New wildcat heads. Decision to make

[DangerousDerek]

I have a very tempting offer on the table of having a brand new pair of Wildcat heads fitted to my 5.0 forged bottom end.
The plan will take the build right through deciding on whether to fit throttle bodies to a full build and fully mapped in house on the dyno.

I have to decide whether to take the plunge.

Very exciting but i need opinions and food for thought first.

[TV8]

are you clear on what the benefit of the heads will be?

[DangerousDerek]

TV8 said:

are you clear on what the benefit of the heads will be?

Over 400 bhp for starters.

[MPoxon]

I would be very very very tempted Derek, combined with the matching throttle bodies they are supposed to be the absolute bks. Just bear in mind I think you will need to modify your exhaust manifolds to fit the heads.

Have a read of this:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gmSavy1RPxEC&a...

I will just leave this here:

[roseytvr]

First dibs if you decide against them Derek?

[TV8]

DangerousDerek said:

TV8 said:

are you clear on what the benefit of the heads will be?

Over 400 bhp for starters.

Question answered if it can be safely mapped for nitrous?

[MPoxon]

roseytvr said:

First dibs if you decide against them Derek?

First dibs on your existing heads and throttle body setup if you get the wildcat heads. ;-)

[DangerousDerek]

TV8 said:

Question answered if it can be safely mapped for nitrous?

Looks lime thats the plan. Watch this space

[DangerousDerek]

MPoxon said:

First dibs on your existing heads and throttle body setup if you get the wildcat heads. ;-)

500 worked heads, ported inlet, blended trumpet base, jenvey injectors, 72mm plenum will all be for sale but i need good money to make this work.

[MPoxon]

Sorry Derek I was referring to being interested in Ian's setup if you turned down the wildcat heads.

Really think you should have a serious think about those wildcat heads, would suit your forged bottom end well solves the main weak point of the Rover V8 - breathing.

[MPoxon]

Is this essentially the same spec as your engine if you go for the wildcat head option? Screen shot from Roland's (ACR) website:

[DangerousDerek]

MPoxon said:

Is this essentially the same spec as your engine if you go for the wildcat head option? Screen shot from Roland's (ACR) website:

Getting there

[MPoxon]

You know what you need to do Derek. Go big or go home!

[DangerousDerek]

MPoxon said:

You know what you need to do Derek. Go big or go home!

The heads are new, i am offered sponsorship, my old set up is at its limit, either take another step or take this opportunity to take a few steps up in 1 go.

I am sending the car for a full MSA spec cage soon.
The gearbox is the next upgrade.
Guess the BTR will be at its limits come Easter.

If all goes to plan then maybe looking at 9's

[Hoofa]

I looked at wildcats as Ian from wildcat supplied the engine parts, we had a discussion with Ian about the heads, sure they make big numbers , but they are not for a road going car , depends what you want out of the car. By the time I factored in different exhaust manifold, etc it was easier to go for stage four heads and forced induction and robs at v8 Dev bespoke cam.

Edited by Hoofa on Saturday 10th October 19:59

Edited by Hoofa on Saturday 10th October 20:00

[Boosted LS1]

If you look very closely at buick grand national heads I think you'll see where Ian and the other UK kiwi's got some of their business ideas. They can make a lot of power, the buicks and were factory backed. The wildcat heads seemed to have production issues in the early days or so was said by some tuners. It's flipping costly using them and Ian used to sell the heads 'cheap' as a loss leader because of the cost of the rest of the stuff you needed. Afaik Ian retired ages ago, who's producing them now?

[QBee]

I am not used to seeing substantially lower torque numbers than bhp numbers from an RV8.
Will yours be similar to the above advert?
Are there any implications for you if they will?

[SILICONEKID345HP]

Scrap the lot and fit a factory ls engine and new gearbox .. No engine building, its going to be like building mechano.

http://www.partsworldperformance.com/ls3-376-525-v...

http://www.partsworldperformance.com/tr-6060-six-s...

Edited by SILICONEKID345HP on Saturday 10th October 23:51

[DangerousDerek]

SILICONEKID345HP said:

Scrap the lot and fit a factory ls engine and new gearbox .. No engine building, its going to be like building mechano.

http://www.partsworldperformance.com/ls3-376-525-v...

http://www.partsworldperformance.com/tr-6060-six-s...

Edited by SILICONEKID345HP on Saturday 10th October 23:51

Wise words Daz.

But you know i dont do wise. I will be letting my engine to be used as a test mule for Rolands brand new wildcat heads. He has bare castings and CNC porting facilities. He and his guys at ACR will fully build the motor and dyne test and tune then i will fit it back in the car, follow running in procedures and test it from there next year. I simply asked that we aim for reliability and driveability. I still expect to see north of 400 bhp and we are going to develop a nitrous new safe nitrous system.

Now does anyone know where i can pick up a bargain set of throttle bodies?

I think i will be taking half of your advice though Daz

[macdeb]

MPoxon said:

I would be very very very tempted Derek, combined with the matching throttle bodies they are supposed to be the absolute bks. Just bear in mind I think you will need to modify your exhaust manifolds to fit the heads.

I will just leave this here: