460 Heads

[FreeRide]

Anybody used the "pro comp" aluminum heads?
Have any suggestions for a decent set of heads?
I can get my hands on a set of "Dove C" complete heads with some decent port work, however I don't know the builder or the specs on them. A friend of my Dad's has them.
I prefer to get something new, and know whats in them and done to them. Looking to make 500 h.p. or so. May end up going with a stroker rotating assembly? Any insight, or mistakes learned from experience would be greatly appreciated. I have a stock bore 78 460 right now. I know its not too hard to make that power with any big block and a decently breathing top end. Just looking for some experienced opinions.
Thanks alot!

[Jim Hall]

I am contemplating doing the same thing this winter. Take a look on the 460ford.com site and you will find quite a bit of info on the Pro Comp heads. They are definitly more affordable! Due a search for "The Mad Porter"ie: reincarnationautomotive.com, he has the heads in three different configurations.

[steelcomp]

I don't think you need ported DOVE heads to make 500 hp. with a 460.
Alum. heads are nice, and save considerable weight, but if you're on a budget, you can get there with stockers. Good valves, and a good valve job will make a ton of difference, along with the right cam and intake/carb combination. Remember, it's all about the combination of parts working together.

[LakesOnly]

Anybody used the "pro comp" aluminum heads?
Have any suggestions for a decent set of heads?
I can get my hands on a set of "Dove C" complete heads with some decent port work, however I don't know the builder or the specs on them.
I prefer to get something new, and know whats in them and done to them. Looking to make 500 h.p. or so. May end up going with a stroker rotating assembly?
Thanks alot!We are a ProComp dealer and we have those newly released heads in stock. Scott (aka Mad Porter) and I go back several years and have discussed our observations about these heads both over the phone several times and also on the 460 Forum. I will go so far as to say that while it's great that there is another head option out there, there are limited places where I might choose that aftermarket aluminum head over almost any other BBF aluminum head on the market. There are some awesome heads out there now, and ProComp's new offering is nothing to get excited about. In my opinion, once those heads are ported to a max effort application, they might be a little better than a fully ported and prepped oem 429/460 D3VE iron cylinder head. The primary advantages would be that it is aluminum and that the exhaust port will flow notably better once fully ported. There are secondary advantages, too, such as revised combustion chamber shape (but still based on a D3VE combustion chamber), cylinder deck thickness, etc.
Scott's own research shows little improved flow capabilites over .600" lift (although he will find some way to improve it's flow, I'm sure). Generally speaking, I'd say it's a low budget alumimum street head, and frankly for a few hundred bucks more I'd opt for a far superior head and get way more HP as a result. But yes, there is a place for it...I guess. Frankly, I feel the casting mold needs revising, but won't get into those details here.
Many of you may have read my posts where I subtley point my dislike of the 429/460 EdelBROCK heads; well, I put the new ProComp below that head.
Ultimately, I would say that on the 429/460 Ford's cylinder head heirarchy that Procomp's new offering with this aluminum head is just a tick above the ported passenger car iron heads (but still below the iron D0OE-R SCJ head).
FreeRide, if you only need 500 HP, then you can get it with the factory iron. D0VE heads have supported over 600HP on 466's and over 700HP on strokers. Hell, I'm working on a 584 cubic inch stock block and just might put some of my worked D3VE's on it. We recently pulled uported D3's off a bone stock 460 and replaced with our ported D0VE's and we got a 95HP increase (w/same oem cam, etc).
Send me pics of your available ported D0VE heads (pics of the inside of intake and exhaust ports, valve sizes, top view of head, etc.) and I can tell you if they'll perform well for you. Buying an already set up pair of heads will likely cost you less than buying bare castings and setting them up yourself. Finally, if you want the ProComp or other aluminum head (or ported D0VE's), give me a call and I'll be happy to discuss your build, help you out and/or point you in the right direction.
LO

[FreeRide]

Lakes Only, That was exactly the kind of input I was seeking. I greatly appreciate your time to respond. I am not doing this build today or tomorrow, just gearing up for a winter project, so as I near that point I will definately contact you for some insight. Thanks again.

[skeeter]

For about 1100 bucks Paul you can put a set of procomp heads together. Are you saying that a pair of budget ported D'3s which run about the same money are going to outflow and make more horsepower than the procomps?
From what I have read the exhaust port is better and has a lot of room for port work which is a weak link to the iron heads???

