Cross flow heads

N61WP · 08-02-2002

I was talking to a old racer friend who owned a Manta back in the mid '70s.
He said he remembered after-market cross flow heads being used on the Opels for racing.
Any of you "Old Timers" remember this, or is my buddy just getting senile? He currently has about $30K in a full race Yugo!

Just curious,
James

RallyBob · 08-02-2002

They weren't aftermarket heads, they were factory Opel Motorsports competition pieces. They were rare then, they are even rarer now. Even if you find a head, you need the rocker arms (needle bearing aluminum rockers), the camshaft (special of course), the timing gear, the rocker cover, the intakes and the exhaust system. Pistons must be custom too. Figure about $5k to find a working head. I know of a lot of guys in Europe trying to find these for restorations of older race cars, and THEY are having trouble finding them. However, Mantapart DID import quite a few of them in the '70's and '80's, so there must be SOME of them floating around somewhere.

Ironically, a well setup 2.2 head will make more power than the old crossflow heads did back 'in the day'. The infamous Conrero Opel GT's used CIH heads initially and got 189-193 hp from them, then later switched to the crossflow head with mechanical slide-plate FI, and got about 225 hp from them.

Bob
'Bearer of more useless information than you can shake a stick at'

BTW, the yellow and black Ascona rallycar in my avatar photo used a crossflow head. Rallying is what the crossflow heads were originally developed for.

N61WP · 08-02-2002

Bob,

You never cease to amaze me! How you have ever managed to "store" all this Opel info, I'll never understand.

Thanks,
James (I'm not worthy!)

08-02-2002	#1 (permalink)
N61WP Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New Orleans, La Posts: 527 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Cross flow heads I was talking to a old racer friend who owned a Manta back in the mid '70s. He said he remembered after-market cross flow heads being used on the Opels for racing. Any of you "Old Timers" remember this, or is my buddy just getting senile? He currently has about $30K in a full race Yugo! Just curious, James

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08-02-2002	#2 (permalink)
RallyBob Project 1450 supporter... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pleasant Valley, CT Posts: 6,537 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	They weren't aftermarket heads, they were factory Opel Motorsports competition pieces. They were rare then, they are even rarer now. Even if you find a head, you need the rocker arms (needle bearing aluminum rockers), the camshaft (special of course), the timing gear, the rocker cover, the intakes and the exhaust system. Pistons must be custom too. Figure about $5k to find a working head. I know of a lot of guys in Europe trying to find these for restorations of older race cars, and THEY are having trouble finding them. However, Mantapart DID import quite a few of them in the '70's and '80's, so there must be SOME of them floating around somewhere. Ironically, a well setup 2.2 head will make more power than the old crossflow heads did back 'in the day'. The infamous Conrero Opel GT's used CIH heads initially and got 189-193 hp from them, then later switched to the crossflow head with mechanical slide-plate FI, and got about 225 hp from them. Bob 'Bearer of more useless information than you can shake a stick at' BTW, the yellow and black Ascona rallycar in my avatar photo used a crossflow head. Rallying is what the crossflow heads were originally developed for.

08-02-2002	#3 (permalink)
N61WP Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New Orleans, La Posts: 527 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Bob, You never cease to amaze me! How you have ever managed to "store" all this Opel info, I'll never understand. Thanks, James (I'm not worthy!)

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