Gauging Interest - Tunnelport Heads

[mbrunson427]

We have been talking with John Bamber and Dave Bamber over the last several months to work on filling “holes” in FE product availability. John reads this forum quite a bit but doesn’t post very often at all. One of the ideas that has come up most frequently is Tunnelport heads. To us it seems that there is a need for replacement heads, and at the same time we believe there is a lot of un-tapped potential in the TP design. I personally believe that there are quite a few more intake manifolds in circulation than heads available to bolt them on.

Here is the current design criteria: Maintain all standard TP architecture (bolt-on use of factory intakes, factory valve covers, factory exhaust flanges). Modern high efficiency combustion chamber. Slightly canted and angled valves with individual shaft rocker arms to maximize flow.

With this design the project should be able to accomplish two goals simultaneously. 1) Make tunnelport replacement heads available. 2) Make serious levels of horsepower when asked for.

At this point the project is pushing forward, but we would like to gauge everyone’s interest to make sure we are on the right track with this one. John and Dave have been fairly exclusively tied to the high boost alcohol tractor and 385 series hemi truck pull industry for decades, but I’m happy that they are starting to meddle in the FE world.

Here are a couple links to get you more familiar with the Bambers....
http://www.bamberengineering.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk7CjHfLYdw

[GerryP]

I would be a customer for a modernized tunnel port.

[jayb]

Tunnel port heads were actually on my list to build, after I get my cylinder head package finalized and in production.  If the Bambers are really going to do it, I can go on to other projects.  How serious are they, and do they have experience casting cylinder heads?  If not, trust me when I tell you there is a bit of a learning curve 

[482supersnake]

I think something like the Edelbrock ProPorts but with TP port spacing would be a good idea. I also think that there is a market for matching intake manifolds.

[frnkeore]

I don't care for the canted valve idea but, a integrally cast rocker stands would be good. Old school, YES!

[Dumpling]

Wonder what an ovalized tube over the pusrods in combination with a TFS-style vane in the floor of the intake port would do....

[cjshaker]

If the Bambers are really going to do it, I can go on to other projects.

No comment, just pointing this out. 

[e philpott]

Kaase also has some TP molds , not sure if he has much interest in doing anything but he has the molds

[Joey120373]

I have, for a long time, wished that someone would offer a “modern” TP head. Even a raised port version and manifold, so long as it still looked basically “stock” to the casual observer.

Idea being that this head/intake could be bolted to any FE and make great power and dominate the “cool” factor. That said, canted valves changes everything. Angled pushrod tubes?

My vote is yes please, just do it. While I would prefer a version that could use stock valve train and pistons, I can appreciate why, when going to all the effort of casting new heads, it would be hard, if not foolish, not to improve the valve train and valve angles.

For those of us not wanting to rev pst 6500 and run race gas all the time, the stock(ish) valve train is perfectly adequate....

[70tp]

I wish someone would hurry.   My old , beat up stuff needs an update to keep me from crossing over to the other side (385 series)

[Katz427]

Really a tunnel port head, without the pushrod tube, and raised up, would be nice. However that is what Jay has, and 400+ cfm. I just see a tunnel port as well, ok, nostalgic. I have a tunnel port, but think a raised straight in port, without a pushrod tube , is a better solution, especially for big power numbers.

[Joey120373]

I agree, I think Jays head is a game changer, and the intake port is going to be hard to improve upon within “stock” dimensions. But I’ve always liked the way the TP looked, for me it’s a nostalgia thing.

Looking at the web site linked, they appear to do billet heads, I’m wondering if the proposed FE head would be the same? Would it be a race only head or something that has a coolant passages and something less than a 5 digit price tag?..

[fastf67]

Love the idea of the more stock appearing tunnel port with new technology, with a slightly raised exhaust port (exhaust is a big killer in fe's) would open more doors for show/street/strip people. I would be up for that.

[Ghoughton]

I love the idea. I raced a Tunnel Port for a while. And it’s tough to beat the “cool” factor. I think
any modern improvements would be good. Including canting the valves, raising the ports and eliminating the pushrod tubes. I dreamed about pushrod tube elimination after seeing all the offset rocker combos in the race world. And Jay proved it can be done with his design. I’m committed to buying a set of Jays, but if some modern Tunnel Ports were available, I’d find a use for them.

[machoneman]

I wonder. Could a new TP head eliminate the p-rod tube itself but allow the p-rod to remain?

Maybe a brainstorm session on how to seal the top/bottom of each p-rod in the ports as it moves up/down yet stil block any oil loss?