1949 Hudson 8 Aluminum Head

Donald

Hello, I am new in the Hudson world.  My 1949  8 engine has a Aluminum head. Did all 1949 8's have this head or did some use a cast iron head?  thanks,  Don

Toddh

Yes some used cast iron heads.  Care and feeding of an aluminum head is quite different than a cast iron. 1.) you torque the head cold, not hot.  And you want to torque them frequently initially. 2.) you need washers under the head nuts.  3.) use the correct head gasket (not copper) 4.) run distilled water plus your antifreeze concentrate of choice. 

The mistake most make with these heads is treating like a cast iron head. You’ll no doubt hear all kinds of horror stories on their use but trust me, it comes down to following the factory guidance on the proper maintenance procedures with these heads.  They provide higher compression and performance out of that 254 eight cylinder that’s vey pleasing.