RPM ENGINE TECH
Head CASE
>>Dart’s new 20° aluminum big block head targets out-of-the-box race-winning performance
John Baechtel
by
I
n a dyno cell deep within the research facility of Dart Machinery, Dart’s new Pro 1-20 big block Chevy cylinder head has just undergone its final tests. A companion addition to the Dart Pro 1 lineup, it boasts a formidable performance pedigree that ensures it will be a competitive player in current-day competition. Five years earlier Reher-Morrison Racing Engines—one of Dart’s top partners—modified several sets of Dart castings to meet then-current Texas Pro Stock Racing Association’s 23° head rules. Welding and hand finishing made these heads quite expensive, but they quickly dominated the class. David Reher knew they could still make an even better head with a clean sheet of paper and in 2013 once again called on the old master, Dick Maskin at Dart Machinery to make it happen. Dart’s technical depth and formidable manufacturing capacity were critical to achieving the goal of a top-performing cylinder head that any racer could use without expensive porting and preparation. Through many long conversations, Maskin and Reher brainstormed the new
42
SEPTEMBER 2014 | RPM Magazine
20° Dart Pro 1-20 head combination that, like the Big Chief Pro 1, takes most of the costly porting work out of the equation. Dart’s superior casting technology and a hardcore dose of current Pro Stock science derived a piece that requires only minimal chamber and valve bowl work. Costly porting is rendered unnecessary. The Pro 1-20 comes standard with copper impregnated valve seats that are equally compatible with either stainless steel or titanium valves. The heads accept pre-existing Jesel or T&D shaft systems thus creating a top-performing head with the advantage of having aftermarket components readily available. This technology is far from happenstance. Consider this: among the ranks of sportsman drag racers, Dart cylinder heads have won more races and championships since 1982 than all other cylinder head manufacturers combined. A bold statement to be sure, but one that Dart president Richard Maskin is clearly comfortable standing behind. Maskin, a prominent figure in Pro Stock drag racing since the early seventies, spent much of that time researching
photos provided by Dart Machinery
and discovering what makes a racing cylinder head perform at the highest level. His unparalleled commitment naturally led to broader immersion in the racing ranks where he developed the first true racing cylinder heads for Hemi powered Top Fuel and Funny Cars in 1981; immediately capturing 90 percent of that business, but quickly recognizing that it wasn’t enough to sustain a major company over the long term. As the big block Chevy emerged a clear leader, Maskin was a key player in the ongoing development of big block cylinder heads and blocks from the earliest days when racers had to weld and re-machine factory castings to the point they were unrecognizable. In 1982 Dart introduced the first aftermarket 24° aluminum big block Chevy racing cylinder head. It incorporated all the hard won racing knowledge he had accumulated in the professional ranks and became an instant success. Dart’s new 20° degree Pro 1-20 head is designed to make racing easier for all racers. It’s a natural extension of Maskin’s determination to provide superior racing