New Edelbrock Heads
Out of Line, Everytime😉
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Melville, Saskatchewan
The Molnar rods also needed pin fit. I should have checked the big end and will before they go in. I was going to get the machine shop to order me .030" rod bearings, since they need rod bearings for internal balancing, none of their suppliers had any available. Talking King, Federal Mogul and Clevite. Cutlassefi could get rod bearings from all 3. The .030" mains are only available from Federal Mogul and the other two have no plans to make any. So that is your choice in .030" undersize. It is worth it to me to use this 330 crank that has sat on my shelf for 10 years. When I do the Edelbrock head swap, it will be very comparable. I will be polishing the iron heads to 68cc, same for both I will run a .042" compressed head gasket like the iron heads and may use 1.72 ratio rockers for the iron and 1.65 ratio on the new Edelbrock. I would use the new rockers on the iron but don't want to wait more time for the .100" mill on the rocker pads.
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From: Utah
I only knew of 2 aftermarket Olds 455 rod manufacturers. Eagle and Scat. Never knew of Molnar. It's expensive to have a steel mill forge a rod like that, so not many manufacturers do it.
One forum post stated that Molnar is made in China at the same factory that makes Eagle rods. They are just rebranded.
"The Molnar rods are mostly 4340 forgings and are rough machined in China. Whether they are final machined in China or US makes the difference between the good brands and the better brands. Once you get the measurements to acceptable tolerances the rods are pretty much interchangeable. Molnar states that the rods he sells are finish machined in the USA. I haven't read a single complaint about his products here."
So Molnar does make good products. They get the same forged rods as Eagle, the difference is Molnar takes that rod and cleans them up and sells them as their brand but the forging is the same as Eagle. Which is fine and all.
Last edited by pettrix; Jul 28, 2021 at 11:21 AM.
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From: Long Island , New York
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i know this is the wrong place for this, but I bought a set of edelbrock roller heads 60515 that are still unopened in the boxes. I paid around 2k for them, and would prefer to sell them and go with the new head that allows a mechanical fuel pump for a small block striker application. I am in the New York area. The heads have the heart shaped chamber and are the last version prior to the brand new unavailable version. Just throwing this out there for anyone whose build is stalled by the supply shortage.
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From: Central Fl
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I would say that less than half of the naysayers would buy a set if they were right in front of them.
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I really hope that they do not close down the factory due to the rising Delta variant cases. It's blowing up here and the ICU's are starting to fill up like they did last year. Another close down will be devastating to the supply chain.
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Batten, Rocket Racing, Wise, Bulldog, etc., etc.
All require custom intakes for a reason. The stock port configuration limits flow potential.
Edelbrock used to make the Batten intakes for small block Olds deck height engines, so there is nothing saying they couldn’t do that again to match a higher performance head package. Not like they have to make it a one size fits all.... I guess that is the goal with most of the Olds stuff though.
Also, it is not like they don’t cast different intakes to match all the different Olds small block and Big block port shapes and sizes.... and it isn’t like they don’t make a bunch of different intakes even for Olds engines already.
If there were at least two levels of heads for Olds engines, a mild upgrade and a race version, you could really see an aftermarket head that would bolt on and be capable of 600+ hp out of the box. In this new configuration, it won’t get there without a lot of additional work and money.
If I pay $2300 for a new set of heads, I sure wouldn’t be willing to spend another $2,000 to make them do what I want for flow and power.
I mentioned this the other day.... it doesn’t cost much more to have a head that has already been developed with lots of welding, raising the roof, and filling of the port floor, and the power has been proven to make a casting off the improved version, especially with stereo lithography. Take that well-developed head and do a 3D model trace of it and then make the new casting starting at that point, ensuring proper thickness everywhere for stability and strength.
All require custom intakes for a reason. The stock port configuration limits flow potential.
Edelbrock used to make the Batten intakes for small block Olds deck height engines, so there is nothing saying they couldn’t do that again to match a higher performance head package. Not like they have to make it a one size fits all.... I guess that is the goal with most of the Olds stuff though.
Also, it is not like they don’t cast different intakes to match all the different Olds small block and Big block port shapes and sizes.... and it isn’t like they don’t make a bunch of different intakes even for Olds engines already.
If there were at least two levels of heads for Olds engines, a mild upgrade and a race version, you could really see an aftermarket head that would bolt on and be capable of 600+ hp out of the box. In this new configuration, it won’t get there without a lot of additional work and money.
If I pay $2300 for a new set of heads, I sure wouldn’t be willing to spend another $2,000 to make them do what I want for flow and power.
I mentioned this the other day.... it doesn’t cost much more to have a head that has already been developed with lots of welding, raising the roof, and filling of the port floor, and the power has been proven to make a casting off the improved version, especially with stereo lithography. Take that well-developed head and do a 3D model trace of it and then make the new casting starting at that point, ensuring proper thickness everywhere for stability and strength.
Batten intakes are not hard to find. i have some here now and can get one within a few days of looking. the batten head on a big block will also accept a new style Victor with some work,, not that hard.
Rocket racing heads have an intake to fit theirs on a small block, and a spacer if used on Big Block
Wise heads on a small black are meant to accept a big block intake, or with a spacer on a big block. ports are higher only
bulldog heads are raised only, same spread, no spacer to use Big Block intake or spacer when on a big block
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You kinda contradicted yourself. Battens take a Victor “with work”, Rockets take their own intake, won’t fit anything else.
