High dollars for unmatched pair of 8RT heads...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1949-1950-1951-1952-Ford-V8-Truck-NOS-Cylinder-Heads-8RT-8rt-Flathead-Hershey-/281822232285?hash=item419de9fedd&vxp=mtr

 

$750.00? Wow. Arent those a lower compression head?

 

They're perfect for the concours restoration builder needing correct 8RT heads. I find it interesting one says made in Canada while the other is plain, and ironic that it's box says contents made in USA.

 

Most of the 8RT heads I have seen, have "Made in Canada" cast into them. Carpenters got a boat load of the things back in the '80s. I bought a pair in 1989 and installed them on my flattie when I did the last rebuild. Definitely NOS heads, and came in the original boxes. Boxes were marked "Made in Canada", and had the "Ford" logo on them, and were yellowed with age. Heads had cosmoline all over them. Think I still have them somewhere.

There has been discussion on the RT heads over the years, and the general consensus has been that Ford used either the 8RT or 8BA heads indiscriminately, with most trucks coming from the factory with the 8BA heads. There has also been some opinion that the 8RT heads were not as good a casting.

Either way, I think that when I do the engine in Gertie next time, I will go back to the 8BA heads. That is what was on her when we got the truck, and she was pretty much all original with 42K miles on the odo.

 

As far as the seller wanting over seven bills for the things, I think he is nuts.

 

Considering that's near the price for brand new aluminum Edelbrocks, not a bargain. Worst heads "ever" but "concours correct. EAB's were the best and are at swap meets for $20 apiece usually.

 

If I recall correctly, the source being credible, 8BA heads were used up til mid 51 or thereabouts, then the 8RT heads were used.

I couldn't believe the price, especially since they don't match. Guy could pull them out of a junkyard, have them magged, sandblasted, painted, and still be in way less then half of what this guy wants.

 

There's a handful of guys over on the Shoebox Ford forums who refuse to acknowledge that our truck engines regularly had "8BA" labeled heads until about 1951-52 as mentioned above. They flatly refuse to even consider that Ford used their 8BA heads on truck engines at all, despite lots and lots of evidence that clearly shows it was the norm. One guy on Shoebox Ford dared me and another FTE/Shoebox member to remove our heads and prove we had standard bore cylinders underneath. He even offered to mail us both a head gasket to just do it. When we did indeed remove the original engine from my truck a couple years later, I smiled and thought about that guy when we took the heads off and looked at the original standard bore pistons underneath.

 

Some of the prices on eBay recently are ridiculous, no way I would pay it. I was interested the other day in an old ford starter until I saw he wanted $75 just to ship it. It made me laugh and I actually sent him a note on it. His response was "maybe one day I can afford it".....lol. Find a good NOS or used parts supplier and use eBay for deals or stuff you never see.....that's what I do.

 

Does that offer still stand? Because I'm about to switch to EAB heads, and I haven't bought head gaskets yet.

 

hi Doc and anyone else- what about 1952 F1? Did they all get 8RT? Or were they using 8BA in 52 as well? Cause many 52’s I’ve seen show 8ba heads.

 

My 51 had 8BA heads. I'd be surprised if they didn't use 8BA in 52 as well.

 

And if they were still using 8ba heads up into 1952 would anyone venture to guess that in the Somerville MA plant, where my truck was built- that would be more likely since it’s probably a smaller production facility as compared to larger ones? Further from supply chains? Just guessing or hypothesizing here.

 

It's a question that probably cannot be answered concretely, but, make no mistake, if Ford had 8BA heads ready to go, they probably didn't throw them away. If I recall correctly, there's even a diagram of a truck engine in the truck service manual with "8BA" printed clearly on the head. And I'd highly doubt very many truck buyers back in those days even paid attention to whether or not their brand new truck had 8BA vs. 8RT stamped on the head. I've personally seen too many trucks in person and on the internet that were obviously parked 40-50 years ago with 8BA heads.

 

I don't think I've actually seen 8RT heads in a truck yet. There's a 49 ford (car) that I've seen at a couple of the local shows that has 8RT heads though.