BO94ZA4 said:When I talked to TFS we spoke about the problem that will arise w/ a "good" aftermarket design is that the OHC design of the head will hamper better valve placement for better performance because the stock valve placement on the intake side is the main problem w/ the stock design. TFS informed me that they will try to start the first of the year on the design part of the program. AFR said with them moving next year to thier new location is what will hamper them on getting straight to work on thier program. Shall be very interesting for the next 2 years on some of the outcome.
This underlines the fundamental problem of aftermarket head development. Ford makes more revenue in a week than these companies make in a year. If the 2V head had remained unchanged from 1996, I think it possible that an aftermarket offering might now be in the works or on the shelves (or the N/A 2V 4.6 would be dead- another possibility). Of course, when people started screaming about the 96 cars, Ford went right to work. Three years later you have PI heads and another 35 hp. Based on dyno numbers of the 99-04 cars it seems Ford has continued to play with the combination and the cars have gotten better and better.
Now Ford steps up and delivers the 3V head. No aftermarket company can afford to keep up. Why try to design a better and smarter 2V head when Ford is going to beat you to the punch again with the 3V head. I just don't see the profitability in it. Any aftermarket company will have to make a product that works as well or better than the new 3V head AND price it so that its not cheaper to find a wrecked F-150 and harvest the parts off of it!
I just don't see it happening...