Gurney Weslake 351's?

[Rodders]

A Gurney Weslake question.....

I have seen that the Wyer Gulf GT40's (and maybe the Mirages?) ran 351 CID with the Gurney Weslake heads.
Is this correct, and if so was it the 8.2 (302) block bored and stroked, or were the 9.5 (351W) blocks used?
Anyone know?

Lastly, Lola T70 Coupes, Mk 3 and Mk3B, Were any of these fitted with Gurney Weslake Fords 'factory' back in the day?

Cheers,
Rodney

 

[Jac Mac]

Dont forget the alloy Fairlane block that looks to have around 9.500" deck height or perhaps slightly less, data I have sugests it was used @ 4" bore & 3.4" stroke for around 344 cu in, but they also refer to a 4" bore 3.75" stroke for 375 cu in, which I assume would have required a tall block for a sensible rod ratio which they admit to experimenting with.... 'They' being AAR.

 

[Russ Noble]

A Gurney Weslake question.....

I have seen that the Wyer Gulf GT40's (and maybe the Mirages?) ran 351 CID with the Gurney Weslake heads.
Is this correct, and if so was it the 8.2 (302) block bored and stroked, or were the 9.5 (351W) blocks used?
Anyone know?

Lastly, Lola T70 Coupes, Mk 3 and Mk3B, Were any of these fitted with Gurney Weslake Fords 'factory' back in the day?

Cheers,
Rodney

Not sure about the Wyer GT40 cars but definitely the Mirage and most notably Paul Hawkins in AMGT2 when he got 3rd at Karlskoga 11 Aug 1968.

My research indicated they used special pre production 9.5 351 blocks which were slightly different to the blocks which eventually went into production. Can't remember my source off hand. May have been JS Allen.

 

[Dave Wood]

If your question is regarding whether the G-W heads would go on a 351 block, the answer is yes. The kits that were sold had spacers for the intake manifold to compensate for the difference in block height. I believe that all the kits included the spacer/adapters. The intake was dry and so the spacers were simple castings. I know the 377 engines they ran were based on prototype blocks, but not sure if they ever used the standard block. I had several 1969 351 blocks many years ago and you could see where the casting had incorporated the bosses for a 4 bolt main, but they never made one. I always wondered if they had intended to, before the Cleveland ,or whether the patterns used in the 377 engines were use and the 4 bolts never machined. Can't vouch for later blocks though.

 

[Rodders]

Yes, I did know that the Gurney Weslake heads will work on a 351 (9.5 deck height) block.
Have seen them on 351C (9.2) blocks too.
I don't think I have ever seen the heads fitted to a 351 block.....in a GT40.
Would they flow sufficiently today for a '351' 'race' engine,
Maybe back in the day?
Rodney

 

[Neal]

Yes, I did know that the Gurney Weslake heads will work on a 351 (9.5 deck height) block.
Have seen them on 351C (9.2) blocks too.
I don't think I have ever seen the heads fitted to a 351 block.....in a GT40.
Would they flow sufficiently today for a '351' 'race' engine,
Maybe back in the day?
Rodney

Did Mirage fit GW heads to their cars?

 

[Allan Feldman]

I am no expert on engines but Gurney Weslake heads were fitted to the Mirage M1 in 1967. I read that Lola T70 spyders had them fitted. I am assuming the Dan Gurney MacEagle was a Lola T70 with a small block Ford. He was trying to sell them to Ford in 1968. The Gulf Wyer GT40's had them fitted. But I am still trying to find out when the head covers changed from Gurney Weslake to Gurney Eagle??
Regards Allan

 

[Jac Mac]

I am no expert on engines but Gurney Weslake heads were fitted to the Mirage M1 in 1967. I read that Lola T70 spyders had them fitted. I am assuming the Dan Gurney MacEagle was a Lola T70 with a small block Ford. He was trying to sell them to Ford in 1968. The Gulf Wyer GT40's had them fitted. But I am still trying to find out when the head covers changed from Gurney Weslake to Gurney Eagle??
Regards Allan

Info I have '' In 67 the AAR Lola Can Am car was a special HD SBF with 3.75" stroke & 4.00 bore- they were 'potential' Can Am winners but had problems with TJ injection. This stuff was sold to Lothar Motschenbacher for subsequent use in his McLaren M6B, he tried Lucas timed injection before reverting to Webers.
It was around 67/68 that the script on the covers changed to Gurney Eagle.

