I had a vested interest in this one, as I have couple of 390s and a 360 sitting around. I think you can buy better aluminum heads that will make more power, but I'm not going racing. Trying to make up my mind which way I would go.
take your heads to a machine shop and get a quote on all machining plus new guides, valves, springs.most cases you will have your answer
I agree that you need to go get a quote from a reputable machine shop. Then you can make an informed decision. When it comes to cylinder heads, it seems if there is an aftermarket head offered by a major manufacturer, the price to purchase all new is still more expensive than getting a stock head machined and properly rebuilt. That being said, I'm always surprised by how machine shops are able to turn a profit given how much work is in doing a job properly and how much capital is in the equipment needed to do the work. I find the machine work to be extremely reasonably priced and I'm always excited to go pick up my part that I dropped off old and ****py, and now looking like new and with perfect tolerances. However, there isn't always that large of a discrepancy between the price of machine work and the price of new aftermarket, and the aftermarket heads almost invariably offer more performance or better appearance/operation than a rebuilt factory casting. You also don't have to wait for it, just order it and it shows up. So that's really where the decision is to be made. Are the benefits of the aftermarket heads great enough to justify the additional price. If yes, go that route. If no, get your stock heads redone.
Usually aluminum heads will cool better than cast iron... They can increase compression ratio without detonation too...
Racing...is only ONE consideration. Drivability and milage is also something to be considered when thinking a modern aluminum cylinder head ! Mike
@hotrodderhaag owns and runs Bluefield Vintage Engines in Mooresville NC. I think its an hour or so from Reidville where you are. He can build you a very nice set of FE heads however you want them done. No one i would trust more for my parts, worth the trip to talk to him and get his input on your heads. He is a wealth of knowledge and just a good old hot rodder.
There are plenty of tales of brand new low end aluminum heads needing to be "fixed". Heck, I'd check any machine work I have done as well. Just sayin' .
Another thing to consider is lead time? Can you get your hands on that new set of Edelbrock or Trick-Flow heads, or are they out of stock and on back order due to all the supply chain disruptions? It may be 6 or 9 months before you can get your hands on a new set of heads, do you want to wait that long?
A few things on stock FE heads. If you have a decent set of cores with good seats, going from the stock 2.03/1.55 valves (yeah, that's why those old 352's can be made to run very well) to the Low Riser/Cobra Jet 2.09/1.66 size may be enough to get them up and proud again without replacement seats, and give a little power boost, and the valves are cheap. You have to be careful if you put in replacement seats, make sure there's enough meat underneath to support the seat. Sometimes one can find a set of Edelbrock takeout valves for cheap, as a lot of folks upgrade the valve sizes for larger engines. The 2.09/1.66 valves will clear the 4.05 bores on your 360/390/410 block
And one can swap in a 3.98 410/428 crank, the 390 "pickup" pistons that are the same as 410 pistons and are cheap, diving you a 410/416, and top it with your heads with the 2.09/1.66 valves and have a sweet-running and very torquey street or pickup engine
The Jalopy Journal
