Single Port Porting ??

[plasticblack]

Dyno Don has an ad running in the for sale section    http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,12639.0.html and it got me thinking about those day when Twin Port Heads didn't even exist..

When Single Port was the only choice available, what were the mods done to heads etc to drag every last bit of power from them? 

Does anyone out there still know about this type of mod, because I'd really consider doing something based around a Single Port Engine just to to have ago at it?

I don't want ultimate power and tyre shredding performance... Just interested in seeing what can be done (by me) 

I'd welcome any info or pics or tips on this. It's just a bit of fun on my part and using some old parts that would otherwise just stay in the shed?   

[Dave Galassi]

Great thread.  I've got two pair of nice single port heads that have been worked on.  The first pair, which have heavy porting, is on my white ragtop and there's no question it makes a difference, especially since that car is blown and has a lumpy cam (for a small displacement engine).  The second pair I have, I will take some pictures of tonight and post them.  They have been radically reworked and I am planning another blown engine in one of my other cars with this pair.  This second pair of heads were done back in the time period of which you speak, and I can't imagine anyone spending the time and effort to work a single port head that far anymore.  I will also see if I can find any pictures of the other pair that is currently on my white ragtop.

[plasticblack]

Hi Dave

I'm excited to see exactly what you've got going on.

I'd expect the limits of what's possible have been well and truly examined, but the idea really has caught my imagination and I'm more determined to try it out.

Looking forward to you info. 

[dyno don]

hello there my single port brothers/ a single port head is like anything else....can be made into something tasty but needs a lot of spicing up first. the most important role to remember in head porting is to know when to stop..!!  I have seen sooooo many heads over the years and many with big numbers and in reality they did not perform up to the challenge. keep the exhaust ports small at the original 1 3/8 "...intakes can be ported quite easily using common sense. port just enought to rough out the casting marks but be careful in the middle runner area not to eleviate too much of the roof area. ive always run stock valve size but one can opt for larger valves as well making this head a mini monster. flycut for compression always helps/i recommend 8...8 1/2 comp but have run 9 to 1 with good results but with a wicked tune up(proper plugs/jets/timing) . a good 3 or 4 angle competition valve job works wonders on ANY head. lightweight retainers and a good set of single springs are also in order.profile the combustion chambers. remember the word "basic"when porting....have a game plan first and plan on spending some TLC and you should be just fine.   my heads for sale are not cheap or for the non understanding sect of our hobby/they have hours of work with all the worksand are a piece of my history..!!!

[Rennsurfer]

Right on, brother Don. I think it would be totally cool to build another high performance single port engine, today, just for giggles. Be interesting to see it's potential.

[Worm]

I think the younger guys should know that almost everyone (with some kind of performance motor) had DP heads in the mid to late 70's (and up) on their motors.  What Dyno did was run single ports and race the yahoo's (like me) that did'nt even consider the option as we were all sucked into the weber thing.   I am not 100% here, but were'nt Kadrons the only real good performance option single port heads had?
You see young fellas...... Ol' Dyno here would roll up to some unsuspecting goober whose Daddy just bought him his first bug.  Lets say he had a 1835 and it had 44's on it and his buddy's told him it was the fastest bug THEY had ever been in.  Dyno would offer a dollar or two for a little drag race, and goober would take a look at Dyno's SINGLE PORT heads with kadrons and almost run to his wallet for that race.  They ALL lost.  Maybe even me if I remember it wrong. ha.  (we kinda had a Kadron motor thing between us).

That Dyno guy is/was kinda sneaky like that.  The legend is he had the fastest single port street car, uh um, Notchback on the streets at that time.  Maybe ever.

[Rick Meredith]

Hey Dyno, I remember a place down on Superior Ave. In Costa Mesa that did my single ports for me. I think that I went there cuz you recommended them to me but I'm a little fuzzy on that. Does that ring a bell?

[plasticblack]

Update on Single Port Porting.....

I've just been offered some 1300 Twin-Plug Cyl Heads?

So there is possibility that these will be the basis of this little project 

Thanks for the tech info Don, I'll be hoping to put a simple but effective motor together, that can have power and be very useable also.

Keep the info coming please, all and anything is of interest. 

[EMS]

In '77 I helped my brother in law build a cal look '67. We did it on a tight budget - I built it using a stock CW crank, 87 mahle slip ons, Kadron carbs with aluminum manifolds, ported single port heads, and an engle 110. Did the trick 4 angle valve job, balanced everything. The car sounded and ran like it had small webers in it. He raced quite a few guys on the street and mostly won. I was impressed with what could be done with single port heads (great gas mileage too). One day at work he heard a VW taking off and remarked it sounded like his car, well we never saw it again.

