Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums  

race heads

February 11, 2008, 11:00:42 PM

well guys, this t-bird project of mine is starting to get serious. im going to be selling off the procomp street cylinder heads soon and buying actual race style heads. either AFR's, Darts, or Canfields. which would you all think is best for a project like mine? thay're all close to the same price.

this is going to be a car that ill only drive a couple times during the summer and at the drag strip here and there. so streetabilty isnt a major issue but this isnt a drag only car either.

the best heads that i've heard of are darts. up untill a while ago, i thought they were THE heads to get. but after talking to Jay Allen, the guy grinding a cam for me, he says that canfields are the best of the best. to be honest, i've never heard of canfield heads. the more reasearch i've done, they seem to be kinda popular among the higher end stang crowd. how have i never heard of these heads? Jay seems like a very knowledgable guy and he does this for a living, but the mere fact that ive never heard of canfield heads makes me a touch weary of them. to be honest, i probably will go with canfields cus he can more easily design a cam around those heads, but i would like to know what u all would personaly choose.

keep in mind, thier almost the same price.

Keith

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Reply #1 – February 11, 2008, 11:28:40 PM

I have Canfields on the 347 in my Mustang.  They have been around for a while.  I believe a version was sold under the Avenger name early on.  I purchased a set in 2002 (long before I heard of Jay...).  They are a set of heads you can "grow" with.  They flow well out of the box and porting is always an option (should the power bug continue to bite!).  I had mine Stage II CNC'd by BHP (out of Garden City MI).  They flow over 300 CFM on the intake and 230 CFM on the exhaust @.700.  Low and mid lift numbers are good, but I have seen better numbers published.  As you may have read in some of Jay's posts about head porting (on SBFTECH.com), it's not all about the published flow numbers, combustion chamber shape and volocity all play a roll that may not be reflected by the flow bench.

Follow Jay's advice, he will not steer you wrong.

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Reply #2 – February 11, 2008, 11:38:28 PM

Canfields.  Either that or the new big runner Trick Flow High Ports.  Jay sells those now too.

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Reply #3 – February 12, 2008, 12:09:28 AM

and how would the 69 351C heads compare to those mentioned? as far as bang for your buck?

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Reply #4 – February 12, 2008, 12:37:25 AM

The cleveland heads?  Good luck finding them cheap.  The 4v ones anyway.  Plus they are iron.  Plus they don't have hardened valve seats.  The CNC Canfields and TFS high ports have a 225 cc intake runner.  Not to mention the little things to make them work with a Windsor block.

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Reply #5 – February 12, 2008, 01:26:12 AM

duhh,, cant even blamb that on fat fingers,,, i meant the 69 351W heads.
sorry bout that.

My brother in law is giving me a set of them,, they are getting pretty popular down south in the stang arena.

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Reply #6 – February 12, 2008, 07:52:09 AM

The early 351W heads are similar to the GT40 irons... They do use stud type rockers instead of bolt down, but for the reasons Paul mentioned go with the 40s if you have a choice...

How do either compare to Canfields etc??? Not even in the same universe...

Now to each his own, but the Canfields are basically a race orientated head... For a sometimes street engine I'd go with the AFRs...

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Reply #7 – February 14, 2008, 07:21:52 AM

One vote for Yates.

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Reply #8 – February 26, 2008, 01:03:31 PM

Chevy LS heads

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Reply #9 – February 27, 2008, 10:28:09 PM

Ive heard/read some good things about RHS being good right out of the box. I am contemplating the 64cc 200cc intake runner Iron head for my turbo bird. Price is good but availability, atleast for the iron head I was told 6-8 wks.
http://www.racingheadservice.com/Information/Technical/Heads/SmallBlockFord-Heads.asp#215

John

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Reply #10 – February 27, 2008, 10:35:33 PM

after talking to jay, i think that canfields is what i'll end up running. because i'm buying a cam, hes giving a little discount as oppose to buying them individually. he also said he can assemble the heads with springs that he feels will match the cam he's is making the best. so he can make the cam work with the heads, and the heads work with the cam without sacrificing much of either to compensate for anything. thanks for all your opinions though

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Reply #11 – February 28, 2008, 10:58:29 AM

You'll be pleased with the combination.  The value of having confidence everything will work as expected is huge (particulary when parting with the cash is so painful)!  I assume you upgraded lifters too.  Are you going with Comp 851-16 lifters or the link bar type?

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Reply #12 – February 28, 2008, 08:05:28 PM

not sure on lifters to be honest. anything up to par with the rest of my valvetrain. do u recomend Comp 851-16?

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Reply #13 – February 28, 2008, 10:13:47 PM

I have a set in the 347 which have regularly run to 6,900.  I have just purchased another set from Jay for the new T-Bird engine.  The increased spring pressure (which Jay recommends to control the valve train) requires some type of upgraded lifter.  Jay tells me the body of these lifters are the same as the stock Ford lifter, but the spring is upgraded, allowing it to live with elevated pressure.  Jay recommends the link bar lifters if you can afford them...

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Reply #14 – February 28, 2008, 10:44:04 PM

at this rate, i doubt ill be able to afford them. if the ones you got see 6900 without problems, thats probably what i'll go with. i cant ever see me needing to rev any higher then that.
thanks for all you guy's help

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