455 Core Block Bore Pictures

Just got back from vacation and found these heads on the local Craigslist, you guys think it'd be worth it to ditch my 76 heads?

https://stockton.craigslist.org/pts/d/buick-430-heads/6625341001.html

It's always a risk buying used stuff . . .

 

Way high imo, $250 tops
And I would use 70-71 heads if possible

 

Thanks for the advice! I will try and talk him down, otherwise I will use the money elsewhere. Non 75/76 455 heads seem to go fast around here.

 

He says he'd do $300 without the rockers/shafts (I have the 76 rockers/shafts to reuse). Worth it?

He's only 45 min for me, a lot cheaper in gas than shipping a set of heads. He claims that the heads were "magna-fluxed, pressure tested, 3 angle valve job, new TA springs, keepers, and valve seals. Shaved .020" to even surface and ports cleaned up. Also claims he has receipts from the machine shop for all of this.

 

I'd do that if I needed a set

 

If that's TA timing cover in the pic you might want to see if you can get that Too!!

 

Good call! He also has a set of early TA valve covers with the big "Buick" script in red and silver that I really really want but I just spent $500 on new cats for my Lincoln so I don't think I'll be able to afford em. Damn CA smog laws . . .

I'll try and get him to throw in the timing cover for a few extra shekels.

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I haven't been able to find a solid answer on this while searching the forums, but are the 1976 open chamber heads really the reason that a late stock engine "feels" so down on power? I was reading about quench and this small tidbit by Mike at AMP got me thinking that the early heads may be a waste of money?

http://www.automachperf.com/quench.html

The short version of my question is this: If I am reusing the stock 1976 dished pistons, will closed chamber heads really provide any benefit in terms of power or detonation resistance?

 

Damn someone else got the heads before I could get there. Foiled again! I will just have to reuse my 1976 heads unless I find something better that are that price or cheaper. Or save $$ for some aluminum heads some day.

 

Yes, the 75/76 open chamber heads are if memory serves 78cc chambers while the 71-74's are 71cc.

 

I see! Does that 7ccs really make that huge of a difference in power or is in more in the combustion chamber design? Or is it a flow thing?