17 replies to this topic

[davea79]

Hi guys,

I bought some bare heads about 13yr ago off a chap i was going to buy his GroupA VK Commodore.
He converted his engine to 304 heads for a power upgrade and had these heads under his house.

I didn't end up buying the car but asked if he would let go of the heads.. he did.

"B" on the back of heads & correct for factory roller rockers.

Heads are bare and were left outside @ Nowra so need a clean & test.

What numbers/ ID, other than B on the back, can I identify these as what I believe they are.... I'm going to sell.

They are in need of a full clean up and refurb!

Understand its a Torana site however

[Bigfella237]

I believe the part number for the roller rocker A9L heads was 92029003 but there were half a dozen different V8 engines over the life of the VK, two 308ci variants (L31 & V5H) and four 304ci variants (LV2, V5H, A9L & V7X) so it's a bit of a lucky dip?

 

Best thing is to get the cast dates off the heads, that should nail them down a lot closer?

 

B cast heads might be a bit of a collector item but not really all that special these days, you'd be better off with a set of VN heads.

[davea79]

Absolutely 304 heads for performance but not period, they devalue a classic.

I'll have a look at the #'s.

Thanks for the info!!

Edited by davea79, 09 June 2017 - 10:37 PM.

[tuxedoss]

I had a manual 5L VK Calais that had B cast heads as standard . From what I remember all Manuals in the VK got big valve heads as standard. I imagine 304 group A heads were based on the B cast head but would not be the same.

[Bigfella237]

The VK Commodore was a mashup, there were actually six different V8 engines installed over the life of the VK model, depending on whether it was pre-homologation for Group A, part of the 5000 (+ 500) vehicle homologation, or post homologation (and now I'm getting sick of typing "homologation").

 

The very early 5.0L "L31" option only had standard valve heads for manual and auto. The 5.0L "V5H" optioned manuals (BT1 & HDT) had big valve heads, as did all the 4.9L engines that were part of the Group A homologation, but after body numbers J953597 (Vic plant) and L180871 (SA plant), they stopped fitting the big valve heads to everything except HDT vehicles, this became the "V7X" option, which ran through until the end of the VL model, with the obvious except of the VL Walkinshaw Group A heads, which had the even-spaced exhaust ports that the VN-onward engines were based on.

 

Geez, a factory manual Calais would be a pretty rare beast wouldn't it?

[tuxedoss]

The VK Commodore was a mashup, there were actually six different V8 engines installed over the life of the VK model, depending on whether it was pre-homologation for Group A, part of the 5000 (+ 500) vehicle homologation, or post homologation (and now I'm getting sick of typing "homologation").

 

The very early 5.0L "L31" option only had standard valve heads for manual and auto. The 5.0L "V5H" optioned manuals (BT1 & HDT) had big valve heads, as did all the 4.9L engines that were part of the Group A homologation, but after body numbers J953597 (Vic plant) and L180871 (SA plant), they stopped fitting the big valve heads to everything except HDT vehicles, this became the "V7X" option, which ran through until the end of the VL model, with the obvious except of the VL Walkinshaw Group A heads, which had the even-spaced exhaust ports that the VN-onward engines were based on.

 

Geez, a factory manual Calais would be a pretty rare beast wouldn't it?

It was what they called a 334 pack which wasn't quite a director but had a HDT build plate. Mine had the 15" HDT wheels, cold air intake, bilstein shocks and a footrest. The engine was standard 5L but had the B cast heads and also a plate bolted to bottom of main bearing caps, can't remember what you call it. I actually still have the plate and the extended bearing cap bolts as it didn't go back on when I rebuilt the engine, I had trouble with the sump gasket at the time and put a VL sump on it that used a rubber gasket and had little pins around the bolt holes to hold the gasket in place. The Calais was my next car after the SS Torana, tried to sell the SS for 7K in 98 and only got one call so decided to keep it (good move) bought a VX SS in 2001 and sold the Calais for 7K, again not many calls. The fact it had a HDT build plate probably should have kept it as well.

[Bigfella237]

~ also a plate bolted to bottom of main bearing caps, can't remember what you call it. ~

 

Sounds like a "Stud Girdle"?

 

[tuxedoss]

Nope, found a pic, it's one of these

https://www.aussiev8...0-hdt-sump.html

[Bigfella237]

Ah okay, so a windage tray then.

