I have been given a set of 351w DOOE heads that are unmolested and in perfect "stock" shape (except for screw in studs, or did they come that way). They have been put up on the shelf for the last 25 years in my uncle's shop. I know they are a desirable head but I am not overly familiar with them so I have a few questions;

1. Is it better to leave them stock or to molest them (bigger valves ect)
2. What are they worth
3. what do I need to look out for if I decide to build them (I know they will need hardened seats)
4. Anything else that I may not know about them.

 

They are desirable compared to other Ford heads, because they have little bit larger ports and valves(because they are 351w heads) and they still have the smaller 60cc chamber for a higher compression ratio.

They are a little bit better than other Ford heads, but I would price out the new seats, larger valves and any port work you might want. Add the total up, including getting them redone, and compare that to a new set of aluminum or cast iron aftermarket heads and see how much cost difference there will be. If they already have screw in studs, that's one thing you will not have to pay to get done, since they originally had pressed in studs. I am assuming you have the screw in studs with the guide plates?

 

The guide plates if their were some are missing. I thought that was odd too myself. Is their any easy way to look or measure them and see if they were cut for guide plates or not? The place where the stud screws in is flat but I do not have one witht he press in studs to compare it to so I am not sure if they originally had guide plates or not.

 

If it's been milled off flat, then they probably did have guide plates. That's one of the big problems with Ford heads. They used all of these different ways to hold the rocker and pushrod in place without them sliding off the valve stem, and in the process made the valve train non-adjustable. If you run guideplates, then that will guide the pushrod/rocker, and you can run adjustable rockers with locking nuts. That lets you run different cams and be able to adjust the lash. You can even run a solid lifter setup.

 

Ok, thanks. I will price out the new valves and seats and think on it. I am planning on building a 351w for my 84 p/u. Nothing radical just a good pulling truck. If these heads are a 60 cc chamber they might give me to much compression in a 351, especially for what I want.

 

That is true. The heads on the 84 351w have 69cc chamber heads. If you wanted to run the early heads, you probably should run a little dish in the pistons. Of course the 84's are already setup for unleaded gas too. If you were going to put those early heads on a little lightweight mustang, and run high octane fuel, you probably could get away with the higher compression.