416 (343) stroker heads: pros, cons & your desires?

Just getting hooked on small blocks & gathering info to make the best choice in a build for my T/A's 416 stroker. I want heads that look stock, but flow enough to support the big cubes. I plan to use headers & port the original six pak. Probably a larger cam like my friend's 600 lift (1.6 rockers). Question is, are there aluminum heads that look stock? What features do you like best & what mods need to be made? What are the best flowing iron heads & what mods do you prefer?
It seems like the small block strokers are pretty popular, so I'd think there'd be a hi flow. stock appearing aluminum head available??
I'm a novice to small blocks & appreciate the input.

Your facing the same problem I was looking at last year. I was out to build a stock appearing engine for FAST racing. For that there is really only one choice, a set of extensively ported 915 iron heads.

However, since I was going to actually drive the car on the street 99.9% of the time I looked into a better set of heads that also looked stock, or darn close to it, that I could swap onto my FAST engine for running a bit more HP while street driving it. I've found nothing currently avaible or manufactured that fills the bill so I went "antique shopping".

Here's what I found:

#1. Early (cast iron) W2 castings, circa 1979, look VERY much like 915 heads externally and flow allot better when ported. You need to modify the intake/head bolts to accomodate a stock intake but it's easy. Stock exhaust manifolds work fine also. These early W2 head castings have a freeze plug in the ends of the heads like 915 heads, later W2 castings do not.

#2. Batten Aluminum W2 heads, circa late 70's/early 80's. They look just like an early W2(freeze plugs and all) but are aluminum. They are rare, very few good sets around, and on top of that have a really bad reputation for being porus/leakers. If you get a set that doesn't leak they'd be a decent choice.

#3. Diamond Racing Aluminum W2 Heads, circa 1979/80. I have a set of these, very rare heads. They don't have a feeze plug in the ends but otherwise look much like a 915, have a raw "as cast" look unlike the machined from billit look of modern Edelbrocks. These are what I bought and had built as a spare set for my FAST engine. They have flow numbers that impress!

The bottom line is that nothing looks 100% exact as compared to a stock original 915 head, but some get closer than others. So far the iron and aluminum versions of the W2 heads by the various vendors are all I have found that even remotely resemble a stock 915 head. I think someone is missing out on a nice sized market segment by ignoring the small block mopar guys who desire a stock looking aluminum head.



*Diamond Aluminum Heads

Batten Aluminum Head

Here's a stock iron 915 head for comparison

Other end of the same 915 head

Thanks for the pics & info Scott. I was thinking of porting my T/A heads, but know they can be pretty fragile when porting enough for bigger displacement. I'd rather save some weight & go with aluminum. Hate to go w/ Eddys, but may just have to paint em orange & not worry about it. Did you finish your R3 stroker?

Yes, it's done and will be arriving here next week

I dont know much about these but they may be another option

http://www.compperformancegroupstores.co...egory_Code=Chry

Adam those look like a pretty decent head for the $, I wonder what they flow in stock form? Cost of rocker gear, etc. should also be checked out.

Scott, They have a LA valve gear version so you can reuse your stock stock. I have a feeling they are a LA/Magnum hybrid