A highly modified Ardun-Ford 276 overhead-valve V8 crate engine is being offered for sale, highlighting one of the most significant performance evolutions in American hot rodding history. The engine began life as a Ford flathead V8, an affordable and widely available powerplant that became the backbone of hot rod culture starting in the early 1930s. Its transformation centers on the addition of Ardun overhead-valve cylinder heads, a modification that dramatically improved airflow, cooling, and performance.
Ardun heads were developed in the late 1940s by brothers Zora and Yura Arkus-Duntov, engineers whose work addressed the flathead’s inherent limitations. The original side-valve design restricted breathing and generated excessive heat near the exhaust ports. The Ardun solution converted the engine to a hemispherical combustion chamber with overhead valves, placing the valvetrain directly above the cylinders and improving efficiency and durability.
The conversion kit introduced after World War II included aluminum heads, valvetrain components, manifolds, and related hardware. While the setup added weight and width, the performance gains were substantial. Power output rose well beyond stock flathead levels, making Ardun-equipped engines popular in hot rods and drag racing by the early 1950s. Production numbers were limited, with only a few hundred original sets produced, contributing to their long-standing desirability.
The crate engine currently for sale represents a modern interpretation of that historic upgrade. Built by National Street Rod Association co-founder and custom car builder Irvin “Cotton” Werksman, the engine displaces 276 cubic inches after being bored .125 inches over. It features ported Ardun cylinder heads, a Mercury forged steel crankshaft, Jahns 9.5:1 pistons, and a Howards Cams F371 camshaft.
Induction is handled by a polished Jim Inglese eight-stack setup using four Weber IDF carburetors, along with velocity stacks, braided fuel lines, and a fuel-pressure gauge. The engine is offered from West End, North Carolina and includes a custom crate, engine stand, spare parts, exhaust port block-offs, velocity stack caps, an Ardun-themed clock, and a bill of sale.
As Ardun technology continues to be produced today with modern materials and machining, engines like this remain a direct link between early hot rodding innovation and contemporary craftsmanship.
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