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  •  » Identifying casting date of heads

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    8/28/2016 9:41 PM  #1

    JerryM
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    Registered: 5/30/2013
    Posts: 23

    Identifying casting date of heads

    I have a set of re manufactured heads for a 302.  The heads were originally on a '71 block that had been rebuilt and driven into the ground. Heads do not have the normal part number system cast into them.  The machinist that did the work could not identify year of casting.  Any suggestions for identification?

     

    8/29/2016 5:42 AM  #2

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,084

    Re: Identifying casting date of heads

    With chamber and valve size you can probably figure a year range, but if the heads have been heavily modified its likely hopeless.

    Are you sure they are Ford heads?  I've never seen a Ford part that didn't have a part number on it.  The rubber exhaust hangers on my '89 GT have part numbers on them for God's sake.

     

    8/29/2016 5:56 AM  #3

    jerseyjoe
    I FYI 24-7

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    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: Identifying casting date of heads

    Maybe a set of Aussie heads...check inside the ports for #....jj

    "Never put a question mark where God put a period "  Richard Petty
     

    8/29/2016 6:46 AM  #4

    JerryM
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    Re: Identifying casting date of heads

    TKO:  I am "assuming" the heads were made by ford as they look like any other casting I've seen.  They definitely came off a ford 302 engine.  It had been bored 60 over and I never had any cooling problems with a standard size radiator.  As for modifications there has not been any porting or polishing done and no other mods that could readily be identified.

    jj:  There is no marking in any of the ports.

    There are the numbers 78 cast under the valve covers midway of the heads on the lower side.  If this is the year of casting I've not seen this before.  Of course, my experience is fairly limited.

       •Thread Starter
     

    8/29/2016 11:47 AM  #5

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
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    Re: Identifying casting date of heads

    If there is no engine size cast anywhere then I can tell you it is a post '77 casting.  The casting numbers on these heads are located on the deck side, probably in the area where the pushrods pass through. 

     

    8/29/2016 2:37 PM  #6

    JerryM
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    Re: Identifying casting date of heads

    TKO:  Casting info was where you said.  It's so small I needed a magnifying glass to read it.  The characters are D8XX, meaning 78.  This matches the numbers under the valve covers.  Now to find out some info on the heads.  Thanks much.

       •Thread Starter
     

    8/29/2016 7:13 PM  #7

    TKOPerformance
    Hyper FYIFORD ADDICT

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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,084

    Re: Identifying casting date of heads

    Yep.  The numbers are real prominent of FE heads, but harder to find on the small block stuff.  Of course all FE engines have 352 cast into the front of the block which throws a lot of people for a loop, so they aren't perfect either. 

     

     

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