Max wedge head flow

[Splangj]

Hey everybody! I remember back in the eighties it seemed like the Max Wedge heads where always sought after. I wasn’t aware of any aluminum heads back then, but maybe Brodex? Any how, what’s the consensus on how much cfm they would flow? Even though the port entrance is larger, did the use the same length valves as other big block heads? I remember reading Indy’s advertisement way long ago, showing how the factory intake port really shrunk down in the area under the valve.

 

[1968rt]

Stan Weiss' - Cylinder Head Flow Data at 28 Inches of Water -- DFW / FLW Flow Files for use with Engine Simulation Software just scroll down

 

[Lefty71]

I wasn’t aware of any aluminum heads back then, but maybe Brodex?

Zeeker, father of the Indy 440-1

 

[Splangj]

Thanks. That’s one complete head flow chart!

 

[Splangj]

Ok, it looks like the stock MW heads flowed around 285 cfm from the chart. Porting seems to help them out quite a bit. That’s about the same flow as a RPM or a Stelth head. That really helped out a bunch in the cast iron days. I’m not trying to rip on the MW crowd, that could put a car into the low 11s easily. I’m just curious if they had the same valve length as the 906s for example. I don’t think Chevy had a good BB head in 63, but I could be wrong. I know the Hemi had much more flow, and was the first to exceed 200 mph, albeit almost 30 cubic inches less back in the day.

 

[Splangj]

Well not not 30 cid back then, no 454 Chevy yet, sorry

 

[gkent]

Other than the ports the heads were the same, no changes to rocker shaft location or height ... so same length valves

 

[33 IMP]

Max wedge competition (413) was 409 Chevy, 406 Ford, 421 Pontiac. The other three were so much heavier than the mopars, they all developed liteweight versions for their race versions. Aluminum or fiberglass front ends.
63 maxwedge competition was Z11 aluminum front end 427 (409 derivative, NOT the rat motor,) high riser 427 Ford,(glass front) and super duty aluminum front end 421 Pontiac.
Mopar could hold their own on the strip, but were getting smoked in Nascar.
So, .....Hemi.
But, max heads were the best you could do for a wedge for a lot of years. Still
can run good, but the crossram is a handicap.

 

[33 IMP]

These flow right at 330. Professionally ported years ago, refreshed at IMM.

 

[Splangj]

Thanks for the replies. 330 cfm is impressive for that old iron head. If they got that flow out of it in the 60s, that would be a superior head.

 

[RemCharger]

In 1962 , months after arrival, the 413 MW cars set the fastest production car at 11.90s.
It was at least 40 yrs before chrysler built a 500+ cubic inch carbon Fibre sportscar that could match it. And then it took a supercharged hemi in 2015 for a comparable v8.
The heads I have (62) were on a 9.50 car with 440 cubes. The claim was right around 750hp.
Indy heads were born from these.
One favorite memory I have is driving by a guy that had a victor headed 440, with my MW head 383.
History ignorance is bliss.

 

[Geoff 2]

I think the as-cast flow of these heads are a lot less than many people think.......