360 heads hardened seats?

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Andy White

Andy White

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Hi Everyone

I have a 67 barracuda that came with a 273 not installed. I then bought a stock 78 360 engine to throw a quick rebuild on and then ride. Found out the 360 heads needed valve guides so while at Carlisle last year bought a set of 72 heads that were "ready to go". Took them to my machinist, He said they needed valve guides and that I should put in hardened seats that the unleaded fuel would eat them up. $700.00 to do the work.
Does anyone have any experience here? What do people who have all original 1960 cars do? Does that mean I need to do this to the 273 heads as well?

Thanks Andy
 
i have a 71 Dart 318 that I drove for years without harden seats....pulled the engine with at 90K miles ...burned about a quart of oil every couple of thousand miles...ran on unleaded gas ....

i would buy a new set of rhs/indy heads before I spend $700 bucks for new guides and seats,,,,,new heads comes with new valves...new springs...and flowed alot better then the a J head...

http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/...biAgdy8gJ0xBJyBTdHlsZSBJbnRha2U=&partid=25739
 
The lead, socked into the seat and helps protect the seat.

My opinion, if you have run a leaded fuel for many months/ years, these no problems with unleaded fuel and cast iron seats.

How ever, if you have a fresh seat,(aka Valve job) and run unleaded........the life of the seat will be shortened.

How much? depends how the eng is tuned and driven.

I'm a big fan of the X,J exc heads......But i would have to agree with 70aarcuda
 
I agree with Tony. Unless I was building an original car I wouldn't even consider spending $700 on getting an old set of J heads redone when RHS heads are so much better and all brand new for not much more money. JMO
 
if its a daily driver then go with the seats, but for a weekend cruiser that gets a couple thousand miles a year don't need them, but for that price go with the rhs or find another machinest
 
Thanks everyone for the response. I am not worried about going original. I do like the rhs heads. I saw on the hughes website they do the unleaded conversion "putting hardened seats" for 135 bucks. that tells me my machinist has got to go. What do you guys think a hot tank,magnaflux and .30 over bore should cost?
 
700 should include all new eveything, nothing exotic of corse but at least street performance valves, seats/guides/valve job/guide trim, clean and mill.

you can get the block work done -bore/hone/deck/clean/mag for 400-500

Have the mains checked, but if possible 'as in they check good'...dont hone them.
 
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