so i have been toying around with the idea of putting threaded rocker studds on my early 351w heads by myself. i know that you can remove the pressed in ones with a stack of washers and a nut. but what else does it take to tap the threads for the studds. do i need to get some machine work done on the heads? or would this be something better left to a machine shop? i am always willing to do the work for myself. have any of you guys try doing this on your own?
I have tapped many a head on my own, without any special tools. You just need to go in straight and not let the tap get crooked. The advantage of screw in studs is well worth the effort. If you are putting in guide plates too, then your machinist can screw them in when they mill the heads for the plates.
You need to mill down the stud bosses the thickness of the hex on the new studs, or more if you're gonna run guide plates. Isky or Crane or someone used to have a tool you could chuck into a hand drill to do this.
