340 X Head Value

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MOPAROFFICIAL said:
I'd start at 700- 1000
But they need to be surfaced and painted to move.
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Yes. After surfaced and wire brushed to get other rust off.

The rust on the deck side from being in moisture is a hurt. And the general rust, even though small. The resto guys want to paint them nice and for the paint to stick and last.

Yes, they were done. But 20 years ago. The rubber valve stem seals are 20 years old too.

They are worth more than cores. But less than a fresh set.
 
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4spdragtop said:
So there still aren't any factory sb heads BETTER than X?
SOME J, but not all had the 2.02
Still looks like X for the win.
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No the factory J heads with the big valves are the same thing. They came on the later "early" 340s. IF that makes sense. I THINK the J heads began in 1970, but I wouldn't swear to it. So if you have "any" of the open chamber heads with the 2.02 and 1.60 valves, the X heads don't really "win" anything other than being original to the early 340s. But still, I agree 100% that in the right situation, the X and J heads if original big valves heads can bring some dough to a guy looking for restoration purposes. But take "that" out of the equation and they are all about equal "except" for the valve sizes, which can be upgraded anytime. I'll put it this way. If I had a 68 340 car and was doing a nut and bolt resto, I'd sure pay a premium for X heads. But only because I needed original number correct castings. It's far from the fact they are anything "special", because other than being correct for early 340s, that's about it. They won't add anything extra to any small block that has any other "letter" head with the big valves.
 
I'm not wording it properly. There are no OEM iron heads that are better than X. Yes some J MAY be equivalent, but not better.
RustyRatRod said:
No the factory J heads with the big valves are the same thing. They came on the later "early" 340s. IF that makes sense. I THINK the J heads began in 1970, but I wouldn't swear to it. So if you have "any" of the open chamber heads with the 2.02 and 1.60 valves, the X heads don't really "win" anything other than being original to the early 340s. But still, I agree 100% that in the right situation, the X and J heads if original big valves heads can bring some dough to a guy looking for restoration purposes. But take "that" out of the equation and they are all about equal "except" for the valve sizes, which can be upgraded anytime. I'll put it this way. If I had a 68 340 car and was doing a nut and bolt resto, I'd sure pay a premium for X heads. But only because I needed original number correct castings. It's far from the fact they are anything "special", because other than being correct for early 340s, that's about it. They won't add anything extra to any small block that has any other "letter" head with the big valves.
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4spdragtop said:
I'm not wording it properly. There are no OEM iron heads that are better than X. Yes some J MAY be equivalent, but not better.
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Now we're onto something. .....and to be clear, I'm not arguing nor am I a naysayer. It's just gonna take that needle in a haystack buyer to get top dollar. Otherwise they're "just small block heads with big valves". I agree on all of your points though. They are what they are and can bring top dollar in the right circumstances. You just might be waiting a while.
 
Problem with the resto crowd is that they are willing to buy junk at high prices. My dad is one who does that. He bought a 340 that needed like all the cylinders sleeved. Okay, so I'm not afraid to buy a shot out 340 and sleeve it to go = .060 bore but this man wanted to sleeve it and go straight to a stock piston size. I asked him why and he said he wants it just like the factory made. I'm like, "Look, if you want factory type performance buy a 318 and put a cam and 4-barrel on it. It'll run like a factory 340."
Nope, it HAS to have those numbers that nobody can even see unless they are under the car with a flash light. It's lunacy. Guys like that drive up the prices on regular old shiite for little casting numbers.
Whether a resto-guy perceives a higher value or not you can take a set of J's (or a Z or an O head) and for the same amount of machine work and porting you can have the same head.
If you want more power you're going with aluminum. If you want no problems with alt. brackets you're going with any iron and building them accordingly. If you want the most out of iron you're probably looking for something other than an X because the dolts have priced those out of consideration.
It tickles me when I see my Dad find the X on an engine at a car show, "Oooh, this has X-heads!". I roll my eyes.

For the OP, put the highest price on them and within a span of a year you will have some dolt come around and gladly buy them for $1000 and spend another couple hundred having someone clean them up just to use them. Understand that you don't really have anything special as far as the hardware goes. The value is purely in nostalgia for guy who don't really comprehend performance and value. My 340 came with a Z and O head. You want to talk about "rare"? They could even be the 2.02 valves from the factory too, just like some J-heads.

X heads are like Air Jordan's. The black kids are kiling eachother over them but they don't make them better basketball players. Like Air Jordan's, X-heads are a status symbol and people will pay/kill for status, BUT, get your precious X-headed Mopar and my Z and O headed Mopar and we'll have a motor car race and the heads won't be the deciding factor.

