VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 32 head question!

OK, everyone knows that a 32 head is one of the hardest things to find. I just got a call from the shop that is working on mine and they said it has a foot long crake on the top. And some small ones around the seats.

I then asked if it could be welded and they said yes, we have two of the best cast iron welders in the country here in the Northwest from what I understand.

What I would like to know, is what are your thoughts about welding a crake that big? I've done other heads, but much smaller crakes before.

I had a head off a 49 Buick this fall for a valve job and it had 6 cracks that had to be welded, not cheap but it tured out good. I have heard that they can take one that is broken in pieces and fix.
I would ask what the warranty is.

I had our 32 head fixed just after we bought it and there was a 3 inch crack through both the valve seats on the number 3 cylinder. Cast iron needs to be welded by someone who knows how to use a good heat sink and a good torch (tig).
When the machine shop finished it and if I had not know where the crack was, I would not have been able to tell it had ever been cracked. It has been 7 years and it runs great. It was expensive, but I never did look for a head, just had the original one fixed. Good luck with getting it fixed.

Mac

Unless you are in a big hurry I would at least search for a good non-cracked head. I have seen a couple advertised on this site in the last year or so. While I don't doubt that your head could be welded with success I would be concerned that the casting may be prone to recracking.

I agree with the above and I never would put a cylinder head on a car with a repaired crack as large as 12 inches. Rather, I would opt for another cylinder head with fewer cracks and have that one repaired if a crack-free cylinder head could not be found.