Cast Iron Cylinder Heads

[BH107]

If you are thinking cast iron heads and leaning to CJ's there is no reason not to just use common C4AE-G heads. You don't need the 14/16 bolt exhaust pattern for your full size, and if you upgrade the valves they are very similar to the CJ heads without the expensive cores. With a good valve job and a little bowl work I think you would be in them quite a bit cheaper than new Ed heads if you can find someone reasonable to do the work.

What area of the country are you in?

[FirstEliminator]

  Good to know, I think I might have a couple sets of those heads. I live in North Adams, Massachusetts. It's in the nortwest corner of Mass, near the Vermont and New York boarders. There isn't anyone local to me that I'd trust to properly prep an FE head. I'd rather just send out a set of core heads and an intake to an experienced FE builder.  Along with the head porting and valve work, I'd think hardened exhaust seats would be needed. Then to balance the port flow on the intake.

   thanks,
      Mark

[677litre]

A set of early iron heads can be done really good for under 1k. I've done this recently. They will out flow an out of the box Ed but you give up a little with the old combustion chambers. A pair of C1AE-A or C4AE-G castings are what I would start with. They're plentiful and cheap. Alexsparts.com has stainless 427 LR valves for $159.95 shipped. That's intake and exhaust. They have to be turned down to 2.15 intake and 1.65 exhaust so they don't kiss each other. A competent machine shop can easily handle the rest.

Sorry to butt-in on this thread. 

Kevin, I'll be doing up a set of C6AE-R (14 bolt), do you recommend 40/45 deg intake valves in the size you show?  Going on a stroked out 428 (462+).  Also, I think I've read and understand the best areas to clean and open the ports on these but any recommendation are appreciated.

677- I've never messed with a C6AE-R casting. But I have had several sets in my hands over the years. They always looked starved for port cross section to me. I wouldn't try to put such a big intake valve in that port. I'd go with CJ size valves with a 45.

Sorry for skankin' up your thread Mark.

Thanks, I just brought it up because Mark was inquiring about CJ heads and I've always been told the C6AE-Rs were the poor man's CJ head.  I can see why after looking at both, the Rs just require the so called "Fairlane lip" in the exhaust to be removed (very little work) to be almost identical to the CJs if the CJ valves are installed.  The R's seem to be more readily available and less expensive than the CJs.

[TomP]

I think your 4000lb estimate for a 68 Colony Park wagon might be half a ton shy of what it weighs. My ramp truck was 5400 and with a mild 428 went OK so 13's out of that beast should be easy with those parts.