Hiyas!
Anyone know if there's any differences at all between an '80 and an '85 300 head?
I have a chance at a fresh head off the '85 with new springs, valves and rockers for a reasonable price. Just want to make sure all my old stuff will bolt up.
Mine has no air pump, no nothing really - hand choke now, and what is apparently an earlier exhaust manifold. (no plugs from air pump) Best head gasket? (within reasonable price, anyhow...)
And I'm still looking for a breaker-point distributor if anyone has one out there...

 

Ford switched from rocker studs to bolt-down rockers sometime around '85, IIRC. My '86 has the bolt-down pedestal rockers. Other than that there should be no worries.

 

As Baron said, here's the difference between an '80 and an '85 head. It's all external:

My '81 head:




The '84 head I swapped on:






So, if the head you're looking at comes with all the Rocker Arms installed, you're pretty much covered.

There are 3 different grades of FelPro head gaskets.
The "economy" gasket, which is around $20. The "heavy duty" gasket, which is around $30. And the "high performance" gasket. Which is around $60.

I'd go with the HD or HP gasket. Last thing you want for the head gasket is an economy version.

 

Why a breaker dizzy? The electronic DS2 or a GM HEI module are by far superior.

Loser Index

 

Thanks for the photos, man! So no differences, my push rods should work as well as the lifters I really don't wanna have to pull out, and all bolt holes and such will line up for my manifolds. huzzah! $100 is pretty hard to pass up on for a re-done head with all new parts.
And as to the dizzy - I have the DSII - no worries. Just might like to have an old breaker-type around for - well.. "in case". I trust no electronics beyond regular wiring further than I can toss my truck when it comes to solar storms n' such.

 

I thought I was the only one preparing my truck for emp... I thought I was safe with my original dist. Going to look into the breaker type that you previously stated.