Indy LA-x heads

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jmwuva05

jmwuva05

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So I'm continuing to mull over engine choices. As I stated before I have a 1984 360 black that is presently getting checked out at the machine shop. Project car be a 1972 duster originally auto going to be 4spd when done and I picked up a nice set of pedals on here this am.. My original intention was a 408 stroker with edelbrock heads and TTI or Doug's full length headers. As I have been looking through old books and pictures I am starting to think a more stealth period looking engine might be more of an interest as my car will be purely street.. I know hughes has repros of the 340 manifolds which would look the part and have read on here there might be some clearance issues with the edelbrock heads and thise manifolds. I have been looking at the indy LA-x heads now and they seem very capable and was wondering what some of you veteran members thought of them? My original heads are smog heads so they have the holes in them and I didn't even bother to take them to the machine shop.
 
they're great heads. You can't buy them anywhere right now so it's gonna be hard to find a set.
 
They still don't have them, I've called Indy and spoke to Deanna a few times, earlier in the year they were looking for someone to make them and were 8 month out, called them last month and they still have no idea when they will be back in stock sadly. I talked to Brian at Indio Motor Machine and he has multiple articles with those heads and they are good heads. Wish I picked some up when they still had them.
 
cookietruck said:
they're great heads. You can't buy them anywhere right now so it's gonna be hard to find a set.
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I know indy contacted me that they weren't available presently but if others thought they were good heads I was going to watch for any that might come up for sale here and ebay
 
I picked up at least 2 tenth simply swapping from 587 heads (1.88/1.60) to the LA-X heads (1.92/1.625), both with as-cast ports. Same level of prep & stainless valves, except chambers were about 3cc smaller.
 
It would be nice if they would sell them to us without the pushrod holes already machine in. 10-12 years ago you could get them that way and machine them for offset rockers. Some of them with the pushrod holes were so thin inside the port you could easily break through if you were not VERY careful.
 
jmwuva05 said:
So I'm continuing to mull over engine choices. As I stated before I have a 1984 360 black that is presently getting checked out at the machine shop. Project car be a 1972 duster originally auto going to be 4spd when done and I picked up a nice set of pedals on here this am.. My original intention was a 408 stroker with edelbrock heads and TTI or Doug's full length headers. As I have been looking through old books and pictures I am starting to think a more stealth period looking engine might be more of an interest as my car will be purely street.. I know hughes has repros of the 340 manifolds which would look the part and have read on here there might be some clearance issues with the edelbrock heads and thise manifolds. I have been looking at the indy LA-x heads now and they seem very capable and was wondering what some of you veteran members thought of them? My original heads are smog heads so they have the holes in them and I didn't even bother to take them to the machine shop.
Click to expand...

Neither the LA-X nor the Edelbrock heads look original. The Eddy heads do stick out past the block more than the LA-X's do. However, paint either set orange (or whatever your engine color is) and they both are pretty stealth, although of course anyone really familiar with all this will be able to spot them easily enough.

I did run 340 exhaust manifolds with the Edelbrock heads in my 65 Barracuda for several years. I didn't know they weren't supposed to fit, but I did find out that I had to grind on the driver's side head a bit for clearance. Switched to TTI headers couple of years ago.

Edelbrock heads on my 65 Barracuda:

20180521_200807.jpg


LA-X heads that I put on the 360 in my 67 Barracuda:

DSCF0144.jpg


One intake valve stuck open in the LA-X heads within 50 miles of installing them. See arrow, cylinder 7 below. The valve head bent, but, amazingly, the (low compression) piston was OK, as was the valve seat. Replaced the valve, honed the guide a bit and have run it w/o problem since.

IndyLA-Xhead.jpg
 
65 Cuda 340 said:
Neither the LA-X nor the Edelbrock heads look original. The Eddy heads do stick out past the block more than the LA-X's do. However, paint either set orange (or whatever your engine color is) and they both are pretty stealth, although of course anyone really familiar with all this will be able to spot them easily enough.

I did run 340 exhaust manifolds with the Edelbrock heads in my 65 Barracuda for several years. I didn't know they weren't supposed to fit, but I did find out that I had to grind on the driver's side head a bit for clearance. Switched to TTI headers couple of years ago.

Edelbrock heads on my 65 Barracuda:

View attachment 1715798076

LA-X heads that I put on the 360 in my 67 Barracuda:

View attachment 1715798077

One intake valve stuck open in the LA-X heads within 50 miles of installing them. See arrow, cylinder 7 below. The valve head bent, but, amazingly, the (low compression) piston was OK, as was the valve seat. Replaced the valve, honed the guide a bit and have run it w/o problem since.

