World Heads

[twentyover]

Just a FYI, no connection, I don't get nuthin from this, etc.

World is suspending production of their 2.9 replacement head. My buddy Mark had a series of e-mails back and forth with them, and they have seen volume drop as Chindian heads have come on the market. Fact that the engine has been out of US use almost 20 years probably also entered the equation.

Anyway, they're cleaninng house. See http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Worl...s?hash=item3ef6f8a129&_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116 - is World's store. They're telling us when these are gone, they're gone, unless someone comissions the casting of another couple hundred heads at the requester's expense. After these are gone, the only World heads remaining will be stuff already on the shelf.

Mark and I are moving from the 2.8 to 2.9 in SCCA GT-2 racing (mid-70's Ford Capri's), so we bough a couple sets each to keep us in heads for the next half a dozen years....


Figured people here might like to know....

 

[wingzam]

Ya I saw that.What was it - a hundred bucks a head?Hey are you by chance going to be running a carb on that 2.9?I'm wanting to do that conversion but couldn't find any info on it.

 

[twentyover]

The project taking the lead on this is running a manifold from the UK with 3 Weber IDA's.

I screwed a manifold for a 2.6 into a 2.9 block- it needs a couple small changes , but can be done

 

[wingzam]

The project taking the lead on this is running a manifold from the UK with 3 Weber IDA's.

I screwed a manifold for a 2.6 into a 2.9 block- it needs a couple small changes , but can be done

Interesting! Never heard of a 2.6...and 3 carbs!?Am getting too old for three of anything! In another post I suggested turning the stock intake into a tunnel ram with a Holley 500 on top.If one had the wherewithall to do the testing it could be rendered in two different configurations:1)either mount the carb on a hard pipe in place of the rubber intake hose and get it up high,above the hood,or 2) cut and section the upper plenum so that the rear tracts are curved forward,seal off the original intake tract,cut a hole in the top of the plenum and mount the carb there.Easy!uh huh..

 

[twentyover]

2.6 was imported in Mercury (European Ford) Capris between 1972 & 1973- superceded by the 2.8 in 1974, which soldiered on on until supercession by the 2.9 in 1986(?)

The IDF manifold is purpose built for the 2.9, no modification required. 2.6 manifold requires opening up a couple screw bosses in the intake, and fabrication of an offset threaded hole for the #6 manifold bolt. Should note it also would require rerouting heater hoses, as the 2.6 stat was located low on the cam gear cover

 

[wingzam]

Where can I find out more about the IDF manifold and get one?Is it a single carb unit?

 

[twentyover]

Whitegates Garage in the UK. Phone is 0044 161 456 0000. You should be sitting down. The manifold is about $750, and requires THREE IDF carburetors. Used 40IDF or 44IDF are running in he mid-$250's or so apiece, I saw a 48IDF on ebay for low $300, so the total cost of this exercise would be in the area $1500 to $2000 dollars in carburetion depending on the size of the throttle blades. Plus the cost of distributor conversion, I'm guessing abother maybe $200.

To be candid, this is an area where Mark and I differ in opinion. First, we are compelled by rules to run carbs, no FI allowed. Mark was always interested in IR manifolds, I've never been able to justify the cost per horesepower. My take was use the offenhauser 2.6 intake manifold and a Holley, modifying it to work with the 2.9 (not a bolt on, but fairly easy make work. if you want to pursue this route, you may be able to source the manifold from Summit, but I am confident that Tem Blitz (www.teamblitz.com) carries 2.6 stuff. Total cost for the intake and Holley 390 shpi;d cost in the area of $800.

I'm also working on a low priority project using the twin choke factory 2.6 manifold for development work

 

[wingzam]

Oh geez,thats a bit over my head!I did go to teamblitz site and saw they had a manifold and single 4 bbl carb combination for the 2.6 and 2.8.They look like the "GoTo" guys over here,so i'll contact them and find out more.Thanks for the info.

 

[twentyover]

Once again, a caveat- the 2.6 manifold WILL require modification to work on a 2.9