If you want to just go with iron heads I would go with the roush 180's. There are lots of aluminum heads that will perform better though.
sbf iron head help
what head would you guys look for,68 302 with a cam and intake upgrade,light car with a t5 .this is a street car and im looking for torque,not high rpm hp.thanks to all.jd
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
those are the ones i was talking about.
either one of those will work real good.
roush180/jr will get the job done
Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm surprised no one mentioned GT-40 or GT-40P. Any opinions on production iron heads? Thanks - jd
The Roush heads will make more power than either the GT40 or GT40P heads, but you can pick up a set of assembled GT40 or GT40P heads really cheap. so its up to you, how much to you have to spend?
Thanks, Neal. I'm trying to get a real improvement over stock '68 two barrel heads, and I still have to build a rear end, buy a clutch, build a drive shaft. This is a complete rebuild of an old restoration and the head upgrade is going to have to be affordable,but right now the motor is out so now's the time. What do Roush iron heads bring? This is not a roller motor. thanks
jd
jd
A couple years ago I bought a pair of assembled Windsor Jrs. on eBay, with Crane aluminum roller rockers and pushrods (that were way too short) for $650. If you're not in a big hurry and watch eBay you can get a really good deal on these heads, mostly because everyone is looking for aluminum heads, so the iron ones aren't as high in demand.
I bought a pair of Roush 200's for ~$900 brand new, assembled about 2 years ago. I'd say a little cheaper for the 180's and also due to time they've been on the market - they're a bit more obsolete now with all the high buck aluminum heads out there, but still great for a milder build (or not, Tony is pushing 500HP with his 200's!)
Good heads for the cash, I think the 180's have 58cc chambers, so think about what your compression ration will be on the stock shortblock.
Also consider a decent set of rockers over the stamped steel if you dont have them.
Good heads for the cash, I think the 180's have 58cc chambers, so think about what your compression ration will be on the stock shortblock.
Also consider a decent set of rockers over the stamped steel if you dont have them.
thanks guys.im hoping that i can buy something like the 180 head from somebody that upgraded to alum.no,im not in a hurry,but im gathering parts.this is a 66 must.fstbk.my plan is t5 and 380 rear gear,front discs, a healthy cam,edelb. carb and intake,pointless dist. and headers.what do you think of this combo? jd
I paid $700 for my assembled Windsor Jr. Heads last year brand new.
Sounds like a similar build to what I've done. Click on MY CARS to check out the specs.On 2006-03-08 14:00, jd wrote:
this is a 66 must.fstbk.my plan is t5 and 380 rear gear,front discs, a healthy cam,edelb. carb and intake,pointless dist. and headers.what do you think of this combo? jd
What is your definition of "a healthy cam"? I'd stay more on the mild side since you said you want torque and not high rpm hp.
The Roush 180's would get my nod. You can forget about the GT 40 p's. I haven't heard of anyone who makes a header for them in a 65-66 mustang. The spark plug angle is the difference and causes the problem with headers. Kind of a shame since they're a decent and cheap head for a mild build. Regular GT 40's could work and be better than stock. Might be cheaper than the 180's as well.
thanks again,guys.sounds like the gt40ps are out,too bad.i havent picked a cam yet,will have to be hyd.and let me make enough vac for power brakes.nate your car specs. are dead on what i have in mind.just cant do the solids,very cool car.jd
I recommend the Xtreme energy cams for those heads, since the exhaust flow of those heads is a bit low for their intake flow.
Probably one with a 210intake/220exhaust @ .050" lift or around there would suit your combo, give you plenty of vacuum and also decent mileage.
Probably one with a 210intake/220exhaust @ .050" lift or around there would suit your combo, give you plenty of vacuum and also decent mileage.
I bought my GT40P heads brand new for $475 assembled, so thats a bit cheaper than the Roushs. I'm not a header fan, so I'm running repop'd K-Code/289 HIPO manifolds on my car. Works fine with the shifted plug position in the Ps.
GT40 or GT-p 40 heads .... in my opinion, are OK, if you can pick up a set at the junk yard or a swap meet, for cheap. they make a fairly good step up from earlier stock heads. Of course theres the issue with headers, spark plugs and the lack of smog fittings for those with the early HO 5.0 liter that use the EGR pump.
If you are going to spend real money, then I agree with all the suggestions to get the World/Dart/Rousch heads. Whether to get the Sr.'s or Jr's...is an issue of how honest you are with what you intend to do with the build. 289/302/306 (.030 over 302)...can get along quite well with the Jr's. the 1.94/1.60 valves and smaller combustion chamber work great. If you have extra money (or talent) then a session with the Dremel will provide all the flow you need for a N/A engine. If you are going with a stroker, then you probably want to step up to the Sr's (2.02/1.65).