View attachment 1715798080
Click to expand...
Sweet looking hardware there! Appreciate the Input. On the eddy head how much grinding was required. They look plenty meaty. I haven't ruled out headers yet but I think the 340 manifold look really cool especially compared to the ugly stock 360 logs that are on my donor engine
 
jmwuva05 said:
Sweet looking hardware there! Appreciate the Input. On the eddy head how much grinding was required. They look plenty meaty. I haven't ruled out headers yet but I think the 340 manifold look really cool especially compared to the ugly stock 360 logs that are on my donor engine
Click to expand...

Don't know, I just ground until they fit - at one spot, on the driver's side, the down pipe hit. I have heard of hitting water by grinding too much, but it didn't happen on mine.
 
jmwuva05 said:
So I'm continuing to mull over engine choices. As I stated before I have a 1984 360 black that is presently getting checked out at the machine shop. Project car be a 1972 duster originally auto going to be 4spd when done and I picked up a nice set of pedals on here this am.. My original intention was a 408 stroker with edelbrock heads and TTI or Doug's full length headers. As I have been looking through old books and pictures I am starting to think a more stealth period looking engine might be more of an interest as my car will be purely street.. I know hughes has repros of the 340 manifolds which would look the part and have read on here there might be some clearance issues with the edelbrock heads and thise manifolds. I have been looking at the indy LA-x heads now and they seem very capable and was wondering what some of you veteran members thought of them? My original heads are smog heads so they have the holes in them and I didn't even bother to take them to the machine shop.
Click to expand...
Just sent you a PM
 
jmwuva05 said:
So I'm continuing to mull over engine choices. As I stated before I have a 1984 360 black that is presently getting checked out at the machine shop. Project car be a 1972 duster originally auto going to be 4spd when done and I picked up a nice set of pedals on here this am.. My original intention was a 408 stroker with edelbrock heads and TTI or Doug's full length headers. As I have been looking through old books and pictures I am starting to think a more stealth period looking engine might be more of an interest as my car will be purely street.. I know hughes has repros of the 340 manifolds which would look the part and have read on here there might be some clearance issues with the edelbrock heads and thise manifolds. I have been looking at the indy LA-x heads now and they seem very capable and was wondering what some of you veteran members thought of them? My original heads are smog heads so they have the holes in them and I didn't even bother to take them to the machine shop.
Click to expand...
I have a new pair for sale soon
 
jmwuva05 said:
So I'm continuing to mull over engine choices. As I stated before I have a 1984 360 black that is presently getting checked out at the machine shop. Project car be a 1972 duster originally auto going to be 4spd when done and I picked up a nice set of pedals on here this am.. My original intention was a 408 stroker with edelbrock heads and TTI or Doug's full length headers. As I have been looking through old books and pictures I am starting to think a more stealth period looking engine might be more of an interest as my car will be purely street.. I know hughes has repros of the 340 manifolds which would look the part and have read on here there might be some clearance issues with the edelbrock heads and thise manifolds. I have been looking at the indy LA-x heads now and they seem very capable and was wondering what some of you veteran members thought of them? My original heads are smog heads so they have the holes in them and I didn't even bother to take them to the machine shop.
Click to expand...
 
Sorry to ask but what is out of the box flow #s on this head and max potential ?
Will it approach W2 numbers or exceed ?
Thanks Chris
 
1Badcolt said:
Sorry to ask but what is out of the box flow #s on this head and max potential ?
Will it approach W2 numbers or exceed ?
Thanks Chris
Click to expand...

The RHS X heads that IMM engines did flow way better than your typical ootb RHS X-head.
 
Locomotion said:
I picked up at least 2 tenth simply swapping from 587 heads (1.88/1.60) to the LA-X heads (1.92/1.625), both with as-cast ports. Same level of prep & stainless valves, except chambers were about 3cc smaller.
Click to expand...

Loco
cookietruck said:
The RHS X heads that IMM engines did flow way better than your typical ootb RHS X-head.
Click to expand...
Thank u
 
Here is what is possible with an LAX head. And please don't argue they are not LA, as the stock rocker shafts will still bolt up to these heads.

See posts 107 & 109.......
Is 426ci 360 a small block?
 
IQ52 said:
Here is what is possible with an LAX head. And please don't argue they are not LA, as the stock rocker shafts will still bolt up to these heads.

See posts 107 & 109.......
Is 426ci 360 a small block?
Click to expand...
1Badcolt said:
Loco

Thank u
Click to expand...
IQ52 said:
Here is what is possible with an LAX head. And please don't argue they are not LA, as the stock rocker shafts will still bolt up to these heads.

See posts 107 & 109.......
Is 426ci 360 a small block?
Click to expand...

Thank you
 
If you wind up with a set of LAx heads ootb or unmolested, be sure to replace the valve guides with bronze ones. With a 1000 miles on the heads my valve guides were shot. Also the ex valves needed reseated fresh ootb I had 3 leakers, also the locks changed to machined hardened type, and overall they needed a good cleaning to removes metal debris. The valves were wiggly in the original guides.
 
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