Battenrunner- with all due respect how many people are going to buy an all out Olds race head? Not many, that’s partly why Wise has all but fallen off the face of the earth, Batten’s haven’t been made in years, and if you ask John@Rocket how many sets of his heads he sells in a year it won’t be earth shattering. Big companies like Edelbrock need to move units, plain and simple.
Finally you keep talking about how “all it would take is this or that for an altered head”. Then do it, make a dozen or so sets of a full bore Olds race head and see how many you’re still sitting on after a year. Just sayin.
Battenrunner- with all due respect how many people are going to buy an all out Olds race head? Not many, that’s partly why Wise has all but fallen off the face of the earth, Batten’s haven’t been made in years, and if you ask John@Rocket how many sets of his heads he sells in a year it won’t be earth shattering. Big companies like Edelbrock need to move units, plain and simple.
Finally you keep talking about how “all it would take is this or that for an altered head”. Then do it, make a dozen or so sets of a full bore Olds race head and see how many you’re still sitting on after a year. Just sayin.
Last edited by cutlassefi; Aug 2, 2021 at 05:51 PM.
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You kinda contradicted yourself. Battens take a Victor “with work”, Rockets take their own intake, won’t fit anything else.
Battenrunner- with all due respect how many people are going to buy an all out Olds race head? Not many, that’s partly why Wise has all but fallen off the face of the earth, Batten’s haven’t been made in years, and if you ask John@Rocket how many sets of his heads he sells in a year it won’t be earth shattering. Big companies like Edelbrock need to move units, plain and simple.
Finally you keep talking about how “all it would take is this or that for an altered head”. Then do it, make a dozen or so sets of a full bore Olds race head and see how many you’re still sitting on after a year. Just sayin.
Battenrunner- with all due respect how many people are going to buy an all out Olds race head? Not many, that’s partly why Wise has all but fallen off the face of the earth, Batten’s haven’t been made in years, and if you ask John@Rocket how many sets of his heads he sells in a year it won’t be earth shattering. Big companies like Edelbrock need to move units, plain and simple.
Finally you keep talking about how “all it would take is this or that for an altered head”. Then do it, make a dozen or so sets of a full bore Olds race head and see how many you’re still sitting on after a year. Just sayin.
and its true, Rockets take their own intake, which is also available from them...not custom
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Update- just got off the phone with my new contact at Edelbrock. First off all I want to thank all of you that have placed orders for these new heads thru somebody. The current amount of back orders is enough to tell them that the Olds community is alive and well! Add to that a respectable amount of back orders for various intakes too!
They still expect to have these done before the end of this year. Their system shows the new heads with “active” part numbers so that’s a good thing.
As things get closer I’ll post accordingly. Also probably just a week or so away from putting my sb mule back on my Dyno with the new heads. Stay tuned!
They still expect to have these done before the end of this year. Their system shows the new heads with “active” part numbers so that’s a good thing.
As things get closer I’ll post accordingly. Also probably just a week or so away from putting my sb mule back on my Dyno with the new heads. Stay tuned!
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From: Thousand Oaks Ca
Update- just got off the phone with my new contact at Edelbrock. First off all I want to thank all of you that have placed orders for these new heads thru somebody. The current amount of back orders is enough to tell them that the Olds community is alive and well! Add to that a respectable amount of back orders for various intakes too!
They still expect to have these done before the end of this year. Their system shows the new heads with “active” part numbers so that’s a good thing.
As things get closer I’ll post accordingly. Also probably just a week or so away from putting my sb mule back on my Dyno with the new heads. Stay tuned!
They still expect to have these done before the end of this year. Their system shows the new heads with “active” part numbers so that’s a good thing.
As things get closer I’ll post accordingly. Also probably just a week or so away from putting my sb mule back on my Dyno with the new heads. Stay tuned!
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From: Mt.Ary, MD
It's comforting to know that there are enough members of the anti-LS consortium to warrant actual production through backorders.
Are these technically "Gen III"?
Are these technically "Gen III"?
Last edited by fleming442; Aug 10, 2021 at 12:21 PM.
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Yes these will essentially be a Gen III.
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Do you remember what the big end actual measurement was?
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Out of Line, Everytime😉
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From: Melville, Saskatchewan
Yeah, maybe we should move all the rod info in this thread, to it's own new thread. This is a crowning achievement for the Oldsmobile world, huge👍. I imagine about half this thread could be removed due to irrelevancy to these new, awesome heads🤔.
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From: Thousand Oaks Ca
I do agree, I did set the small end from .0002 as supplied to .0009. I will get back to you tonight on the big end measurement after I look at my notes and their at my shop.
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Last edited by cutlassefi; Aug 11, 2021 at 11:23 AM.
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From: Thousand Oaks Ca
I should mention we get a great deal on Edelbrock products, we can sell for less than Summit, I will ck on the availability of these heads and the release dates Thursday, this Edelbrock deal just came across my desk today.
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From: Birmingham,Alabama
I'm calling BS,Mark will know before you do. You tell me how you will sell them cheaper than a HUGE volume big box store. Oh I know,you will sell them below cost,right? Quit making a complete @$$ out of yourself.
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When they become available I will sell them for less than Summit.
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From: Thousand Oaks Ca
I pay 1604.00 delivered to my shop for a set of the previous Edelbrock castings, the new casting I don't have a price for.
