Starting this month, we're focusing on signature engine-part builders and some of their latest offerings. This is in no way intended to be a complete listing of products, but rather a sampling of what's out there in the market.
Dart was established in 1981 by Doug Maskin and has become one of the leading builders of high-performance products. While many of its products will appeal only to hardcore racers, others have merit for those looking for performance add-ons. A case in point is the Iron Eagle cylinder head, which is made from cast iron, but offers drastically improved flow over those stock units and the ability to be modified handsomely to improve performance. Best of all, the price is right.
The PitchDart's dedicated in-house R&D program and daily interaction with top engine builders in all forms of racing keep the company on the leading edge of engine development. Dart doesn't just talk about its race-winning technology, it proves it every weekend. Dart applies what they learn on the track, in the dyno cell, and on the flow bench to produce more powerful and more reliable parts for their customers.
The SellPrecision Manufacturing: Dart uses special silica sand cores to ensure consistent wall thickness. Dart casts many of its heads with form chills that promote even cooling and minimize core shift. Critical machining operations are done from the deck side of the head to eliminate "stack-up" in machining tolerances.
Premium Alloy: Dart uses pure, degassed 355-T6 aluminum exclusively in its aluminum heads. This premium-quality material is denser and easier to repair than commonly used 356 aluminum.
No Helicoils: You'll never find Helicoils in Dart heads. The aluminum is tough enough to resist stripping without thread inserts.
Heat Treating: Dart aluminum heads are heat-treated to the high end of the Brinnell hardness scale for T6 specifications for extra strength.
High-Flow Seats: Dart machines the seats with precision Serdi and Newen cutters instead of grinding them with stones. Its multi-angle intake seats and radiused exhaust seats maximize airflow.
The SpecsIron Eagle Small-BlockChevrolet Cylinder HeadMaterial: Cast ironChevrolet: 262-400, 72cc, 165cc intake runner, 1.94-inch/1.50-inch diameter intake/exhaust valves, 1.250-inch diameter valvesprings.
Features thick port walls (extra meat for porting), enlarged water passages, multi-angle, racing profile intake valve seats, hardened and radiused exhaust-valve seats, and bronze valveguides. New high-efficiency chamber design,10 percent airflow increase over stock, 200cc, 215cc, and 230cc intake ports, 64cc, 72cc combustion chambers, straight or angled plug design.Price: $268 bare, $449 assembled.
Big-block Chevrolet Pro 1Cylinder HeadChevrolet: 396-454, 119cc, 310cc intake runner, 2.25-inch/1.88-inch-diameter intake/exhaust valves, 1.550-inch diameter double valvesprings.
Head features 23-degree valve angles, interlocking hardened valve seats, and 111/432-inch bronze valveguides. Available assembled or bare.
Dart makes more than just heads, including engine blocks, intake manifolds, and engine coatings (top photo).