For fun during the gas shortage in the 70's I took a 40 horse and ported and rechambered it also, put in the slip in oversize mahles, left the single stock carb. Great performance but best of all it got well into the 30's for gas mileage. It was my shop runner.

[plasticblack]

I'd be really happy to get into the 30's for consumption and just a reasonable performance from the 1300.

I hadn't thought about keeping the original carb? I was panning to use an NOS Holley Bugspray I have in the workshop.

I'm going to have fun with the heads for sure and we'll see what turns out..

[dyno don]

not so good gas mileage with a holley bug spray/and you can run a stock carb with an engle 100 with ported heads and will run just fine.    HEY ED...do you remember walt gadzinski from auto haus days?/we were roomates/ friends and he sold me one of the first sets of kadrons after loads of R&D.....oh..and your stolen car>.probably the same jackoff that broke into your shop.   please pass me a real cold one..!!   you were one hell of a machinist back in the day/GREAT CRANKS....!!

[karl h]

wasnt there an article in "how to hotrod vw engines" where a single port head was ported? gene berg was one of the guys doing the work i think

[plasticblack]

wasnt there an article in "how to hotrod vw engines" where a single port head was ported? gene berg was one of the guys doing the work i think

Any idea where that article might be found please? 

[Rennsurfer]

wasnt there an article in "how to hotrod vw engines" where a single port head was ported? gene berg was one of the guys doing the work i think

Any idea where that article might be found please? 

Wish that I could find my copy of this book.

If I remember right, there's a part, in there, that covers single port heads. The second version of this book is still available. I saw them for sale at Autobooks in Burbank, CA. The new cover has some chromed out VW engine on it.

[plasticblack]

I have an old copy back at home somewhere

   I'll have  to start digging this weekend

[karl h]

i have one too, but have to dig also

[plasticblack]

not so good gas mileage with a holley bug spray/and you can run a stock carb with an engle 100 with ported heads and will run just fine.   


Good info Don

 Thanks 

[Rick Meredith]

i have one too, but have to dig also

X3

[plasticblack]

Wish that I could find my copy of this book.




                                   Found my copy.... In of all places.... The Bookcase?? 

                                       Now to stock up on all my Dremel Attchments.. 

[Felix/DFL]

wasnt there an article in "how to hotrod vw engines" where a single port head was ported? gene berg was one of the guys doing the work i think

Any idea where that article might be found please? 

Wish that I could find my copy of this book.

If I remember right, there's a part, in there, that covers single port heads. The second version of this book is still available. I saw them for sale at Autobooks in Burbank, CA. The new cover has some chromed out VW engine on it.

You could even buy the Fischer book very cheap from Amazon with the newer blue cover. That book is a milestone! One of my favourits, can`t count how many times I read some sections of it...Single porting is even included in the blue one.

check:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Hot-Rod-Volkswagen-Engines/dp/0912656034/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1276342991&sr=8-3-fkmr1

[plasticblack]

Mine is an old copy, so hopefully it has what I'm looking for.

   If not I'll hope to get a scan from somebody kind and have a go at porting myself........

[Rennsurfer]

                                   Found my copy.... In of all places.... The Bookcase?? 

                                       Now to stock up on all my Dremel Attchments.. 

Nice! Let the porting commence. Pictures, too, if possible please.

[lowrenz]

i did what you guys are talkin about:



and did that with it:


sadly it doesnt go into the 16s but seriosly was fun to build and is still fun to drive.

[red baron]

just stumbled over this thread and thought about u, lorenz.. But you obviously were faster..

I can tell that this engine is really fun..and goes really well..

cheerio low!

[max, Der Bahnstormerz]

I did this one a few years ago. Made approx the same power as a 1600cc.

A little porting around the exhaust guides, on the long side of the intake runner and making the most of the stock size valve by opening up the seats and then blending them into the chamber

[Rennsurfer]

Excellent and great looking engine, Max!

[Billyisgr8]

Don't let anyone tell you a singleport is a waste of time, I like to see others who also put in the effort to build a singleport, they are very underated.  They really shine with a turbo too.  I too would really like to find a copy of the first How to Hotrod book.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/EV12RL3P8Bw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/EV12RL3P8Bw</a>

Kevin

[fish]

here are my SP 100 single ports machined for 88mm slight porting and valve job, hemi cut.

[Zach Gomulka]

What do you do about the intake gasket?

[Billyisgr8]

I used none on mine, just high temp silicone.  Make sure the sealing surface is flat.  So far after 3 years, and 19 psi boost  it still is holding on my 2110 singleport.  Here is my first set of singleports using JB weld from 5 years ago to fill in where I needed more area.  These heads used  35 x 32 valves.

Kevin