Does anyone know how to find the head cc on a 1978 460.

Thanks
Bob

 

I found the the casting number. It is DOVE-c is that a 76cc head?

 

Yes Sir it has 75.8cc combustion chambers, good heads just take out exhaust bump for better breathing (stick your finger in exhaust passage and you'll see what I mean).
BB79RANCH

 

Thanks, BB79RANCH but I might not use them. I took them to the machine shop to get them redone and they estamated it at $600-700. This is my first engine I'm rebuilding. Is it worth getting it done or finding some new heads?

 

I know $600-$700 sounds like alot of $ but it depends on what they do for the $. Do they put in hardned exhaust seats (for unleaded fuel), what kind of valve springs are they gonna use, are they installing bigger valves, are they installing bronze valve guides, do they have to cut valve spring pads to use roller rockers? there are alot of ?'s that need to be answered before you think it's worth the money, remember the heads make more power than any other part or parts of an engine. I'd get another quote on the heads if it's still too high I'd save money and buy the new Edlebrock heads you'll have alot less headaches in the long run.
BB79RANCH

 

They were going to use the hard valve seats, bronze guides, and new stock valves and I think they wanted to use the old valve springs, but anyway I told them to hold off for awhile to look for different heads. I went to the junk yard and found a set of Dove-A2A heads for $75 each. Did they use the hardened valve seat then, what cc are the chambers? I just want to get a basic rebuild. Looking to get my engine upto 400 hp. I already bored it out 30 over and plan to get my compression upto 9.0 with new pistons and am getting a new cam, intake, carb, and headers.

Thanks for the info!!!!
Bob

 

A 78 460 should have 92cc heads stock

 

Car Craft magazine did a low compression build-up of a 460 in their August 2000 issue it made 433.1 H.P. and 491 lb-ft torque not bad for an 8.82:1 compression motor.
There are alot of details that would take too long to write about but they didn't use anything exotic in the build-up just stock parts and a few complimentary aftermarket parts such as cam, headers, intake manifold, ignition, roller rockers and etc. to help this "smog motor" make power.
BB79RANCH

 

I would have thought a set of heads from the late 70's would already have the hardened valve seats.
You can get a fairly close reading of your head cc by setting them combustion chamber up on the workbench, use a level to get them level, then with spark plug in fill the chamber with water using a hypodermic shringe keeping track of how much it takes. This should get you within a couple cc's of actual. They will also vary some from chamber to chamber.

DannyP
89 F-150 4x4 former EFI I-6 now carbed 351W, Edelbrock heads,cam,intake,carb.
MSD 6A, T-18 but looking for a ZF. 3.55's.

 

The place where I bought the heads at said they were 1978, but the engine shop told me the heads were not 1978, but 1970. From what I heard the hardened seats started in 1974.

 

Since they are the early model DOVE-C heads, SAVE THEM, they are getting harder to find. They do have some features that make them some-what desirable.
BB79RANCH