201 head on 230 engine?

[bbuswell]

I still have the original 201 head from my 1939 Plymouth and was wondering if it’s possible or advisable to use it on a 1950 230ci Dodge engine. They look the same and I was going to cc both for fun but I have other projects that need attention. As long as there is no performances loss I would like to use my original head to make it look more like the original engine. Not that I’ve ever met anyone that could tell I’m running a 1950 Dodge motor, but I can tell. I read on one of these forums someone recommend a 218 head on a 230 but how about a 201 head? The engine has all the standard hop-up parts, except oiling modifications, and is mated to a NWC T5.

Thanks much,

Brett

[claybill]

i have a '41 ply head on my 230 test motor. runs ok! test means it is on a stand in garage, where i start it occasionally. sounds good. higher compression with the older heads..

bill

[1937 Dodge]

Nice looking engine.

[BobT-47P15]

I have a 1950 Dodge head on a '57 Plymouth engine......I guess they're

both 230s however. Been working just fine for several years.

[Reg Evans]

  claybill said:

i have a '41 ply head on my 230 test motor. runs ok! test means it is on a stand in garage, where i start it occasionally. sounds good. higher compression with the older heads..

bill

Why would an older head make higher compression on a newer flat 6 ? Something to do with the bore size maybe ? ..... but the older engines had less compression ? Wassup ?

[bbuswell]

  claybill said:

i have a '41 ply head on my 230 test motor. runs ok! test means it is on a stand in garage, where i start it occasionally. sounds good. higher compression with the older heads..

bill

According to carnut.com all 1941 Plymouths are 201 ci. so it sounds like it will work. Why are you using that head? Have you tried it with a 230 head? I also thought the older heads had a smaller chamber, resulting in greater compression. I guess on a stand you can't say much about the performance. I will probably try it but the head gaskets are kinda pricey and don't appear to be re-usable. I took .050 off the 1950 230ci. head and the 1939 head is untouched. I guess I'll have to cc them myself to find out how they compare. If I ever do I'll post my findings.

[claybill]

the cc's on the earlier head were less.........and for the 230 motor they were increased . i guess to match displacement /compression etc etc.

i recall checking the cc's on my 201 a few years back and it was 85 (as i recall).

i have a bunch of head gaskets......nos ones. $6

bill

[greg g]

I believe the 201 had a pisto diameter of 3 1/8 inch and 217/230's were 3 1/4. The combustion chambermachining of the 201 head mimicks the piston diamter and is therefor smaller in diameter than that of the larger engines. Putting the head with smaller combustion chambers on the larger engine would increase the comprassion ratio ans the volume of fuel air mix would be larger due tot he larger piston, and then it would be compressed into a smaller space making more power.

I would think you might need to round over the edge of the machined area in the head to reduce hot spots. I have recently seen some ford flathead v8 heads that were used on oval tack race cars in the 50/60's. these milled heads also had the combustion partially filled with brazing material to reduce their volumn even more. Basically the same effect, reduce the area to squeeze fuel air minx into, yields more power.