[IMPATIENT 1]

For about 1100 bucks Paul you can put a set of procomp heads together. Are you saying that a pair of budget ported D'3s which run about the same money are going to outflow and make more horsepower than the procomps?
i run the shiat outta d3's, i like em because they're still alot of em floating around cheap.the port work on em sux azz but once you install bigger valves and do a proper port job on them, they work awesome!!
i've been lookin for comments on the pro-comp heads myself, this is a good thread! i was thinking about buyin a set this winter, but lakes only knows bbf's and i'll trust his opinion on the matter.i have 2 full sets of d3's in great rebuiler shape, i'll just keep porting and building em till they run out on me,lol. as a harcore gm guy(also gm master tech), i've been very impressed with what a set of well massaged iron bbf heads will produce, love em!

[Ralph Brunt]

ive got a 460 stroked to a 501 with d3's on it of course bigger stainless valves and ported and im turning a berk A 5500 rpm with a brand new pump so i guess thats around 550hp mid 600 solid roller so yes imho they will flow as good as the pro-comp's just for the record paul guided me through my build. oh yeah i did the porting my self it's not that hard just takes time. good luck ralph

[LakesOnly]

For about 1100 bucks Paul you can put a set of procomp heads together. Are you saying that a pair of budget ported D'3s which run about the same money are going to outflow and make more horsepower than the procomps?
From what I have read the exhaust port is better and has a lot of room for port work which is a weak link to the iron heads???Skeeter, if you re-read my post above, you'll see I already said the same things. I did not say the D3 would make more HP, I said I put the ProComp a tick above the D3. And I also already said that the ProComp has a better exhaust port and will flow better than the D3's. Re-read my above post and you'll see that I am not saying otherwise. Finally, I stated that there is indeed a place for this head in the market.
Now, if you're trying to say that aluminum is always better than iron (period) then I completely disagree. Or if you want to question the bang for buck in price between fully ported D3's and fully ported ProComps, I am of the opinion that, 1) An aluminum head is not always a better choice than an iron head, and, 2) if one want's to step up and buy aluminum heads, then for a few hundred bucks over the ProComps, the percentage increase in HP via the TFS Street/Strip, etc. far outweighs the additional bucks spent.
Just because a head is made of aluminum does not automatically mean that it's a great head.
We sell ProComp and we have the heads in stock to sell anyone right now, and yet I'll be completely honest in saying what I have because the ProComp will sell like hotcakes nonetheless...afterall, it's a cheapo aluminum head and often enough that's the only thing many people will see and care about. But really, do you think that FreeRide should spend well over $1000 on aluminum cheapo heads to reach his desired 500HP when he has available ported/assembled D0VE's from a friend for lots less than the price of ProComps??? I most certainly don't. Sorry skeeter, but I will always try to point the Ford enthusiast to the best option for what he wishes to acheive HP-wise rather than only try to make myself a sale.
LO

[Hallett19]

Hey Lakes, how much more power would a pair of out of the box DOVE C's make over a stock pair with an isky jet "A impeller" cam and a weiand stealth intake, 780 vacuum secondary carb, MSD ign/coil/box,logs?

[182011]

I am finishing the install on a 460,dove heads, small roller,B&m mega & a pfm intercoler. It dynoed a little over 700 but over 725tq in a tahiti. Just pocket port on heads.

[LakesOnly]

Hey Lakes, how much more power would a pair of out of the box DOVE C's make over a stock pair with an isky jet "A impeller" cam and a weiand stealth intake, 780 vacuum secondary carb, MSD ign/coil/box,logs?H19,
Lot's of this depends on the details for the rest of the build (and thanks for posting some particulars)...but some of your post is ambiguous.
I can safely say this much: If our ported D0VE's manage a 95HP improvement to a bone stock D3-headed Harman Marine 460, then I think it's safe to say that in your proposed combo the HP increase between bone stock D0VEs and our Ported D0VEs ought to generate well over 100HP gain and porbably more. But if you actually meant to say bone stock dove headed 460 replaced with our ported D0VEs and all the other parts (Stealth, Isky cam, etc), then the HP gain would obviously be much greater.
Unfortunately yours is too much of a vague question for me to provide a concrete answer. Further, I have come to normally give "already acheived" results that are conclusive and not speculative with the port work we offer. Also consider that I get my personal satisfaction in all of this mostly by the customer being absolutely thrilled that his engine is performing far, far better than promised or anticipated. :)
LO

[dmontzsta]

Wasnt that 95hp increase without even touching the cam? :D

[nielly]

What about Blue Thunder heads, any good?