with so many new head offerings available these days, it often doesnt make much sense to try and bring a well used set of old OE heads back to life.
unless its a resto type application, or a stock appearing racing class.

i recently went through a set of old, well used J heads for a customers 71 340 car.
for his purposes, he elected to not go with an alternative replacement head, but instead wanted to keep the "correct" heads on the car.
these were some "well used" heads, and were still being run on the motor right up until he sent them to me to refurbish.
they had been "done" at least twice before i got them.

anyway.....heres some pics:

after being oven cleaned.....exhaust valve seat recession......they were all about this way

a couple of the intake ports must have sat with some water in them at some point in their life.
they didnt look this bad when they were still oily from being on the motor.

goona need to install a few seats to brings these back to life.

exhaust valves werent quite sealing 100%

multi-groove locks are designed to allow the valve to float within the locks, and act as a rotator.
however.....that set-up doesnt last indefinately.

old valve with worn grooves vs new valve.

these heads with be getting stainless valves with single grooves.

these heads had a variety of different guide repairs......not that uncommon to find on old stuff thats been worked on before.

okay....at this point ive got a set of well used 2.02 J heads that hae been oven cleaned and magnafluxed.
no cracks.....so lets begin.....

install new guides, and machine for new style Viton seals.
sorry....pictures kinda blurry.

install seat inserts and machine "valve job" into new seats, and use a bowl cutter to blend the insert into the bowl.

a little bowl porting to bring the flow up a bit......

heres that intake port that was really rusty.
a new seat, some blending.........not too nasty now.

stainless 2.02/1.60 valves with back cut

good looking work fast68plymouth

new springs/retainers/10deg locks/Viton seals

oh yeah.....a little blending of the pushrod pinch.....i mean, hey.....i had the grinder all fired up anyway

mill the deck surfaces, clean the heads and all the parts, and assemble.

cleaned head, ready for assembly

finished head.

not a cheap way to go about it......but sometimes its still the right choice.

flow #'s as pictured:
28" test pressure, 4.00" bore, .750" thick radius plate

lift----I/E
.100--65.8/53.6
.200-131.8/102.9
.300-192.8/136.4
.400-226.3/152.5
.450-226.3/156.2
.500-226.3/158.0
.550-222.5/160.0
.600-221.4/160.5

a stock 2.02 J head thats not used up like these were usually flows a touch over 200cfm on the intake, and 145-150 on the exhaust.
i tested one of the exhaust ports with the stock valve and the pounded seat and it was around 135cfm.

Thank you for posting this!

no kidding ive done my fair share of those heads..
..i am flabergasted at the keeper wear on the valves...
was he running alot of valve spring?..also curious as to valve stem wear on the valve...? was there much?
i hope he is getting new rings in the motor..cause its all gonna go out that end now..
if not...lol....
nice job..Dwayne.

Im also one that likes new replacement stuff that why this post is awesome. MAN those heads were thrashed! goes to show what can be pulled back! Great stuff good series to show all steps.