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318 Poly talk

polyjohn

polyjohn

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Happy Christmas to all in Moparland,

Are many folks working on their Poly engines anymore?
We have built a 402ci Poly with huge help from Gary Pavlovich.

Haven't got a decent intake as yet but have plans to modify a LSX one.
Basically a copy of the Hinkles 426ci 600hp Poly set-up.

They raised the ports by about 3/4 of an inch.
Ovalport design which is very W2 which is very trick stuff indeed.

Hinkles 426 poly.jpg


Hinkles-426-poly-cam-and-lifters (1).jpg
 
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There is also a SAM Poly in 2015 that made 600hp as well.
That was running a Hilborn injection, even more exotic...

SAM 402 poly.jpg
 
So is all this spacer machine work in house, or are you farming it out?

Alum poly intakes are unicorns nowadays. I'm also interested in a Ls intake set-up.
 
Good point there J_C_C_62.

I worked at a specialist V8 machine shop for many years.
Its 'go to' engine was the Rover V8 modelled on the Buick engine.

But they seemed to just stop being fashionable about 15 years ago.
So the shop work declined to a trickle and went under, so sad.

Now its hard to find a decent shop who wants to do V8 work now.
I do as much as I can with homework tooling and tricky stuff, farmed out.

The windjammer manifold was available for a while but has vanished from circulation it seems.
Folks snapped them up when they was affordable and won't sell them on it seems?

This was our best piece of machinery, you can do heads and block decks as well.
Also can be used like a milling machine to doe intake flanges as well.

Metal skimming.jpg
 
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I was at the all British car show in Vancouver BC last Saturday. There were several Rover V8, a Daimler V8, some V12, and other British stuff. Did not see a V8 60, in the Ford Pilot.
Earlier today I looked up Poly, and discovered it was in the fifties cars. So, it occurred to me, I must have owned one, as I owned a 59 Plymouth Fury. I thought the engine was bigger, but did not know. I did have the heads off, as it was over heating. Running again some one dropped a nut down the carb. One head came off again. Car cost $175, in Hawaii 1967. Most every part was $10. Did 10 mpg. Had front swivel seats, for easy access, in and out. At about 85, you could turn the steering wheel all about, and the car would go straight ahead. Had the push button gear selector.
 
Unkle Krusty said:
I was at the all British car show in Vancouver BC last Saturday. There were several Rover V8, a Daimler V8, some V12, and other British stuff. Did not see a V8 60, in the Ford Pilot.
Earlier today I looked up Poly, and discovered it was in the fifties cars. So, it occurred to me, I must have owned one, as I owned a 59 Plymouth Fury. I thought the engine was bigger, but did not know. I did have the heads off, as it was over heating. Running again some one dropped a nut down the carb. One head came off again. Car cost $175, in Hawaii 1967. Most every part was $10. Did 10 mpg. Had front swivel seats, for easy access, in and out. At about 85, you could turn the steering wheel all about, and the car would go straight ahead. Had the push button gear selector.
Click to expand...
There was many different kinds and sizes of polys.
 
318 cube was the most common. This 58 Plym with a 318 Poly did 118 mph.....with a 2bbl & 9:1 CR....& astonished the road testers.

img308.jpg
 
I'm in the process of porting my 4 barrel factory intake right now.
I've been meaning to do it for about 2 years, since the car went on the chassis dyno and the dyno operator reckoned the intake was a big restriction.
Gary Pavlovich sent me the following pictures so I'm having a crack. I'm very excited...
I pulled the manifold off last night and spent this evening cleaning up the old gaskets but before I stopped for the night I had to make an initial cut to see if my dremel would work. I probably need a die grinder but the dremel performed admirably.
I'm going to clean up the ports too but I think opening up the plenum will provide the biggest gain.
20250520_171615.jpg
20250520_171748.jpg

Ported and Stock Poly 4bbl (2).JPG
Ported and Stock Poly 4bbl (18).JPG
Ported and Stock Poly 4bbl (5).JPG
 
I think the biggest gain you would get is to use a divided spacer under the carb, 1" [ or thicker if it will fit under the bonnet ].
 
Geoff 2 said:
I think the biggest gain you would get is to use a divided spacer under the carb, 1" [ or thicker if it will fit under the bonnet ].
Click to expand...
Already has one. The dyno operator played with spacers too, didn't make any difference, that's why he suggested the intake was the restriction. He races a 600hp Mustang around the different tracks in Australia and knows his stuff. Gary Pavlovich and other people well versed in the poly engine agree, hence the work I'm doing now. Makes a lot of sense to me - 4 small openings versus one large open plenum. The engine already has headers, bigger valves, head porting, but the manifold was stock.
 
If you are interested in alum Poly heads, a mate of mine is getting them made in China.
 
Thanks Geoff, but I think I'll stick with the factory iron. The weight saving and presumably better flow sound attractive, but the cost and hassle of removal/re-installation less so.
 
hello Geoff-2,

You inbox is full so can you give anymore info on the aluminum heads please?
Gary Pavlovich was teaming up with poly-Power to have them made too.

When and where will they be available, do you know?
Best wishes from The 'old country' of England.

PolyJohn UK
 
Reply to 66-SAT,

Water is heavy just like the intake manifold on a Poly!
So a non water fed manifold, like Big Blocks is preferable.

A crossover has to be constructed as a separate feed from head to head.
The Hinkles drilled the heads at the front and fitted a crossover pipe (not fitted in pic).

They used an 318-LA block not Poly-318 one so oil drains are fitted to the front cover.
(Blue pipes in picture)

Over 550-hp from a dinosaur small block of the 50's and 60's.
Not bad 'eh...:usflag:

PolyJohn

Hinkles 426 poly (2).jpg
 
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