Rebuild 915 heads or go aluminum?

gunters96lt1 said
Hey guys, got a few questions.

I recently stuck a 440/727 into my Duster. It runs and drives good, just doesn't have the power I thought it would. I am almost certain its a later year block, and I will verify when I get home tonight. With that being said I think its probably low compression motor. I am going to check cranking compression and leakdown test tonight as well.

After some digging around I found that the 915 casting heads are the most desirable stock head at least if you want to bring up the CR. Talked with my dad and just so happens he has a set. They will need to be gone through and freshened up.

My question is, is it worth the $$$ to rebuild the 915's or go aluminum now? Also should note that I am going to put together a good bottomend from parts we have around. 67 or 68 block, couple different crankshafts to choose from, good rods(cant remember brand) and have some KB10:1 pistons and have some speedpro (I think) 11:1 pistons. Would be buying a camshaft that will work with whatever we decide to build.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I know this has been around for 8 years, and I have the same question today: is it better to go with aftermarket aluminum *(al la www.440Source.com) or find what’s become a bit of a grail in a set of unmolested 915 heads offered for a single year 56 years ago. If I were racing, and to fit into the stock categories, I’d have to stay with the iron. Then there’s the cool factor of find a set and porting them as per David Vizard, and creating a head that might compete with the aftermarket and run with the modified at the track, too.

But, if it were a time thing and I wanted to be up and on the road, the aftermarket would be the way to go, because the back yard gems and junk yard bones have been well picked over in 2024…not to mention there’s lots of junk and failed projects being sold as functional or core quality….so you’d have to know what to look for with the item right in front of you.