Head Work
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 409
Likes: 1
If you find a shop that has the iron heads in stock and will do a swap with you, that would be a good way to go. I didn't have that option in my area, because 98% of the people around here that are building the 360/390s are building them for dirt racing, and ditching the iron heads for the higher performance and liter aluminum heads. They are also rebuilding their engines after every race. For reliability and longevity stick with the iron heads. If you do it right you will have an engine that will give you another 500k+ miles without any troubles.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
I don't think it was until 1975 that the FE heads came stock with hardened valve seats. Up until then everything ran leaded gas, and it is for this reason the older heads need the hardened valve seats. We can't get leaded gas anymore. That is not to say that someone had not rebuilt the heads and put the seats in. My engine had never been overhauled up until now, so my valve gaskets were gone, my valves had "Ford" in raised lettering on the face, and my rod and main bearings has "Ford 1970" stamped in them.
If you find a shop that has the iron heads in stock and will do a swap with you, that would be a good way to go. I didn't have that option in my area, because 98% of the people around here that are building the 360/390s are building them for dirt racing, and ditching the iron heads for the higher performance and liter aluminum heads. They are also rebuilding their engines after every race. For reliability and longevity stick with the iron heads. If you do it right you will have an engine that will give you another 500k+ miles without any troubles.
If you find a shop that has the iron heads in stock and will do a swap with you, that would be a good way to go. I didn't have that option in my area, because 98% of the people around here that are building the 360/390s are building them for dirt racing, and ditching the iron heads for the higher performance and liter aluminum heads. They are also rebuilding their engines after every race. For reliability and longevity stick with the iron heads. If you do it right you will have an engine that will give you another 500k+ miles without any troubles.
Orich
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