

My thoughts exactly!     Thanks, Dan! 

Hey Bill,just pull the motor out so you can do it easier on a stand,and while its out,since its out,sand down the eng bay,car,etc,paint black,add some hubcaps and whitewalls,MMMMMMM Bullit car !!!!!!   Just had to say it,I know you would'nt do that !

Paul, that's the problem. I KNOW if I pull the motor, it's be another never-ending project. I'd LOVE to have a Bullitt Charger, actually. The thought has crossed my mind before, but it's been red for so long I can't imagine repainting it any other color.

[bill440rt]

So, I got the heads off the other night. Part of the problem before was pinging. I changed carbs/rejetted it, swapped distributors, played with ignition/timing curves, disconnected/reconnected vac advance, etc etc. I never got it to fully go away unless I ran race gas or octane boosters. The timing was so low before it was tough to start & very de-tuned.

This is what I found upon removing the heads. The valves are a very light tan color, and underneath. There is some pretty thick carbon build-up on the pistons as well. I can scrape it off with my fingernail & it wipes with a rag, so cleaning it off shouldn't be a problem. Spark plug color was also a normal tan, a few had very light fuel deposits on them (a little wet) so the plug reading seems normal to me.

Do the valves/pistons look normal to you? Or did I have a pre-existing shi**ty condition going on? 
Obviously the pinging was a problem, but I just want to know if they "look" normal. The pistons are not marred or pitted from the pinging, they are good. Just carbon deposits.

Thanks!!

[bill440rt]

Pics of the pistons.

[Chryco Psycho]

It looks normal to me , it doesn't take very long for carbon to build up on the pistons .
the one cylinder the valves are wet on I assume is from AF as you pulled the head up .
I fit is oil oil burns easier then gas & will cause detonation , but I have seen engine using open chamber heads detonate with as low as 8:1 compression , you need a closed chamber to kill it & combined with quench you can run over 10 :1 on pump gas 

[bill440rt]

It looks normal to me , it doesn't take very long for carbon to build up on the pistons .
the one cylinder the valves are wet on I assume is from AF as you pulled the head up .
I fit is oil oil burns easier then gas & will cause detonation , but I have seen engine using open chamber heads detonate with as low as 8:1 compression , you need a closed chamber to kill it & combined with quench you can run over 10 :1 on pump gas 

Thanks, good to know.
Yep, antifreeze. Made a frikkin' mess.
The Eddy heads going on are the Performer 60929's, they are a closed chamber head. Compression before was about 10.25:1, I'd like to keep that or go up to 10.5:1 if I can with the Eddy heads.

[BigBlockSam]

 

[tan top]

all looks good in there      ,

believe it or not have seen cases of detonation  where  if you look at the piston there are tiny dents in the top like someone has been jabbing a 1/4" wide flat bladed screw driver on them , no joke !  

good pictures !!  

[bill440rt]

all looks good in there      ,

believe it or not have seen cases of detonation  where  if you look at the piston there are tiny dents in the top like someone has been jabbing a 1/4" wide flat bladed screw driver on them , no joke !  

good pictures !!  

Luckily no dents or marks, TT!     All is good, just carbon.

Soo... I dropped off the old & new heads at my machinist. He's going to CC & go thru them. He's also going to come over & check the deck on the block. He'll take measurements, mill the heads as necessary to get the proper compression ratio & make sure the CC's are correct. He said all looked very well at my old heads, good burn & everything appeared normal.

I also heard from Jet Hot this afternoon. My manifolds are ready for shipment back to me, & they did the sleeve nuts as well. Even after 10+ years, they covered them 50% under warranty! Their warranty is usually 3 years, then 50% after that. Great service!

I'll post some more pics later, I should have the steering box out tonite.

[b5blue]

  Good to hear things are shaping up nice Bill. I'm surprised no one commented on your heads using studs instead of bolts, nice touch.     What does Hot Jet cost nowadays?