inspection · FF-0375

How can you check a Flathead head's chamber thickness before machining it?

With an ultrasonic thickness tester, which Steve says can be bought fairly cheaply. Castings are not the best use for one, but for relative thickness you can calibrate it to a known cast thickness. If it read 150 thousandths he would be leery of touching the head; at four tenths of an inch he thinks it would be safe to take some material out. He expects the Offenhauser and this Edelbrock would be fine, and would be reluctant to machine an old Fenton.

Expert

Steve Coppock

Evidence

expert attributed

Component

ultrasonic thickness testing

Applicable scope

Ford Flathead V8 cylinder heads for supercharged use