TA Performance heads for the Rover V8

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:57 pm

Just had an update re the new V8 heads and they will apparently be on the shelf by August 9th.

I do have some pics but these may be the V6 version as thay do not show the complete head in any of the shots.

Do not have final details of chamber and valve sizes yet but they will require different maniflods as per the Wildcat heads.

Kevin

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:42 pm

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak ... 0864_n.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak ... 9920_n.jpg

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak ... 9852_n.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak ... 0724_n.jpg

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak ... 5409_n.jpg

Prototypes..

No idea yet as to what the chamber CC's will be (not machined yet), 11/32 stem valves, 1.90-2.02 intake valves, 1.50-1.60 exhaust valves, flow numbers should be higher than the V6 heads at fully ported.

Also as i understand that Australian Triumph Rover Spares bought 2set of prototypes, and TA-performance is trying to cast 8set or more those heads?

and price is 2500$ i think?

Hope someone has got more info..

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:53 pm

Dimitri,

Latest information I heard from Jim Blackwood over on the British V8 Forum is that TA have the castings back from the foundry for final machining work on their CNC program which only needs uprating from the V6 head program.

Thay may have sets ready by the end of the month.

Kevin.

Wotland · Post by **Wotland** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:58 am

LOLL I don't have yet the talent for ubiquity.

It is Timo who posted.

In all case I am very suprised by the height of TA heads.

It seems like with Wildcat heads we will need of spacer to use standard rover inlet manifold.

crayefish · Post by **crayefish** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:41 pm

$2500??????? Jesus. Thats more expensive than AFR heads (shame they dont do rover heads!) and prob more expensive than those tasty looking wildcat heads

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:18 pm

At the current exchange rate not such good value but bearing in mind that a pair of Full house rover heads can set you back £1600 and god knows how much Wildcats are, never been brave enough to ask.

Dimitri/Timo apologies just my fuddled brain.

Kevin.

HairbearTE · Post by **HairbearTE** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:29 pm

The price is ok if you're getting a fully cnc'd set of those heads. The big cost will be building the rest of the engine to make the most of the TA heads. It's almost pointless to use them on anything less than a full-tilt effort.

crayefish · Post by **crayefish** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:38 pm

HairbearTE wrote:The price is ok if you're getting a fully cnc'd set of those heads. The big cost will be building the rest of the engine to make the most of the TA heads. It's almost pointless to use them on anything less than a full-tilt effort.

very good point!

id imagine.....

forged psitons
high compression
solid cam
roller rockers
individual throttle bodies
tuned manifolds

that sort of kit...

alistair · Post by **alistair** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:39 pm

crayefish wrote:$2500??????? Jesus. Thats more expensive than AFR heads (shame they dont do rover heads!) and prob more expensive than those tasty looking wildcat heads

I looked at Wildcat heads for another project some years ago and at the time they were about £2700 per pair, plus VAT if my memory serves me right. Thats about twice the price of the TA ones at about $5100 US dollar. Shipping and import duty will affect the price obviously.

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:03 pm

I hear that TA are now looking at around $3000 for a pair of heads which looks like they are pricing themselves out of the market, there has been a lot of adverse comments over on the US side of the pond.

Makes the Merlins look very good value for out of the box street performance, but they may need a bit more work to maximise potential for race use.

Kevin.

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:17 pm

CastleMGBV8 wrote:I hear that TA are now looking at around $3000 for a pair of heads which looks like they are pricing themselves out of the market, there has been a lot of adverse comments over on the US side of the pond.

Makes the Merlins look very good value for out of the box street performance, but they may need a bit more work to maximise potential for race use.

Kevin.

Merlins..

waste of money

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 10:21 am

" Merlins.. waste of money "
not having yet seen a single dyno chart (appart from the manufacturer) and definetly not one set of flow figures for a set of these heads I cannot say if they are any good or a wast of money. Maybe one day someone will stick a set of these, a set of buick 300s and a set of standard and ported rover heads on the same flow bench (maybe even wildcats and TA heads) and someone will be able to say if they are anygood or not, but even a single flow chart would be better than what is out there now. Also then there would be a chance of working out what sort of cam will be best to use with the heads and so a proper engine build could be done. On the otherhand Real steel seem so determined not to make a success of this produce that it all seems a bit irrelevent.
Best regards
Mike

alistair · Post by **alistair** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:15 pm

CastleMGBV8 wrote:I hear that TA are now looking at around $3000 for a pair of heads which looks like they are pricing themselves out of the market, there has been a lot of adverse comments over on the US side of the pond.

As a long term Buick owner I've never heard anything but good things about TA and I have used them myself for stuff. That said I also had very positive experiances of Postons and they became infamous and I believe are now closed down.

$3000 US for a set of fully new cast heads on a low production volume doesn't seem extraordinary to me. OK, you can buy a pair of Edelbrocks for a small block Chevy for $1000 but they have volume and economy of scale on their side.

If you look at the other "off brand" stuff like Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Buick, AMC and others its not uncommon to find their heads up to $2000-$2500 a pair or more. Some of the nice Mopar heads are $4500 a pair. But these are fully finished, assembled, individually flow checked, etc. so you get what you pay for.

I think I read that a single head for a crossflow 4 pot is over $2000 from Ford Racing.

yeah, $3000 USD means I won't be buying a pair but like has been said until someone's dyno flogged a set compared to the other options then you don't know whats worth the money and what isn't.

Also helps if there is a firm price rather than a rumour of a price. Give me a prod when the prices are firm!

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 6:16 am

http://www.v8forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5509

As minor v8 wrote, they are worth up to 11hp with ederplock performer manifold. And single plane manifod give extra 20hp. But what will single manifold do with his old "stage 3" setup, same 20hp? So total is still 11hp more?

What i understand as read TA-performance owners mail. He say that merlins flow only 191,4cfm as rover stage 4 flows 183cfm at the same flow bench @ 28" Thats why they aren´t so popular.. And if they are good heads, why there is no more dyno sheet available? Because they dont give power. I dont belive..

Flow figures dosent mean that they will give power, as my friend can brove that with his Ford OHC race engine. Heads dosent flow when bench tested, but i will give 20hp more than those heads what will give good flow figures in bench.

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:43 am

kokkolanpoika wrote:http://www.v8forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5509

Flow figures dosent mean that they will give power, as my friend can brove that with his Ford OHC race engine. Heads dosent flow when bench tested, but i will give 20hp more than those heads what will give good flow figures in bench.

Yep, I agree (well I've read this). Flow figures are part of the equation but combustion chamber design also has a big effect as this is one of the main things that controls the flame speed.