Brought to you in part by:

.


JC Whitney clearance center!
  Mustangsandmore Forums
  Ford Racing
  So which head do I get??

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   So which head do I get??
Steve-UK
Gearhead

Posts: 215
From: Wickford, Essex, England
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 10-01-2004 01:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Steve-UK   Click Here to Email Steve-UK     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Well I will be over in the State��s in a month time, for the SEMA show, after that I intend to go shopping for some new heads for my 302. I have narrowed my choice down to 3. These are AFR, Edelbrock, and the wild card JEGS/KAASE.
I am hoping next year to fit a stroker kit, either 331 or 347, and a more radical cam, the car will be used occasionally on the highway for weekend trips, but I am hoping to get a lot of strip use.

So the question is which one��s do I go for? Any thoughts would be great.

IP: Logged

Bloose
Gearhead

Posts: 621
From: Milwaukee, WI
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 10-01-2004 06:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Bloose   Click Here to Email Bloose     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My vote goes to the AFR's. I don't think you could go wrong with any of them but I think the AFR's are the best head for the money. The Kaase heads look really cool but I personally think for the money they may be for people geared more towards competition. But that is only an opinion as I do not run nor do I know anyone who does run the Kaase head. I do run the AFR 185's on my little 289. I picked up a whole second when I switch from ported (stock valves though) E7 heads. My little 289 in my '68 Fairlane with a [email protected] lift and .550 lift cam runs 13.1 on motor with the AFR heads. I am extremely happy with them.

B-loose

IP: Logged

steve'66
Gearhead

Posts: 8826
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-01-2004 11:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for steve'66   Click Here to Email steve'66     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I like Victor Edelbrocks heads!

Depending on how much power you want to make with your little stroker, the RPMs or the Victor Jr's. Well made with quality parts that will last.

SteveW

IP: Logged

Steve-UK
Gearhead

Posts: 215
From: Wickford, Essex, England
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 10-02-2004 05:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Steve-UK   Click Here to Email Steve-UK     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hi Guys Thanks for the info. Bloose the AFR units were high on my list, but I have heard that the valve springs on them can be a little suspect, but from what you say they seem fine.
Steve with the Victor Jr's can I use the Performer RPM manifold and at present my Tri-Y headers?

There are just to many heads out there

IP: Logged

steve'66
Gearhead

Posts: 8826
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-02-2004 12:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for steve'66   Click Here to Email steve'66     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Steve,

Sure you can. The exhaust ports on the Vic. Jr's are a little higher, but not enough to hurt header fitment.

SteveW

IP: Logged

Bloose
Gearhead

Posts: 621
From: Milwaukee, WI
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 10-02-2004 08:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Bloose   Click Here to Email Bloose     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've had no problems with the springs. I rev the motor to 7K with no noticable valve float. I also missed a shift once and the motor went to 8K and seemed fine. I did replace the rocker studs with ARP's and I also put on titanium retainers.

I personally went with the AFR's because of the CNC porting. I was not interested in doing any port work and wanted soemthing that would work well right out of the box. But again all of the choices you mentioned I believe are good ones.

HTH,
B-loose

IP: Logged

CometGT1974
Gearhead

Posts: 372
From: Asheville, NC USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 10-03-2004 09:24 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for CometGT1974   Click Here to Email CometGT1974     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Go with the Victor Jr's and never look back, maybe find someone who can do some cnc portwork on them and customize them to your particular application.....I haven't seen many "hard core" drag cars around my area with AFR's, mostly street cars i've seen runnig those heads......not to say that they wouldn't make good drag heads, i'm just not seeing many of the "fast" drag racers switching to them.....

IP: Logged

stroker man
Gearhead

Posts: 216
From: Denville NJ USA
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 10-03-2004 09:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for stroker man   Click Here to Email stroker man     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hum i was thinking AFR205,s for my stroker, but maybe they get to much attention, those vic jr heads are looking better now, plus they are a lot cheaper.

IP: Logged

Steve-UK
Gearhead

Posts: 215
From: Wickford, Essex, England
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 10-04-2004 07:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Steve-UK   Click Here to Email Steve-UK     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hi Guys

Thanks for the info Bloose, I must admit that the AFR heads are still high on the list, because as you said they can be used straight out of the box.

CometGt Over here in England trying to find someone that even knows what CNC porting is like trying to find hens teeth. This is the only thing that is making me think twice about them, would they work with just a match up to the manifold, or would they need working?

No one has mentioned the JEGS/KAASE heads are they things you don't talk about or has no one tried them?

IP: Logged

kid vishus
Gearhead

Posts: 6098
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000

posted 10-04-2004 07:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for kid vishus   Click Here to Email kid vishus     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Steve-UK:

No one has mentioned the JEGS/KAASE heads are they things you don't talk about or has no one tried them?

