Replacement heads, what is best?

[greenpigs]

Well my dad did some work on the head that had the snapped off exhaust stud and put another hole above the one that was snapped. So I think that head is junk but he is trying to get the snapped off stud out still so I don't have a picture.
  The car is a 69 RT with a mild 72 440 and I plan on going with cast iron heads but wonder if any new castings fit what I want. Obviously I don't need ones that flow killer air but slapping on a set of junk yard 400 heads isn't what I want either. So my requirements:


1) To have as new valve guides\valves\springs- I can upgrade later
2) Hardened valve seats
3) The old exhaust studs removed
4) ALL stock parts fit

I want to drive the car main thing and the possibility of selling it may be in the future after it is running again so I don't want to drop allot of money in it.

Hmm I guess I am asking where the best reconditioned heads are?

[Mike DC]

 
All the factory BB head castings (except for the Max Wedge & Hemi stuff) are similiar open-chamber castings after 1967, I think.

There are differences in the flow rates & potential and in the combustion chamber size, but they're all small differences.  I've read that even those changes were probably just caused by casting/molding/production issues as time went on, and not any real attempts to purposely change the parts.

The 915s and 906s are the earlier ones, and people often think they're better although I don't know if they really are.
The 452s are early/mid 70s.  Common.
The later 346 castings had flame-hardened valve seats from the factory. 

 

[firefighter3931]

GP, look around for a set of 452 castings....those have the hardened seats like Mike said. Freshen up the valvejob and get a set of springs matched to your cam and drop em on. If the springs on your heads are still in descent shape....just re-use those. The 452 castings came on 76-78 400-440 engines.

Ron

[GTX]

I think I have a set of stripped bare 915's if memory serves.  I don't remember for sure but I got them on a bare '66 440 block I bought although I'm not positive of whether they were the matching heads for that engine. I've never even looked at them after toting them home.
I could maybe sell them reasonable. I need the $$ to put into the 451 stroker.

[Mike DC]

Just as a general opinion on this issue, though . . .

IMHO it's better not to dump much money into stock heads anymore.  Personally I'd do maybe $4-500 for a fresh-running set, but nothing more.  The aluminum Edelbrock heads are just too good of a bang for the buck.  (After taxes & shipping I think the Eddys are about $1300.  That buys 50+ hp, 20 lb-ft, 50 pounds less front end weight, and no adverse side effects.)