Originally posted by FiestaFrank:
Working in the auto industry affords some opportunity to check into the details a little deeper. Although you are correct about your point ("where does it require a certain casting?") I can tell you that only the 771 casting was ever imported into the US. There is no equivalent alternative. Many assume the non-federalized head with the same valve size fits the SCCA's expectation of legal but the lack of the passages for the air pump mean it is not a suitable replacement part under the rules (similar but definately not equivalent). I'll gladly wager my paycheck that a non-federal head will NOT pass teardown at the ARRC (I'll never wager against regional teardowns because I've seen all kinds of stuff squeek thru). With Fiestas you have to be very careful - XR2's were sold in Canada (not legal for SCCA racing) and with the multitude of FF and the like there are many non-legal heads around. When discussing this issue with friends at SCCA HQ (note! former autocrosser makes big time - actually some are real racers) the standard reeply is they never guarentee that you can race your car even if it's classified. So if replacement heads are unavailable then submit a request to have an alternate head approved (BAT has tried over and over). If there's no alternate head specifically allowed and you can't find a uncracked head, in SCCA's words "Tough". This is exactly whu I've horded a number of them.
Frank,
Thanks for your input, you sound well informed. Please allow me to dispute a few points. The injection passages can be drilled and as the rules allow, plugged. (Please don't ask if I've done mine.)The valves and ports are the same as the federal head. The only difference is the casting number and the fact that the casting material is superior but still cast iron. (I'm not a metalurgist.) And if the casting numbers are not required by the ITCS and the head meets all specifications then the head should be legal. And in fact, if the SCCA can allow VW to create a replacement cam for the Rabbits and have it accepted, no logic on this planet can refute the reasonableness of accepting the alternative head for the Fiesta. If they can't, I have a feeling they are going to create a few new candidates for NASA. [More steps are being taken to effect acceptance.] I would add that if the inspectors at the ARRC did in fact DQ that Volvo for small valves, they did so lacking accordance with the GCR that from my reading (and please tell me if I'm wrong and let's get the rule written correctly)says they are only supposed to check for maximum valve size (+0.00) and cannot measure for a valve being too small? So I'm not convinced the ARRC inspectors are any better or worse than those at any regional event.
Thanks for indulging me and I would appreciate further comment.