57 heads
11-23-2011, 06:21 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
57 heads
I have an acquaintance who has a set of '57 May 3731539 heads. I am inquiring for him as to how much they may be worth if magna-flux checks out good?
11-23-2011, 06:48 PM
#2
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539 are common heads. They were used on Fuel Injected engines and all passenger car four barrel engines. Ebay should give you a good idea of value. Check completed sales.
11-23-2011, 08:35 PM
#4
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St. Jude Donor '05
Pull the valves out and check carefully.
Many of them are corroded bad from the cooling jackets over the yrs.
Was going to do some bowl work to a set and could almost poke a screwdriver right through them. Pretty much junk although they looked great.
Many of them are corroded bad from the cooling jackets over the yrs.
Was going to do some bowl work to a set and could almost poke a screwdriver right through them. Pretty much junk although they looked great.
11-23-2011, 09:47 PM
#5
Instructor
'57 heads
I have a matched pair of 539 heads both dated C27 7 that I just had rebuilt for a cost of $437.28. I found a set of 997's so I am going to ask $650 for the 539's. That's only getting about $200 for the cores.
11-24-2011, 07:58 AM
#6
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2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2015 C1 of the Year Finalist
IF the desire is to use the heads on a judged Corvette, it makes a MAJOR difference if they were made at Flint or Tonawanda. It's VERY quick and easy to tell. Check the date code. If the date code ends in 7, for 1957, the are Flint heads and good for a Vette or pass car engine. If the date ends in 57, then they are Tonawanda heads, and ONLY GOOD FOR A PASS CAR. PERIOD!
Corvette engines ONLY came from Flint.
YES, YES, YES, I know, the date code can only be seen if the valve cover is removed, and valve cover removal is not required for judging. BUT the symbols on the ends of the heads were machined smooth on Flint heads and were NOT machined smooth on Tonawanda heads.
Tom Parsons
Corvette engines ONLY came from Flint.
YES, YES, YES, I know, the date code can only be seen if the valve cover is removed, and valve cover removal is not required for judging. BUT the symbols on the ends of the heads were machined smooth on Flint heads and were NOT machined smooth on Tonawanda heads.
Tom Parsons
11-26-2011, 07:40 AM
#8
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If those are the date codes, then they would be correct for EITHER a Vette or pass car. So, even though 539 heads are moderately common, they are slightly more valuable because they would be correct for a Vette (although, chances are good they originally came from a pass car).
Tom Parsons
Tom Parsons
