Machine shop said the heads have cracks in the valve cover area. Some have said they can be repaired but what does that take? Machine shop said find new heads.
They most likely are cracked bear the spring seats. Very common on 67 heads. My block was cracked near the lifter bores and both heads were cracked near the spring seats. All were repaired with drilling and installing soft pins. After stippling the surface, you can't even tell where the repair was done plus I have no issues. This method is an old old remedy but it tried and proven. If your shop can't do it, time to look around in my opinion.
There's a guy here in Wichita called Cylinder Head Repair (of all the names to pick...) who stays so busy it can take months to see your stuff again. I don't know his methods, but people I know swear by (not AT) his work, so repair is definitely an option.
Good work is fairly expensive and generally beyond the scope of a small rebuilder type machine shop. It's usually cheaper to get a different casting. There's quite a few methods of repair employed, depending on where and what the casting is. It becomes an inexpensive option when the castings cost thousands to replace.
Depending on the overall lenght of the cracks they may be able to be drilled out and stiched up, it's just finding a shop that can still do this that can be a issue.
If you get jammed up and feel like shipping, I can get my local machine shop to fix them. I've been dealing with them for 35 years and they know their stuff. They do a lot of antique restoration work.
Unless it's for a concourse resto why bother? I would have some serious doubts about cast iron repairs in a combustion chamber.
Look for new ones, would be less expensive. Unless the head in question has had expensive porting done to them you would be father ahead to look for replacements. GL
Are these 67 400/430 heads? Are they the big-ports? If so, it may be possible to repair them. I had mine (big-port) rebuilt with new valves & hardened seats when I had the balance/blueprint done...have had zero problems with them.
you are much further ahead to replace them. it's not cost effective to repair them. 68-70 heads would be ideal
They are big port heads but not ported. I think I will look for another set. I want to stay with 67 heads as its going into my 4 speed gs400 convertible. If I can't find a set close I'll look into repairing. Thanks this was great info.
Ed, found a set, marked 67 big port, and the intakes are wider than regular head. Looks like they may have been checked, frost plugs are out and have been hot tanked. I have not checked the numbers yet, I am getting to old to move 455 heads. I will look at them later and post the numbers.
