I was reading that the best 351w heads were the C9 heads from a 69-73 351w. I was wondering if all 351w from 69-73 had these heads or were they only on certain ones
i think all the 351w heads were the 'good ones' from '69-'74..... but not all have a C9 casting number. ive seen '69, '70 and '71 castings number but they're all supposed to be the same head
There were Two different heads 2-V Common ones everyone wants,and 4-V only people with lots of cash can afford em.(not common)71 was last year for 351-W 4-V
All 351w heads from those years are the same. The C9s ONLY difference is a 2cc smaller chamber. Big whoop. The rest of the 2v stuff is same big valve, big port, and smallish chamber. Even with a 2cc larger chamber, they are only 60cc. Even though the ports are largest ever for a 'Windsor' headed engine, the exhaust ports have a HUGE solid iron bump in them that clogs things up. To just port out this bump is worth relatively large HP. Said to be 35 hp. When these heads are properly ported, they meet or even exceed some of the aftermarket heads available. The only problem is that even after you get a set for 50-100 bux, after all the parts/labor to make them top-notch, you will spend nearly as much as a new set of heads cost. So unless you do every bit of machine and port work yourself, it is not particularly cost effective.
Check that. Big myth. There were no differences in the heads for 2V/4V carbed 351 Windsor engines. There was for the 351 Cleveland. http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod/engine3.html During the 1980s a four barrel version (intake manifold casting id E6TE-9425-B) was re-introduced for use in light trucks and vans. In 1988 fuel injection replaced the four barrel carburetor. From 1977 onward, the 351W shared the same head casting as the 302, differing only in bolt hole diameters (7/16 inch for 302, 1/2 inch for 351W). I believe in '75-'77 the 351W had the air injection bumps, making it more restrictive on the exhaust side. Rumor has it, the '69 and '70 models were always the 'best', but according to most data, the head should be the same through '74. Keep in mind, if you are bolting on a stock set of the early 351W heads, pay attention to combustion chamber size. If you put stock early 351W heads on a 70's 302 with stock pistons, you will get bigger valves and ports, but you will be dropping compression. Take a look at the numbers.
Going from 58cc to 60cc isn't bad. The right head gasket, a slight mill, or decent pistons if doing a rebuild, are all it takes to make up 2cc. If you even want to bother.
Coming down to Mobile any time soon? I have a couple sets of 351 heads I don't need. I wouldn't really be interested in shipping them since they're so freakin heavy. PM me if you're interested.
I have about 6 or 7 sets in storage. My ol' man passed earlier this month and left me with a whole lot of classic ford parts (hardcore packrat). 2 storage bays full of stuff. You can also find the "dogleg" heads on some mid 70's Granadas with a 302 (mex engine). I pulled 2 with those heads on them. I found that the Granada heads aren't drilled for the extra bolthole (waterjacket), but the casting is still there. The "coathanger" test proves that the port design is still the same though. I tested them against a D0 set that I have. The best way to get a set to work is to wack them .050" at you local machine shop (10.5:1 on a flattop 302). Port the snot out of them and go either 1.94/1.6 or 2.02/1.6 valves. This combination has proved to work the best of all on a "streetable" 302 with a radical cam.
Differences My point is that there is confusion about 351W heads due to the fact that 351C heads differ between 2V carb and 4V carb versions. Look at the stats on those. 351W head was essentially the 289/302 design with larger valves and ports early on, different bolt sizes. There is no such thing as a 2V and 4V 351W head. Only the Cleveland had those variances.
Yes, correct, but with one exception. In 1968 the 302-4V engines actually had 4V cast cylinder heads. Check it out.
My son had a '69 Mach 1 with the 4V 351W. At the time we believed the myth about the heads being something special. I was surprised, recently, to learn it ain't true. I'm with you, LittleRedToy, Its good to seperate fact from fiction.
yes I have always heard that those were 289 head castings, with the larger 1.78 intake valve of the 302. They had a '2V' casting on the 302 head with larger combustion chambers. J-code with likely non-stock valves. Note '2V' cast in the head Big difference in the chambers-C8 head also. I don't know what the piston differences were. But the '68 J-code 4V was marked at only 250HP, maybe underrated?