I only found info of Fords in the Spyder Lolas, none in coupes, that doesnt mean that they were not fitted by privateer's.

 

[Brian Kissel]

Jac

After the 67 season, Lola decided to build their cars for racing. There was no longer any need to put Ford engines in them after that.

SORRY, I couldn't resist that.

Regards Brian

 

[Jac Mac]

What goes around, comes around ... regards

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

And THAT accounts for Chevrolet's string of Le Mans victories, now that I think on it. As well as all those Chevy race cars that are selling for such enormous sums on the international auction sites. Pity Ford couldn't keep up.

 

[Cliff Beer]

Dont forget the alloy Fairlane block that looks to have around 9.500" deck height or perhaps slightly less, data I have sugests it was used @ 4" bore & 3.4" stroke for around 344 cu in, but they also refer to a 4" bore 3.75" stroke for 375 cu in, which I assume would have required a tall block for a sensible rod ratio which they admit to experimenting with.... 'They' being AAR.

Jac Mac, was there an "alloy" block available for the Fairlane? In other words, some type of aluminum block? I'd be very interested in finding such a block as a base for a HiPo engine. Any information is much appreciated.

 

[Jac Mac]

Jac Mac, was there an "alloy" block available for the Fairlane? In other words, some type of aluminum block? I'd be very interested in finding such a block as a base for a HiPo engine. Any information is much appreciated.

Sorry If I got your hopes up Cliff, it was not available to the public, but made by/for AAR/Gurney and referred to as the 'Alloy Fairlane' block, Ive never seen one for sale or for that matter installed in any cars recently...good chance if they were cast from original ford patterns that they were not that reliable in service... bit like all the alloy Clevelands that ended up out in this neck of the woods..not enough meat around the main bearing webs.
The modern day equivalent would be the Dart Alloy block, available in 4" or 4.125" bore & a choice of 8.200", 8.700" & either 9.200" or 9.500" deck heights,
Bill Mitchell etc also make em, plus a couple of others. I think I saw a S/H RD1 4.125"/8.200" block for sale on Club Cobra a few weeks back

 

[Cliff Beer]

Sorry If I got your hopes up Cliff, it was not available to the public, but made by/for AAR/Gurney and referred to as the 'Alloy Fairlane' block, Ive never seen one for sale or for that matter installed in any cars recently...good chance if they were cast from original ford patterns that they were not that reliable in service... bit like all the alloy Clevelands that ended up out in this neck of the woods..not enough meat around the main bearing webs.
The modern day equivalent would be the Dart Alloy block, available in 4" or 4.125" bore & a choice of 8.200", 8.700" & either 9.200" or 9.500" deck heights,
Bill Mitchell etc also make em, plus a couple of others. I think I saw a S/H RD1 4.125"/8.200" block for sale on Club Cobra a few weeks back

Thanks Jac Mac, understood. If old Fairlanes had (appropriately strengthened/ribbed) alloy blocks then I'd have to immediately take off the next two weeks and spend it scouring old junk yards with a trailer and plasma cutter. Of course, I'd probably find somebody else beat me to it, many years prior.

I've looked at the newer alloy Dart blocks and they look good with the appropriate ribbing and strengthening...and still save a meaningful amount of weight. This would be part of my Grand Plan to put an all alloy flat crank V8 (302/351 based) in an old Indy/F5000 car...

 

[Cliff Beer]

and here's the YouBoob vid: YouTube - DartTV-The Dart Billet Block