Corbrastang

The cylinder heads look pretty pitted to me. Will they be ok with fel pro composite head gaskets or should i have them resurfaced? It looks like there are already machine marks on the head, but if they were machined they took off very little metal.
Thanks for the help!!!

Plasticman

Looking at the gasket surface web area between the cylinders, I don't think you even need to ask.

Plasticman

Corbrastang

Good point . They are going to need to take a good bit of metal off of these guys.

aaronz28

you'd be surprised at how much .015 cleans them up...

but they will never seal between cylinders as it stands.

A

Kensmith

Unless those heads are matching to your motor, I would look for different heads.

Allcoupedup

Is it just the angle or is one intake value a lot more unshrouded than the other?

brian

Corbrastang

They are the original heads to the car. Im really glad that i decided to pull them. This would have most likely been a nice disaster if i had left it on the frame and just assumed that everything was done correctly by the previous owners engine builder.

My other question-While i have it almost completely apart should i replace the new cast pistons with forged units? I will of course have it balanced again if i decide to replace the cast pistons.
Thanks

landshark 454

On shaving the heads, definately. How hi perf is the engine. If relatively stock, the cast pistons should work fine. If you are going to really run the car hard, then consider forged units. I cannot remember if the stock 390 hp pistons were cast or forged. If they were forged, then go with forged.

I would not worry about rebalancing the motor, if you are running it as a stock 390 hp. You could weigh the new pistons, and if they are very far apart in weight, then it may be an issue. I would weigh each bare rod, and each piston, and match them together as a pair, so they are as close to the same weight as each other pair. I have yet to balance a rotating assembly, and have had no problems, and some of my engines I have been running hard for decades. I currently have 3 engines that redline at 6500 or higher. One to 7000 since 1979, one to 6500 since 1993, and the 65 Coupe has been seeing 6500 since 1965

Balancing is more of an issue on racing engines that see sustained high reving. A street engine, especially a mild to medium built one, should be fine without.

I expect some will disagree. To each his own.

Nev Williams

For the heads it's a no brainer - they need to be cleaned up!
If they were my heads I would get a nice 3 angle seat job done on those valves.
Pistons
Forged ? Well if you have money just burning a hole in your pocket !
If you do feel more comfortable and change out the pistons, why not fit some hypereutetic (KB or others). Unless you plan on thrashing the living daylights out of the motor, forged are a waste of money - but if you need to have the clankity- clank sound for the sake of

PS from an earlier post sounds as though your small block is bringing a smile to your face. The little mouse is just pure fun to rev out ain't it...

Corbrastang

It looks like this engine will have around 9.5:1 with the current pistons, which is probably good for todays gas. My plan is to sell this car when finished, but i am on the fence as whether to keep the cast pistons or replace them with forged. After a lot of thought and research tonight, i will most likely decide to keep the bottom end as it is, yet have it completely checked out. The heads will be resurfaced and i will have the engine shop determine which head gaskets will be best to use.

The 65 with the 327 is running great. Nothing like some aluminum heads and a roller camshaft to wake up an old motor, although i still miss the days when gas was good enough to run the higher compression and original camshaft.

Nev Williams

If you are going to sell it leave the the pistons as is. They are new and will do the job.