Best head choice?

[FE bird]

Hi everybody. Long time lurker here that's finally joining the party. I've gotten a ton of great info from reading your posts and hope you can help me out.
I have a 390 that's in a heavy T-Bird (4400#) and it's looking like I've got some bad valves.  I would like to just bolt on some Edelbrock 60069 72cc  heads and be done with it but I don't know that I've got enough engine for them. My stock heads are C4AE-G's and I'm running an Edelbrock Performer (not RPM) intake, the older "Performer" Cam and here's the killer.. 8.6:1 compression (to keep pinging down). The bottom end has about 20K miles on it.

Considering this car is heavy and has an auto trans (COM) and 3.00:1 gearing,  would I be good with the Aluminum heads and the bigger valves or would I be better off getting my heads rebuilt with all the good stuff and keeping my smaller valves?
I'm not looking to make a drag car out of this but I would like all the low end punch I can get and maybe keep the old girl's performance  respectable on the freeway too 

I welcome all comments.
Scott

[ScotiaFE]

The best way to look at this is a cost issue.
If you shop around you can find a pretty good deal on a set of ED's.
1400 to 1500 for a set and if your in the US most will include shipping.
Your "G's" will need pretty much everything?
Seats, guides, valves, springs, keepers and a good dose of machining.
The tab will be close to if not more than a set of ED's.
The Ed's are basically a replacement head for 390's.
Out of the box the ED's will have smaller holes than the G's, just the valves are a bit bigger.
I'd put money on it that you will have more torque with the Ed's.

[FE bird]

Thanks Howie,
Yes, my heads need EVERYTHING LOL but I don't mind putting the money into them if they would perform better - so cost isn't really a factor in this particular case.
Of course the Ed's would be easier to do (and there's the eye candy part). I'd really prefer to go with them if they would perform better for my application.
You really think they'd do a better job with my low compression and (forgot to mention) stock ex. manifolds?

[ScotiaFE]

Either head will perform great, the Ed's will always be tad better because of the
properties of alum compared to iron.
The logs will bolt up just fine. Although I'd run a cut across the face of the logs just to make sure
you get a good seal.
Another cost with the Ed's though is the studs for the rockers, not absolutely needed, but is a should have.

[jayb]

I would also recommend the Edelbrocks.  There's no way they are going to hurt the performance, and as Howie says they will probably end up costing less than revamping the heads you have.  Plus they are 500 HP capable heads out of the box, so that when you get the itch to install a better intake or headers (Yes, you will get the itch  ), the heads aren't going to be holding you back.

[FE bird]

Thanks for all the advice gentlemen. I'll get the ex's machined while they' re off and I'm going to spring for the rocker studs along with a set of roller rockers of course.
Jay, I understand "The itch". I wen't through it with diesel trucks although not as bad as most LOL.
The T-Bird will stay a cruiser but look out if I ever get the wife to agree to a Stang!

Now I need to pull the heads and take a better look at the cylinders. If they're scarred up we'll be digging even deeper

Scott

[FE bird]

Well I found one burnt valve and a number of loose valve guides (as I suspected) so I'm going to order the Ed's.
Any suggestion regarding in. and ex. gaskets? Does it make any difference with the alum. heads and in. manifold?
I was thinking of using copper ex. gaskets.

Thanks,
Scott

[Heo]

I use only silicone sealer as exhaust gasket
I know it sounds like a bad temporary fix
but since i started using it i have never had
an exhaust leak 
Before that there was Always a header leak
after running it for a while

[Chad D]

+1 on silicone goo for exhaust gasket.  Make sure both surfaces are flat, then a thin layer of copper (orange) silicone sealer.  Never a leak after that.  Not sure if that increases heat in the exhaust side of the head or not...

[FE bird]

Thanks guys.  I ended up just getting a set of the original style stamped metal parts because they've never failed me and I know they'll fit the ex's properly.

Cheers,
Scott
 

[lovehamr]

Thanks guys.  I ended up just getting a set of the original style stamped metal parts because they've never failed me and I know they'll fit the ex's properly.

Cheers,
Scott

That's what I did the last time I had a leak.  I had a set stockers hanging on the wall and no header gasket, so on they went.  Several thousand miles on them now with nary a leak.