The heads are Alan Root (AR incorporated) PRO 1 aluminum heads. My dad bought them in '89. The numbers that I have for them are .500 lift exh. 194 and 228 int. 1.94 int. and 1.60 exh. size valves. 58cc combustion chambers. No part numbers. First I was wondering if anyone has a set of these or if anyone has even heard of them? I was considering having them ported this winter for some more HP. I think the heads are my bottleneck.
Anyone ever heard of these heads?
- Thread starter Nosboss
- Start date
Decurion
Member
I did a quick google of "alan root pro 1 heads" and one of the responses from some forum was this, and one of the other responses in the same thread said it was the same casting as an Alan Root head. Sounds like old stuff, but probly worth porting.
"I have an older ('93) FMS catalog which lists a bare aluminum head as # M-6049-J302.
1. Cast from 356-T6 high strength aluminum.
2. Machined for 1.94" int and 1.60" exh.
3. Machined for threaded rocker studs.
4. Exhaust has extra bolt pattern.
5. 58 cc chamber.
6. Int port volume 170cc
7. Exh port volume 60cc
8. Uses Motorcraft AG series plugs."
A couple other things I saw in an exhausting 3-4 minute long search makes it sound like theyre not bad heads for a warmed over street engine. Maybe somewhere along the lines of an Edelbrock Performer head.
"I have an older ('93) FMS catalog which lists a bare aluminum head as # M-6049-J302.
1. Cast from 356-T6 high strength aluminum.
2. Machined for 1.94" int and 1.60" exh.
3. Machined for threaded rocker studs.
4. Exhaust has extra bolt pattern.
5. 58 cc chamber.
6. Int port volume 170cc
7. Exh port volume 60cc
8. Uses Motorcraft AG series plugs."
A couple other things I saw in an exhausting 3-4 minute long search makes it sound like theyre not bad heads for a warmed over street engine. Maybe somewhere along the lines of an Edelbrock Performer head.
mrmustangman357
Member
- Feb 11, 2007
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the ford motorsports j302 heads are pretty good, especially ported. I dont think he has ford heads though.
IIRC, Alan Root heads were probably the first aluminum head available for the small block Ford in the late 80's. They should also be similiar, if not the same as the J302 heads which are very good heads, especially when ported properly. I doubt that the J302 heads would have Alan Root on them which could make them somewhat rare, especially at the prices they were being sold for back in the day. Alan Root also did work with, I believe, the heads for 429 big blocks.
All the specs you listed are the same for this head. I was told at one time that the pro 1 heads I have are similar to if not the same as the J302 heads. My question now is who can port them? I think I would save some coin if I could get these ported rather than buy new AFR 185's... which leads to another question. If ported, can these heads perform as well as the 185's?
mrmustangman357
Member
- Feb 11, 2007
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they probably wont flow as good as the afr 185s, which use a cnc port job already with their runners properly sized out. The J302s may not have all the proper casting to port out to match the 185s. A good bowl blend and gasket match on those 302s can do wonders though. a fox mustang running those was doing mid-13s with that head, ported, on an otherwise stock 302
For some reason I am not impressed with the "13's". I thought about trying to work the bowls and gasket match them myself. I would hate to **** them up though.
with the right port job those heads can probably get flow numbers approaching those of an AFR 185 but not quite right on. the j-302 head was made by allan root. the allan root heads were known back in the day simply by AR heads and were the first mas produced, affordable small block ford aluminum heads available.
good heads, especially if you're building a nostalgic, 80's period correct hot rod.
good heads, especially if you're building a nostalgic, 80's period correct hot rod.
SadbutTrue
Founding Member
If thats all right, no reason not to give them a shot. Give them a mild gasket-match port job (and get any emissions bumps or antyhign out too), and they should at least be comparable to Performer heads I'd think... nothing special but better than stock.
I wouldn't pay much for them though, only take em' if they're cheap.
I already own the heads. They were on the car when I got it from my dad. 
I hate to say it, but my '66 stang only put down 255hp and 245tq 
to the tires on a mustang dyno about 5 years ago. I have made some changes since then and now I am limited to the heads. I wish I would have made a pull since I upgraded the exhaust, intake and carb. I guess what I'm getting at is would it be worth the coin to have some port work done rather then flop down $1500 for some AFR's?