I beleive no one has mentioned them for your application because they are way too large. I think they were really designed for full competition motors over 400 inches.

[This message has been edited by kid vishus (edited 10-04-2004).]

IP: Logged

steve'66
Gearhead

Posts: 8826
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-04-2004 08:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for steve'66   Click Here to Email steve'66     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Steve-UK:
CometGt Over here in England trying to find someone that even knows what CNC porting is like trying to find hens teeth. This is the only thing that is making me think twice about them, would they work with just a match up to the manifold, or would they need working?

They flow plenty for 408 cubic inches out of the box, I don't think you'll need to port them for your little stroker.

You will want to build yours for 7,000 rpm plus though to take max. advantage of their flow.

SteveW

IP: Logged

chip67
Gearhead

Posts: 245
From: louisville, ky, jefferson
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 10-04-2004 09:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for chip67   Click Here to Email chip67     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
i like the afr heads, and am pleased with my little 165's. my only other choice would be the vic jr's. either way i would not buy an assembled head. always be way ahead buying bare because look, your going to buy a cam right? so you will not likely be running the springs on the head so thats a waste. you'll want arp rocker studs, titanium retainers and adjustable guideplates. you can fit them with some premium valves and you'll have a killer set of heads for not much more money than the junk afr and edelbrock is gonna stick on them. i wish i had purchased mine bare.

------------------
coupe, 306, 4 speed, 4.11's. pump gas, n/a street car. best so far is 7.55 (1/8 mile) at 92mph with 1.64 60ft. time.

IP: Logged

steve'66
Gearhead

Posts: 8826
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-04-2004 10:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for steve'66   Click Here to Email steve'66     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by chip67:
you can fit them with some premium valves and you'll have a killer set of heads for not much more money than the junk afr and edelbrock is gonna stick on them. i wish i had purchased mine bare.


That may be true with AFR's but, E-heads come with good hardware! The only guy I know that's had trouble w/e-heads changed the hardware on the advice of his machinist. Buy them assembled and throw whatever you want for a cam at them (for your needs) and they'll be fine.

SteveW

IP: Logged

indyphil
Gearhead

Posts: 2398
From: Senoia, G.A. USA
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 10-05-2004 01:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for indyphil   Click Here to Email indyphil     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
B-loose
Can you tell me a little more about your 289 with the 185 heads?
Is it a stock bottom end?

Thanks

Im thinking about getting those heads for a 331 with a moderate cam.

------------------
'68 coupe, '66 289 C code
engine, edel 600cfm carb, performer intake, dual exhaust http://www.geocities.com/ottouk_77/68mustang.htm

IP: Logged

firestone
Journeyman

Posts: 5
From:
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 10-05-2004 02:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for firestone   Click Here to Email firestone     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I found an interesting couple of articles with almost the exact same components except one has a hyd roller cam and one has a solid roller cam, but they are the same size. On the AFR article, they test two cams, the one that makes a good comparason is the smaller of the two cams (518 hp dyno). The AFR heads are the 205cc runner CNC ported heads that are $1700 a set. The Victor Jr heads are a set of extensively ported heads by coast high performance that are $2200 a set. The two heads perform almost exactly the same considering that the AFRs have a solid roller rather than a hyd roller.

here is the Victor Jr article
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/69199/index.html


Here is the AFR article
http://airflowresearch.com/articles/article46/A-P1.htm

Adam

IP: Logged

Steve-UK
Gearhead

Posts: 215
From: Wickford, Essex, England
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 10-05-2004 04:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Steve-UK   Click Here to Email Steve-UK     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hi Guys

Well when I am over at the SEMA show I will be having a chat with the guys at Edelbrock.

SteveW so what size engine do I need to stop you saying

quote:
for your little stroker

Well thanks guys for all the info I think I might have to get the stroker kit a little sooner, if money will allow.

Thanks for the articles Firestone, they were interesting reading.

Are any of you guys going to the SEMA show or in the area. I am flying out to Vegas on the 31st Oct. I will be online as I will be taking my laptop.

[This message has been edited by Steve-UK (edited 10-05-2004).]

IP: Logged

steve'66
Gearhead

Posts: 8826
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-05-2004 08:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for steve'66   Click Here to Email steve'66     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Steve-UK:
SteveW so what size engine do I need to stop you saying [QUOTE]for your little stroker

[This message has been edited by Steve-UK (edited 10-05-2004).][/QUOTE]

A stroker built from a 351w.

SteveW

IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | Mustangsandmore Front Page

Copyright 2005, Steve LaRiviere. All Rights Reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47d

Amazon Honor System Click Here to Pay Learn More

[Acronyms][Calendar][Chat][Classifieds] [Members' Pics]

[ Mustangsandmore.com Bookstore] [ Smokin' Fords] [Tech Articles]