Heads...Stockers OK?

[PickupMan]

OK first off I want to say it's been FOREVER since i've been on and sorry about that. Life has taken many turn since my past visit.

Anyway I had the stang out today and visited a local car show. While I was there I ran into an old friend and after catching up on old times he asked if i was interested ina cam for my car? Sure what do you have? He had a thumpr Cam from a build he was going to do and ended up gettng rid of that engine. So now I have this cam and thinking of putting it in the 289. Think my stock heads will be fine or upgrade? If so what do you think would be best? Are procomp heads worth anything?

 

[2+2GT]

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[tx65coupe]

I would say that you don't really want too radical of a cam for a street car. It will move the power to the higher RPM range and you could loose low end and mid range torque. I would run a mild cam with stock heads. If your going to use that cam, I would get some better heads. I don't care for radical cams in street cars. It takes away from the drivability as well as makes the car less fun to drive on the street. This is just my two cents.

 

[Realmongo]

You could always get a set of Thumper Heads or send yours in to be modified.

http://thumperoforangepark.com/

 

[woodsnake]

How big is the cam? What kind of shape is the rest of the car in? What rear end gears do you have? Do you know how to set up an adjustable valve train? Are you trying to build a street strip car? How much do you drive it?
Is your car a stick shift, or an automatic? You may need a new higher stall speed torque converter.

It isn't as easy as just doing the labor, if you want it all to work like it's supposed to......

 

[D.Hearne]

OK first off I want to say it's been FOREVER since i've been on and sorry about that. Life has taken many turn since my past visit.

Anyway I had the stang out today and visited a local car show. While I was there I ran into an old friend and after catching up on old times he asked if i was interested ina cam for my car? Sure what do you have? He had a thumpr Cam from a build he was going to do and ended up gettng rid of that engine. So now I have this cam and thinking of putting it in the 289. Think my stock heads will be fine or upgrade? If so what do you think would be best? Are procomp heads worth anything?

The first thing to consider in running a bigger cam with the stock heads (that haven't had any mods done to them) is the stock pressed in rocker studs. Anything bigger than about a Comp 268H will work the pressed in studs out of the heads. Next is the very limited exhaust flow of the stock heads. If you're dead set on running the stock heads and a bigger cam, you must have the studs replaced with screw in types, and secondary, port the exhaust sides to improve the flow. If you're going to have someone else port the heads, then you'll have to add that into the mix in comparing them to buying aftermarket heads that flow better and already have all this done. Any aftermarket head will be a vast improvement over stock unmodified, unported heads. Everyone's got their favorite head, so opinions vary greatly. You don't have to have the heads with the highest flow ratings to build a great street motor.

 

[Max Power]

I am assuming this is still your engine:

Engine Mods:
289 bored .030 over, Ford motorsport cam, weind stealth intake, holley 650 dbl pumper, stock heads port and polish, gasket matched, Flowtech headers
Flowmaster exhaust system #17273, Duraspark ignition and blaster 2 coil

If that is the case, whomever ported the heads may have put screw in studs and better valve springs in there already, so a little research on your part should tell you whether you can run the cam as is.

The other question is... what is the difference between this and the Ford Motorsprts cam you already have in there? My guess is that it wouldn't be that much, and the amount of work you would have to do probably wouldn't be worth the gains. I wouldn't tear into your engine until you have some nice aftermarket heads.