Has anyone on here bought one and if so who from and how much$$?


Tom

I know Howard Davis with the "Hillside Six" runs them, but I have no idea where they get them.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

Cox Boys and Goodman have also run solid copper head gaskets. I think Dave Mueller has also used them but I'm not 100% sure on that.
DD

Clifford shows them in their catalog. Made by SCE.

Cecil

Do you know if all these require O-rings?
Rick

Rick, Howard said the ones they used had O-rings on all oil and water passages and still leaked.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

So then what's the common consensus on the best type of head gasket to use?

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

Cox Bros. sell the copper head gaskets, in different thickness. I bought one for my turbo engine but havn't installed it yet.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Copper gaskets will always weep coolant. They won't outright leak, but you'll find the head and block will always be damp. Why not use Felpro's composite gasket? I did primarily because I could not find a steel shim gasket. No problems. Uncompressed, this gasket was ~.045 thick, so calculate your compression ratio accordingly.

Mitch

I am mainly asking about the head gasket for a future turbo project? If the cooper ones are all going to leak, are any of the composite gaskets better than the others for a turbo set-up. Charlie, what are you running? And at what boost?
I'm assuming that the o-ring grooves would need to be cut in the block while at the machine shop. In other words it could not be done with the head removed and the engine still in the car?

Rick

When my turbo car was running, I used the FelPro head gasket. At about 11 lbs of boost I did have a gasket go bad. I was not useing special fasteners. The motor I am putting together now, has the block "O"-ringed, and I will be using the Cox Bros copper gasket, with head studs.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Jopapa,

Are you looking at a Street or Strip application? For street, I agree that the Felpro Permatorque can't be beat. If you're racing (I believe) that the copper can be reused. Also, with a variety of thicknesses, the copper can be used to ensure that your clearances are "just right". Not real important unless you're set up right on the ragged edge of clearance with your pistons and valves.

Just my $0.02

Gilly

I'm trying to build up a good street rod that can be occasionally raced for fun (no pro racing here), but if the Felpro gasket can stand up to high(er) compression from a milled head and (if they can fit with a milled head) high compression pistons, and doens't weep at all, I'll likely be more than happy with that.

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

Jopapa,

You will have absolutely no problems with a Fel-Pro or similar composite head gasket. They'll be good until at least 12:1 comp if your surfaces are reasonably flat.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

If you do not detonate the engine, you will likely not have a problem with the head gasket. My understanding is the head has a pretty good deck thickness. If the block deck is also reasonably thick, then you should be in good shape. Use ARP studs. Just be careful of your tune. Don't run into detonation.

Mitch
Twin turbo 93 TBird