80´s Autocraft VW casting heads?

[JS]

Guys, I´m trying to find out something about these heads. Mike @ Autocraft could only tell me that these were made in the early 80´s and was referred to as a "Stage 3" head.
Does anybody have any more information? 

[JS]

THAT rare huh? 

[dangerous]

Until the pro series 910 casting came out in about 1983
the stage 3, 4, & 5 were still using the VW shape rocker covers pictured.
Stage 5 from memory had billet chambers welded to the VW casting,
but stage 4 had spread inlet ports, just like stage 5.

Hot VWs mags from the era showed the range of stages,
but I have a feeling that stage 3 may have been"spread port" inlet,
although in your picture, they use the stock stud space for the manifold.
I may be wrong.

Possibly a  little "rare" or "scarce" due to many being 'used up' in speedway melt downs.
...but I'll bet there are a lot of those engines just sitting under benches.
There has been a resurgence(?) of late, with classic migets being built/re-bilt and raced everywhere,
so perhaps more will re-appear..

[dangerous]

Try March 1983 hot VWs for a feature on the stage 5 heads.
Excellent issue by the way!

[DKK Ted]

Guys, I´m trying to find out something about these heads. Mike @ Autocraft could only tell me that these were made in the early 80´s and was referred to as a "Stage 3" head.
Does anybody have any more information? 

You say Mike @ AutoCraft, you mean Mike Dawson?? I believe the head porter back then was named Harley, don't know his last name. I worked there around that time, those heads worked very well. I ran a smaller set from AC, wished I had them now! Those valve covers worked very well also, very strong.

Ted

[JS]

Thanks a lot for the info!!
Mike did not put his last name in his e-mail, but I assumed it´s Mike Seymour who´s the owner? Could be another Mike of course...
He said that the way to spot a stage 3 from a 4 was to look for 2 or 3 bolt for the manifold.
Thanks again!!

Johnny.

[speedwell]

johnny here's the report from march 83

[Bewitched666]

According to the newest Hot vws edition CB performnace is making them again with the help of autocraft.
Maybe you can check with Pat Downs for some info as he is improving the old type heads

[deano]

The original owners of Auto Craft were Ray Fitzpatrick and Bill Steiner, based in La Habra, CA. Bill recently sold out to Mike Seymour of Autocraft Engines, so the original Auto-Craft that made those VW-based heads is no longer. Mike Dawson worked for the original Auto-Craft in LaHabra for years, and has since moved to Lake Elsinore. There's a ton more gossip, but you get the idea....