I hate to say it, but my '66 stang only put down 255hp and 245tq to the tires on a mustang dyno about 5 years ago. I have made some changes since then and now I am limited to the heads. I wish I would have made a pull since I upgraded the exhaust, intake and carb. I guess what I'm getting at is would it be worth the coin to have some port work done rather then flop down $1500 for some AFR's?I already own the heads. They were on the car when I got it from my dad.
yes it's worth spending a few hundred to these heads for port work vs spending $1500+ for new AFR's
SadbutTrue
Founding Member
I already own the heads. They were on the car when I got it from my dad.
Whats the rest of you combo? What was the rest of you combo before you changed it?
Personally, on a set of heads like those... it seems like a great opportunity to do some basic home porting just to see how it goes. Match the exhaust and intake ports to the gaskets you want to use, get rid of emissions bumps, if there are any obvious flow-blocking and useless things in the way, clean em out. No need to spend much money at all, just borrow a dremel from someone if you don't have them.
Now, I say this as someone who has never ported my own heads. But plenty of people on here have, and you have the perfect specimen to give it a shot with... some aluminum heads that at least going by its advertised vital #'s have some potential, and that aren't going to be worth much in general as they sit. Kind of a 'why the f*** not' thing, in my mind.
I'd ask around, perhaps pm Thumper67 (i thinkt hats his sn), he does a lot of porting and could probably give you some pointers. The heads will likely still be the limiting point in your setup but i'd bet it'd be worth the effort.
My setup is like this;
'70 Boss 302 block and crank
manly connecting rods (long rod)
ross flat top pistons 9.5-1 .030-over
Alan Root pro-1 heads
Lunati cam 512 lift and 230 duration
lightly ported stealth intake (gasket match)
650 proform carb
1 3/4 long tubes
full 2.5 exhaust with flowmaster
Mallary Comp 9000 dist.
at the time of dyno I had this;
same as above but...
600 double pumper
1 7/8 exhaust
performer intake
So, it must be the heads killing me!
'70 Boss 302 block and crank
manly connecting rods (long rod)
ross flat top pistons 9.5-1 .030-over
Alan Root pro-1 heads
Lunati cam 512 lift and 230 duration
lightly ported stealth intake (gasket match)
650 proform carb
1 3/4 long tubes
full 2.5 exhaust with flowmaster
Mallary Comp 9000 dist.
at the time of dyno I had this;
same as above but...
600 double pumper
1 7/8 exhaust
performer intake
So, it must be the heads killing me!
SadbutTrue
Founding Member
Well, actually doesn't sound too bad for that old dyno. The Performer definitely hurt you. Was the entire exhaust 1 7/8 or did you just have huge headers on? Didn't even stock mustangs come with 2" pipes? But yeah, either way those were hurting you too. ~250 to the wheels would indicate about 300 at the flywheel (little more if you have an auto, little less with a manual), which is pretty good considering.
Actually, now that I think about it those #'s aren't bad at all. Considering the disadvantage your engine had with its intake and exhaust, definitely comparable to the 302 cid Ford Racing crate engines.
What transmission? I forget... is it the Mustang Dyno or Dynojet that usually puts out higher #'s?
With the new intake, exhaust, and some head porting you'd probably be looking at pretty significant gains. I'd say at least 50 horses at the crank... and if it were me I'd probably be giving the porting idea a shot. I doubt you'll see a gain worth the extra $$ with AFRs... your original dyno has me convinced they're not bad heads.
The story on the exhaust goes like this, it was 1 3/4 headers then 1 7/8 pipe then 2 1/2 mufflers then back to 1 7/8 tail pipes. When it was installed they used the wrong pipes. Now it is same headers with 2 1/2 all the way out back. All of it was dynoed through a toploader and on a mustang dyno. I guess people say the mustang brand dyno shows lower numbers, but I don't know cause thats the only dyno in town.
Decurion
Member
It sounds like my info was right on, and that you have a pretty well balanced combo. I would port the heads and leave the rest alone. It all looks like it works nicely together. If your combinations seems lower on power than it should be and you have money to spend, try having a shop tune it on their dyno. Depending how experienced you are, its not hard to gain or lose a lot of power just in tuning.
SadbutTrue
Founding Member
Yep, that sounds like 1 7/8" exhaust the whole way back. Your exhaust pipe was only slightly bigger than your header primaries haha... definitely hurt you some.
Like I said, I'd try to home port the heads. They may not be AFRs but your #'s thus far aren't bad, at least as far as i can tell.
Yeah, I'm with you. It will save me some coin if I clean up the heads a little bit. I thought I would make more power than I did. I guess we will see this spring when I get this all done and get back on the dyno. I would like to have 300 to the tires. I might take the cash I was going to use on the heads and throw it towards a bigger cam. 
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