Are these heads worth it?

[6290988]

Are these worth buying and putting on my 383? The price seems good. I was going to replace the cast iron 4 barrel intake with an edelbrock performer one at the same time.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/pts/d/mopar-440-cylinder-heads/6249738474.html

 

[1967coronet440]

No info on the heads in the ad, what casting are they?

 

[6290988]

No info on the heads in the ad, what casting are they?

What casting number should I be looking for? I don't know which 440 has good heads and which are bad for performance.

 

[Mike67]

There are open chambers and closed chamber heads...what are you looking for the head to do exactly? Your choice should be a head that works with everything else, compression, cam & budget.
I think 440Source has a page dedicated to describing the different casting numbers.

 

[lewtot184]

'66 440 engine,....'516 heads,...? they'd have to be fairly cheap for me to consider them.

 

[Badvert65]

I would pass on those heads if your engine is 68 -later.
In a nutshell...
For factory castings, you should go for the 1968 and later heads. They had bigger valves than the earlier heads. Check here for casting number info:
http://www.mymopar.com/headcastnumb.htm

If you are concerned about unleaded gas use, look for 72 and later heads, they had the hardened valve seats.

 

[6290988]

I would pass on those heads if your engine is 68 -later.
In a nutshell...
For factory castings, you should go for the 1968 and later heads. They had bigger valves than the earlier heads. Check here for casting number info:
http://www.mymopar.com/headcastnumb.htm

If you are concerned about unleaded gas use, look for 72 and later heads, they had the hardened valve seats.

Or just save up and buy some Edelbrock heads up, right?

 

[HT413]

What heads are ya running now? If they're really 'ready to run', maybe offer him $200 and you'd have a good deal, but they'd be no better than the iron you already have.

 

[6290988]

What heads are ya running now? If they're really 'ready to run', maybe offer him $200 and you'd have a good deal, but they'd be no better than the iron you already have.

I have a 68-69 motor best I can tell from the intake casting. I can't see the block casting.

I'll just save and do it right this winter. Get the parts I want.

 

[WileE]

If I'm going through the trouble of changing heads, then aluminium of whatever choice is going on.

 

[Cranky]

If they are original 66 440 heads, they are probably 516's. They have the 2.08 intakes but will have the smaller 1.60 ex valves and are closed chamber. On a 440 with .050 down pistons and steel shim gaskets, they will produce 10.3-1 compression and will perform decently with the 1.74 ex valve and even better with some port work especially on the exhaust side. If you can do the work yourself, they are worth having but I wouldn't pay 250 for them with the small ex valve and stock ports.