Heads to port or not to port

BrownPSU78 · Sep 9, 2004

Im looking into getting heads on my basically stock 302 manual 69 mustang. I wanna lean toward the radical side so im willing to run on 93 octane, but no race gas this car is still a daily driver. I have an edelbrock performer cam and i holley 4 barrel that i think is 650 cfm but id like to replace it soon.

i dont have power brakes or steering so vacuum and emmisions arent really big problems for me.

but i need recomendations on wether or not to port\polish and shave em or get good ones out of the box if so which ones ive been looking at edelbrock but i know there are other ones out there
im building a low 13s daily driver so anyrecomendations will help a lot

allcarfan · Sep 9, 2004

i would just buy a set of used twisted wedges or performers.

ForceFed70 · Sep 9, 2004

Well, I guess it depends on your cashflow.

Porting will give you max 20hp.
Stepping up to aluminum will be closer to 40hp max. Plus they're lighter.

VictorII · Sep 9, 2004

BrownPSU78 said:
Im looking into getting heads on my basically stock 302 manual 69 mustang. I wanna lean toward the radical side so im willing to run on 93 octane, but no race gas this car is still a daily driver. I have an edelbrock performer cam and i holley 4 barrel that i think is 650 cfm but id like to replace it soon.

i dont have power brakes or steering so vacuum and emmisions arent really big problems for me.

but i need recomendations on wether or not to port\polish and shave em or get good ones out of the box if so which ones ive been looking at edelbrock but i know there are other ones out there
im building a low 13s daily driver so anyrecomendations will help a lot

Well, I had the head shop put 351 valves in when I did my last build -- because I wanted a little more flow. Was doing hardened seats anyway. Since they did the valves and guides, they cleaned up the areas beneath the valves. I gasket matched the ports. It helped a fair amount. Out of the box aluminum heads work better, but are costly. I think I spent around $400.00 including having the heads surfaced and checked for cracks, including all gaskets. Kinda depends on what you want to end up with.

BrownPSU78 · Sep 9, 2004

I am looking to have a daily drive in the thirteens and i am looking for head suggestions for a basically stock motor

VictorII · Sep 10, 2004

BrownPSU78 said:
I am looking to have a daily drive in the thirteens and i am looking for head suggestions for a basically stock motor

That's a tall order and is going to cost some $$. I'd start with aftermarket heads, cam, high rise manifold and a 600CFM carb. If I recall, these cars rans in the 15s stock. The Edelbrock RPM set of heads, cam, carb, etc. is a good set of parts. And get deep rear gears with Tractionlock or you'll spin that one tire all day. 3.55s are the highest and you might want to go deeper depending on how fast you want it to spin at highway speeds. Deeper gears will let you kep the engine in power band for optimum acceleration. Ignition and exhaust are necessary, too. I run in the high 12s and also use the car as a daily driver, but there are many modifications. It runs smooth, but launches hard and can break the tires loose in all five gears.

A piece at a time is ok, too, and the RPM heads are a good foundation.

1320stang · Sep 10, 2004

Pistons, cam, intake and carb will get you into the 13's. I have a friend with a '67 coupe. It has flat tops, stock unported heads, an RV cam, Torker intake and a 650 DP, a C4 with a shift kit and a stock converter and 3.91 gears with 15x8 Cragers and 295 BFG Radial T/As. It ran 14.204 @ 94.94 with a 2.04 60' time.

If you pocket port your own heads and get someone on here that knows cams to help you, you can be running 13.7s or better on street radials easily. A well thought out combination can be inexpensive, but it'll take a little work. Or you can spend a bunch of money and throw parts at it and do the same thing, but unless you think those parts out, you won't be running to the full potential of those parts. I know of 2 guys that were running 306 motors with '69 351w heads and automatics, one was a '67 coupe and the other a '72 Mavrick. Both had a little port work done on the exhaust side and had solid lifter cams. Both cars were running 12.50's on street tires and were daily drivers, one kid was driving 130 miles back and forth to college every week and these cars had 4.11 gears!!! This was in the early 80's when you couldn't find an aftermarket head for a SBF, much less an aluminum one.

cardude · Sep 10, 2004

buy alum heads. I went the stock route ported / polished / 2.0 and 1.6 intake and exh swirl polished stainless *cough chevy because they were taller *cough valves, dual spring valve springs, etc.... (because my cam lift bottomed out my rocker arms and I broke a few of them) and spent more than if I just bought it out of the box, plus you get to keep the old ones if you ever want to go back.

tjm73 · Sep 10, 2004

I wouldn't bother with porting & polishing. Go right to the aftermarket aluminum heads. Their better in every respect.

Ozsum2 · Sep 10, 2004

1320stang said:
Pistons, cam, intake and carb will get you into the 13's. I have a friend with a '67 coupe. It has flat tops, stock unported heads, an RV cam, Torker intake and a 650 DP, a C4 with a shift kit and a stock converter and 3.91 gears with 15x8 Cragers and 295 BFG Radial T/As. It ran 14.204 @ 94.94 with a 2.04 60' time.

If you pocket port your own heads and get someone on here that knows cams to help you, you can be running 13.7s or better on street radials easily. A well thought out combination can be inexpensive, but it'll take a little work. Or you can spend a bunch of money and throw parts at it and do the same thing, but unless you think those parts out, you won't be running to the full potential of those parts. I know of 2 guys that were running 306 motors with '69 351w heads and automatics, one was a '67 coupe and the other a '72 Mavrick. Both had a little port work done on the exhaust side and had solid lifter cams. Both cars were running 12.50's on street tires and were daily drivers, one kid was driving 130 miles back and forth to college every week and these cars had 4.11 gears!!! This was in the early 80's when you couldn't find an aftermarket head for a SBF, much less an aluminum one.

I would suggest GP. He knows his sheet.

Heads to port or not to port

BrownPSU78

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allcarfan

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ForceFed70

That's why they call it "dope"

VictorII

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BrownPSU78

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VictorII

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1320stang

cardude

tjm73

Ozsum2

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