Head casting 3231475-2 questions

[AKAMC]

I picked up a pair of heads a few weeks ago from a guy who knew little about them or what was done to them. There head casting number 3231475-2 which I beleave is originally a 78 360/401 casting. However these have had alot of work done to them. I measured the valves across the diameter in the chamber and came up with 1.87 intake and 1.59 exhaust. Are these some type of SBC valves? Casting numbers show these heads as 360 heads so should have had bigger valves originaly. A slip of paper I found stuffed into the intake port said 71 304 head with SBC valves. They are set up for screw in studs as well. Ports have been pollished and chamber smoothed out alot too.

What puzzles me is I would think to install smaller SBC valves these heads would have had to have new smaller seats pressed into them. I can see no evidence of this but I don't have a way to compress the valves to look closly either. Am I measuring the valves diameter correctly? Could these actually be 71 304 heads with the smaller 304 valves? I'm guessing not and they were 360 heads built with smaller SBC valves, but larger then standare 304, to run on a 304.

I'm looking at a 401 that I might want to run these on but would want to install the 360/401 valves into them. Can that be done on these castings if they infact have smaller seats for the smaller SBC valves?

Thanks for any info or suggestions...

[Elliott]

Should have bigger valves... 2.025 & 1.680

My guess is you aren't measuring correctly. Why anyone would put lame valves in a AMC is beyond me.... Take the best flowing production heads and restrict them to GM standards? Why?

[AKAMC]

Yea thats the chart I used. The head should be a 78 360 head according to that. Just wondering about the smaller valves it has in it and the screw in studs it's set up for...

[Elliott]

Are you measuring total diameter of the valve?

http://gsi.xw.gm.com/image_en_us/gif/000/000/663/663532.gif

[AKAMC]

Yea the valves are in the heads with springs holding them shut. Uing a 6" caliper across the widest part.

Are you measuring total diameter of the valve?

http://gsi.xw.gm.com/image_en_us/gif...663/663532.gif

[AKAMC]

My guess is you aren't measuring correctly. Why anyone would put lame valves in a AMC is beyond me.... Take the best flowing production heads and restrict them to GM standards? Why?

I'm thinking maybe the builder intended to use them on a 304. Started with the larger valve heads thinking they flowed better then a standared 304 head maybe? And ported then even more. I posted awhile abck about using 360 heads on a 304 and most said it wouldn't work out well. SO I was thinking this was what people did for a hot 304 maybe?

[Elliott]

Seems like a waste of time. I don't think there ever was a shortage of 304 heads. I guess he was fixing to do the seats anyway so just grabbed what they had.

[AKAMC]

Seems like a waste of time. I don't think there ever was a shortage of 304 heads. I guess he was fixing to do the seats anyway so just grabbed what they had.

I agree... Thats why I'd want to install the larger valves if I can...