The obvious basic facts are that the DOVE head has about a 75 cc +/- chamber and pretty open and unobstructed exhaust ports and that the D3VE (stock '77 Lincoln) is about 97 cc +/- and has a very plugged-up exhaust port.

It seems to me that the D3 exhaust ports could be hogged out to flow just as well as the DOVE and by replacing the '77, 30 cc dished pistons with new flat-top pistons, a 460 with D3 heads and straight cam timing would be as good as any 460 with DOVE heads providing the DOVE set-up used dished pistons to give the same compression ratio. Please correct me if I'm off base.

Also, does an intake manifold like the Edelbrock performer or performer RPM flow alot better than the stock '77 Lincoln manifold?

Do the Edelbrock performer RPM 95 cc heads flow alot better than a well ported set of D3 heads?

I know that all of these questions can only be answered accurately depending on what combination of parts are used but I would really appreciate general opinions from some of you guys who are very familiar with this stuff.

Also, if I decided to build a 547 stroker would any of the ported out stock heads and/or intake manifold be adequate or would I have to go to aftermarket parts to get the flow?

Thanks, in advance, for your opinions on one or more of these questions.

 

I'm unaware of any difference in DOVE/D3VE exhaust ports. Aside from different sized combustion chambers, .100 differences in the chamber height and the valve train assemblies, they're pretty much identical. All 385 heads were interchanged between Ford, Lincoln and Mercury during factory engine assembly. The Lincoln casting designation meant Lincoln Division paid for the engineering.

Aftermarket intake manifolds have no advantage over stock until after 3000rpm. Then they do offer superior flow.

I run a set of Edelbrock 95cc heads and they do flow better than ported D3s. An important consideration is cost. Unless you compete in a class where iron heads are required, you’ll end up putting almost as much money into a done right set of cast iron heads as new aluminum heads. There’s an Excel link to a chart showing flow rates, stock and ported, of most 385 heads at the bottom of this page:

http://www.angelfire.com/realm3/george_d/index.html

If you go to a big stroker, I’d use the newer SCJ aluminum heads.

 

I've seen ported and puttied stock SCJ heads work on a 572 stroker. D0VE's work great even on a 490 that turns 6500 rpm. But if money is no object, use the new aluminum SCJ heads. They picked up almost 70 hp over standard aluminum CJ's, and evryone knows how good they are.

Just my $.02

 

The D3 & later heads are a LOT different in the exhaust, you can't even touch the valve stem through the port & I've seen old 283 Chevy heads flow better. If you cut them much you'll spring a leak as they are a little thin in the short side radius. I have several sets just waiting for cast prices to go up so they can make good scrap donations. As for the aluminumSCJ's, they are a step up from the CJ's but from what I've seen on the Superflow... not much. Problem there's not many choices for stock exhaust. I'm still sold on my Blue Thunders, even though they're a real PAIN to make fit a stock chassis.

 

Unfortunately, I got your info on the thickness or thinness of the exhaust port floor of the D3 a little too late. I, too, ruined a perfectly good set of heads trying to flatten the floor to look like my DOVE heads. Oh well. Live and learn. However, the DOVE exhaust port is alot more open than the D3.

I would still like somebody to tell me if I should remove the air injector bump and plug the air injector hole in the exhaust port of my DOVE heads.