Overhead Valve Conversions
Overhead Valve Conversions (OHV conversions) were among the earliest and most effective ways hot rodders increased performance on flathead four-cylinder engines, especially Ford Model T and Model A motors. In the 1920s and 1930s, companies like Riley, Frontenac, Roof, and Cragar offered bolt-on OHV heads that replaced the stock flathead design with a more efficient setup, improving airflow and boosting horsepower. These conversions gave early hot rods a serious edge on the dry lakes and helped spark the aftermarket speed equipment industry. Today, original OHV conversions are prized by traditionalists building authentic prewar and early postwar rods.
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