They were the only 2 years w/high compression. Others were "smog" low
compression heads. You can ID them easily by the cast-in parts numbers---C90E
for the 1969, and D00E for the 1970, if memory serves.
Al J.
Chris Hill wrote:
> Tom,
> If you're looking to pick jewelry off automotive corpses, watch out
> for imitations. I have a set of '69 or '70 351 heads, and those are
> supposed to be the best years. I can't remember why, but there were a
> number of good reasons, not the least the ease of obtaining reasonable
> C.R.'s. I got the info on comparative merits of different vintages either
> in Monroe or the old STOA tech tips manual (or both). If the former doesn't
> get you what you need, let me know and I'll pull out the latter and check.
> However, I've been dragging my feet on starting to build them because
> of numerous comments on the list that it was a waste of money. It's
> pointless putting on the 351's unless you use at least slightly bigger
> valves and a grind and perhaps a little porting (even the 25 year old info
> says that). The amount of extra oomph you get out of stock 351's over the
> 289's is evidently not worth the price of the manifold shoulder bolts alone,
> much less any other expenses. So, according to this thinking, you'll end up
> spending about the same to build up an old tired set of 351's (use the same
> springs, keepers, etc. that got it to that 175,000 mi. graveyard? probably
> not) as you would to build up a set of aftermarkets.
> That's probably sound thinking too, except that for the budget blue
> streak crowd (you and me at the very least), that still leaves the excess
> price of the alyuminiyum heads over the junkyard 351's as pause for thought.
> But you don't need the latest brand new twisted wedge specials to do this,
> and there were a lot of aftermarket heads made for SBF's in the last 5-8
> years. It might make much sense to spend your time haunting your local
> Pennysaver looking for an old set of first generation Dart heads rather than
> in the trenches at Pick and Pull.
> I'd be interested to know what other listers think of this reasoning,
> as I need to start on my engine immediately two weeks ago and have been
> thinking through this same quandary lately. ????????
>
> Chris Hill
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