There is no question that there is a lot of attaction/glamor to to having the Aluminum heads, they give you instant status once the hood is popped. But, I am still not completely convinced that they are any better at making horsepower than the aluminum heads. The debate over aluminum or iron heads, at least for me...is mainly whether taking 40 ~ 50 lbs off the front wheels is worth twice as much. there are other arguments: aluminum is easier to repair, more tolerent of high compression...OK, thats true. But, they are a hella lot easier to cross thread spark plugs, easier to strip or wear out threads and need to be handled "gingerly" because the metal is much softer. I have both, and have long resisted the knee-jerk reaction to immediately tossing the iron ones, ...mainly 'cause the iron ones haven't given me any trouble and I don't see where I'm losing any power, I did have a pro - porting job done on them, but thats another story.
Unless you are running "class racing" I'm not a big fan of chasing rainbows. The "Ultimate" flowing, "Best" super dupper, flavor of the month, magazine special featured head will always be The next head or the one that you don't have. I don't know many working for wages guys that can afford to swap heads every few months...I admit, when I was younger, I didn't feel this way - I chased after the "magic bullet" too. But, when you get right down to it, tunning what you have will usually find more horsepower than constantly changing components and having to re-learn what works for your setup. Tuning takes time and observation to get the best out of a combination. Every notice how, despite the restrictions...most stock class cars are making better times than a lot of "street Heros" who have access to all the hot parts? What the time now on Stock CJ Mustangs..aren't they in the 9's. Running stock factory parts, iron heads and limited engine sizes...How the heck can they do that?
_________________
"They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety"-- Benjamin Franklin
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Beoweolf on 3/9/06 9:40pm ]</font>
If you are going to spend real money, then I agree with all the suggestions to get the World/Dart/Rousch heads. Whether to get the Sr.'s or Jr's...is an issue of how honest you are with what you intend to do with the build. 289/302/306 (.030 over 302)...can get along quite well with the Jr's. the 1.94/1.60 valves and smaller combustion chamber work great. If you have extra money (or talent) then a session with the Dremel will provide all the flow you need for a N/A engine. If you are going with a stroker, then you probably want to step up to the Sr's (2.02/1.65).
There is no question that there is a lot of attaction/glamor to to having the Aluminum heads, they give you instant status once the hood is popped. But, I am still not completely convinced that they are any better at making horsepower than the aluminum heads. The debate over aluminum or iron heads, at least for me...is mainly whether taking 40 ~ 50 lbs off the front wheels is worth twice as much. there are other arguments: aluminum is easier to repair, more tolerent of high compression...OK, thats true. But, they are a hella lot easier to cross thread spark plugs, easier to strip or wear out threads and need to be handled "gingerly" because the metal is much softer. I have both, and have long resisted the knee-jerk reaction to immediately tossing the iron ones, ...mainly 'cause the iron ones haven't given me any trouble and I don't see where I'm losing any power, I did have a pro - porting job done on them, but thats another story.
Unless you are running "class racing" I'm not a big fan of chasing rainbows. The "Ultimate" flowing, "Best" super dupper, flavor of the month, magazine special featured head will always be The next head or the one that you don't have. I don't know many working for wages guys that can afford to swap heads every few months...I admit, when I was younger, I didn't feel this way - I chased after the "magic bullet" too. But, when you get right down to it, tunning what you have will usually find more horsepower than constantly changing components and having to re-learn what works for your setup. Tuning takes time and observation to get the best out of a combination. Every notice how, despite the restrictions...most stock class cars are making better times than a lot of "street Heros" who have access to all the hot parts? What the time now on Stock CJ Mustangs..aren't they in the 9's. Running stock factory parts, iron heads and limited engine sizes...How the heck can they do that?
_________________
"They that can give up essential Liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety"-- Benjamin Franklin
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Beoweolf on 3/9/06 9:40pm ]</font>
Very solid advice guys,have to agree with the "flavor of the month"parts advice.Im a long time streetrodder,and it takes some deep pockets to keep up!No,this is on a budget,not concerned with saving 30#,and im not building a drag car.still think the windsor jr. heads are what i need?thanks,jd
Also, theres no telling where the GT-40's came from, pulled of an exploded explorer, etc. I think you're a little less hit or miss with the Roush heads, since they came new from a factory and not on a car that may or may not have been abused. You may have to redeck them, get a valve job, (though the same thing applies to the Roush 180's) but I bet there are going to be quite a few less miles on a set of used 180's than GT-40's.
Its all up to you, if you want to spend the money, I would go with the Roush 180's - theres a lot of potential if you want more power to do a little porting, and they'll support quite a bit, so you can play with your combo until you get it where you want it.
Beoweolf is right, its all about tuning your combo correctly - and its all about the combo itself. A well designed engine will outperform parts have been thrown at almost every time.
Its all up to you, if you want to spend the money, I would go with the Roush 180's - theres a lot of potential if you want more power to do a little porting, and they'll support quite a bit, so you can play with your combo until you get it where you want it.
Beoweolf is right, its all about tuning your combo correctly - and its all about the combo itself. A well designed engine will outperform parts have been thrown at almost every time.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Ford Muscle Cars Tech Forum
A forum community dedicated to Ford performance owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about popular models such as the Mustang, Galaxie, Falcon, Fairlane, Torino, Shelby and many more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Recommended Communities