[Tyre biter]

Dave,

I have gathered this list along the way from all manner of places including much of it from here.

I've not a clue as to how accurate it is but it all came from fairly informed threads and so I expect it is on or very near the money.

Anyways I thought this may be of help.

FWIW I have a set of B cast heads on my car and they have the same PN as below.

Cheers, TB

• LJ 308 Prototype               2812174          X Cast (60 pairs made)
• LH-LX 4.2/5.0                    2812174
• LH L34                               2812174          Original with car
• LH L34                               9936482          With valves w/o roller rockers
• LH L34                               9936382          Bare head – no valves & roller rockers
• LX 4.2/5.0                          9936122          ADR27A heads used in LX (7/76 onwards) inc. HX, HZ & VB which can be identified by their U-shaped EGR port.
• HT-HG 253/308                 7449033
• HQ-HJ 253/308               
• HX-HZ-VB 253/308           2812174
• VB 253/308                       9936122
• VS 4.2/5.0                         9947423          exclude HDT
• VC 5.0                               m38443           modified for HDT
• VH-VK Blue 4.2/5.0           9947423          ex eng perf.
• VH 4.2/5.0                         92015981
• VH SS &HDT                    m38949
• VK 4.9                               92015981
• VK 4.9. A9L                      92029002        without roller rockers
• VK 4.9 A9L                       92029003        with roller rockers
• VL 4.9                               92027335
• VL l4.9 A9L                       92032422
• VL Walky                          92060145
• VN-VT 4.9                        92060019
• VN SS Group A                92060757
•  
• HJ-HZ                               9936122
• Blue commies and WB     9947428
• VL Black                           9202722
• Brock VH5/B-cast            92015981
• VL Group A X-cast heads 9203242

[piquet]

When I  fianlly found the engine from my L34 I did a rebuild on it  before I put it in the car. This was in 1981 and I did the asembly of the engine in my spare bedroom, I was single at the time.

At this time the HDT were having a gargae sale here in Melbourne.

L34 heads were rare even then so I bought the next best thing a set of B cast Heads from a Brock Commodore from the HDT with a matching inlet Manifold.

Sadly I dont have that car any more as someone decided that they need it much more than I did at the time. Haven't seen it since 1985

BAstards

[Shiney005]

T.B.s list above is a mixture of part numbers and cast numbers. There is a difference, especially with models that had homologation changes through its lifetime such as the Group A, XU1, and L34. The number that is cast into every original L34 head is 2812174, the same as every pre pollution head after HG Holden. The numbers in the parts book are an internal ordering reference, that have started a few bar brawls over the years,

The sump is interesting too. It is exactly the same as L34, but the baffles and ceiling have been braised in backwards to accommodate the reservoir being in front of the crossmember. Windage tray is also the same.

 

[davea79]

Thanks TB.
Info from heads are;
VK 4.9  92015981
They came from a VK gpA as the story went but i wasnt there when they got pulled off. It all married up though.
L34 valves & correct studs for crane rollers (all can obviously be done anytime)
B on rear of heads.

Missed the important 1

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[davea79]

Just had a read on the Commodore Site:

"according to the book (how to rebuild and hotrod holden v8) "B"cast heads are actually A9L heads, which came out in the VK Group A and some VK 4.9 litre police packs and VL Group A NOT walkinshaw , these heads were put out for homologation for bathurst cars.It does not mention if they were leaded or unleaded heads?? From memory I think VK Group A was a leaded vehicle? these heads gave a 40 % improved exhaust flow and 15 % improved intake flow. apparantly V5H heads off the VH SS, HDT Group 3, cop cars, VK SS and HDT were very good and their are lots around , part no.92015981."

[Shiney005]

Nup. A9L was the crank and rods only. The heads from the A9L motor were similar, in that they were machined for the big valves, but they were never shaved to regain the compression like the B cast ones. They had the valve seats flame hardened for the unleaded, and a larger EGR port for revised emissions with VL.

[Shiney005]

Or whack 'em on Ebay. Be worth a few dollars to someone doing a resto.

[davea79]

These puppies need a full going over/ reco but worth it to the right chap i guess. I reckon i'll bang the on ebay to clear the bench... never enough room!!

Thanks for all your help chaps