Best Heads For 351C

[Cobrafire16]

Heres the story I got my mustang home(towed) and I was unloading all of the parts and I noticed that the head ports are two different sizes . which bites but honestly I didnt expect to much out of the person who sold it to me.

Anyways I wanted to see that if by any chance would to be normal(probably not ) and if not what would be the best set of heads that I could get (order or find) for my 1973 351c engine? (I am going for high hp) or just the best bang for my buck.

 

[302 coupe]

closed chamber 4V heads (70 and early 71 castings), with at least 10:1 compression. Yeah seriously. Ebay is your friend right about now, you can find a nice set of heads already fitted with real screw in studs and guideplates for a fair price real easy. Anybody who says to use 2V heads and 9:1 comp is an idiot that reads too many magazine articles. Clevelands like to run, they do not make good fuel efficient mild mannered wife friendly gorcery getting engines. They were built to be hot rods, set it free, lol.

 

[Cobrafire16]

I would more that love to set this thing free at anywhere up to 400 hp. I did have hopes of making it completely stock but I dont think that the engine components are going to mess to much up as far a factory(as long as i dont put a windsor in it) What are the head code numbers that i should look for? Mainly the boss head numbers. also with the 351W heads work on the 351C?

 

[ddonaca351]

imho...

The best place to get good C parts (heads in particular) is ausfordparts.com just across the river in Portland Oregon.
You can get closed chamber 2v heads for like 350 all the way up to the trick new alloy ones for like 12-1500. Plus they have some of the good aussie funnelweb intakes too.

Good luck,
Dave-

 

[bigcat]

i have a set of 71 4v heads. also new in box hooker headers for 71-73 stang/cougars, new roller rockers, stud conversion kit, springs/retainers, msd distributor, 6al box, etc......if any of this will help you out, pm me.

 

[ddonaca351]

Oh just fyi....
If you decide to do the bottom end, flatlanderracing.com has some good prices on Scat stroker kits for like 16-1700 for the cleveland. Nothing like 393 inches to make those big ports breathe....

And since you didnt ask,
look into a Blue thunder dual plane, or a new Performer rpm ans port match it.
A Lunati bracketmaster 2 is pretty good if you want to run a hydraulic 230/240 536/562.
If you are going to run a solid, just go with a roller and be done with it.

Best of luck,
DD

 

[bnickel]

i would go with the aussie 2v heads. they have the smaller 2v ports and the small chamber of the 4v quench heads. even the 2v ports are huge and they will build more bottom end torque than the large port 4v heads. i would recommend about 10-10.25:1 compression and a fairly aggressive cam

 

[Hack]

I agree with the above that the 1970 D0AE 4V closed chamber heads are a good way to go. The prices seem to be shooting a little high IMO, though, which is why I will probably buy aluminum when I get there. The Aussie 2V 302C closed chamber heads are good too. I think that Powerheads puts too large an intake valve in, but I expect they would work fine.

The Boss Cleveland heads are open chamber. You can make good power, obviously as they did back in the day, but the closed chamber are prefered. Especially considering today's pump gas, as the open chamber heads want to detonate easier.

If cost isn't #1 on your decision priority, consider CHI. They offer quite a few different options in aluminum Cleveland heads and IMO the best heads out there.
http://www.chiheads.com/index.php

AFD also makes good aluminum heads, but there are fewer options. I would not buy Edelbrock.

Whichever way you go, make sure you build the whole package to work together. On edit: one other thing to consider is that 4V style heads are perfect for a 393 or 408 stroker version of the Cleveland. Good stuff!

 

[brianj5600]

I thought boss 351 heads were semi closed. Better than fully open, but not as good as closed.
ddonaca, I like your choice of words. Port match vs gasket match.

 

[D.Hearne]

The Boss heads were quench heads. The 351HO or was it the CJ, were open chambered.

 

[Hack]

I thought boss 351 heads were semi closed. Better than fully open, but not as good as closed.
ddonaca, I like your choice of words. Port match vs gasket match.

You and D.Hearne are correct.
The closed chambers from 70 D0AE are 61-64 cc
The D1ZE-B Boss heads are 64-67 cc
The D2ZE HO and D3ZE CJ heads are 73-76 cc

I stand corrected.

 

[Cobrafire16]

wow quite a bit of information. I will see what i can find. the major deal right now is price. I highly doubt any junk yards will have these heads. I almost think that the car was actually running with 1 2v and 1 4v because it has the same size gasket on both sides. Gas mileage is not an issue here. It was a factory 351 CJ 4v I would rather have more horse power then to get a few more miles. I have a 318 in a charger that only gets about 14 miles to the gallon. This is certainly not going to be a daily driver. By the time I get it do I will probaby have a garage to keep it in. Anyways thank you for all of the advise if you have any more definentaly keep it coming. I really appreciate it.

 

[bigcat]

check the left corner of the head, on top, near the valve cover. is there a 2 or 4 there? that will tell you which heads they are.

 

[Oldbutspry]

You can find Cleveland parts here:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/215649/