If you want to be fair and honest I would go $500 - $700. It would be a fair price for buyer and seller, however, there are a lot of fools out there and you're not obligated to help them keep their money in their pocket.
 
go-fish said:
Problem with the resto crowd is that they are willing to buy junk at high prices. My dad is one who does that. He bought a 340 that needed like all the cylinders sleeved. Okay, so I'm not afraid to buy a shot out 340 and sleeve it to go = .060 bore but this man wanted to sleeve it and go straight to a stock piston size. I asked him why and he said he wants it just like the factory made. I'm like, "Look, if you want factory type performance buy a 318 and put a cam and 4-barrel on it. It'll run like a factory 340."
Nope, it HAS to have those numbers that nobody can even see unless they are under the car with a flash light. It's lunacy. Guys like that drive up the prices on regular old shiite for little casting numbers.
Whether a resto-guy perceives a higher value or not you can take a set of J's (or a Z or an O head) and for the same amount of machine work and porting you can have the same head.
If you want more power you're going with aluminum. If you want no problems with alt. brackets you're going with any iron and building them accordingly. If you want the most out of iron you're probably looking for something other than an X because the dolts have priced those out of consideration.
It tickles me when I see my Dad find the X on an engine at a car show, "Oooh, this has X-heads!". I roll my eyes.

For the OP, put the highest price on them and within a span of a year you will have some dolt come around and gladly buy them for $1000 and spend another couple hundred having someone clean them up just to use them. Understand that you don't really have anything special as far as the hardware goes. The value is purely in nostalgia for guy who don't really comprehend performance and value. My 340 came with a Z and O head. You want to talk about "rare"? They could even be the 2.02 valves from the factory too, just like some J-heads.

X heads are like Air Jordan's. The black kids are kiling eachother over them but they don't make them better basketball players. Like Air Jordan's, X-heads are a status symbol and people will pay/kill for status, BUT, get your precious X-headed Mopar and my Z and O headed Mopar and we'll have a motor car race and the heads won't be the deciding factor.

If you want to be fair and honest I would go $500 - $700. It would be a fair price for buyer and seller, however, there are a lot of fools out there and you're not obligated to help them keep their money in their pocket.
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Friend of mine has a nut and bolt restored '69 Z28 and he put NOS pistons and NOS cam in it and all the smog pump stuff too. So yeah some ppl want it exactly like it was built when new no changes no improvements ect.
 
340sFastback said:
Friend of mine has a nut and bolt restored '69 Z28 and he put NOS pistons and NOS cam in it and all the smog pump stuff too. So yeah some ppl want it exactly like it was built when new no changes no improvements ect.
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I get it if you have a super duper rare numbers car but the majority of the people that drive/drove the price up on x-heads are people who aren't doing a numbers car. It's based on the perception that they are so much better.
You will have to find that buyer with a vin matching 340 block, vin matching trans who needs the x-heads or wants a spare. They are out there. My point was if the OP is going to try to sell these heads at the top of the X-head market he could wait a long time. If he wants to sell at a more realistic price then $500-700 would be a good place because it opens the market up.
 
Not from the same era, but how do Magnum heads compare to X heads since the "best factory small block head" has been mentioned a few times.
 
go-fish said:
I get it if you have a super duper rare numbers car but the majority of the people that drive/drove the price up on x-heads are people who aren't doing a numbers car. It's based on the perception that they are so much better.
You will have to find that buyer with a vin matching 340 block, vin matching trans who needs the x-heads or wants a spare. They are out there. My point was if the OP is going to try to sell these heads at the top of the X-head market he could wait a long time. If he wants to sell at a more realistic price then $500-700 would be a good place because it opens the market up.
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Exactly. Mark them at $7 and see where they go. You can always come down. I just put 340 heads into the search (titles only) and came up with 16 pages of threads. Half of them are sale threads. Do your homework.
 
justinp61 said:
Not from the same era, but how do Magnum heads compare to X heads since the "best factory small block head" has been mentioned a few times.
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can of worms gif.gif
 
I has been explained to me that at a full effort porting level. The x head is worth 10-12 cfm more than the J’s. This is due to the x’s being cast with the big valve in mind and the j’s were not. So there is more meat to play with in the x. I had both x’s and stock big valve J’s and was told to bring the x’s.
 
No matter what you say some people believe there is magic in the X heads cause '68 '69 340s were known to out run big blocks back in the day. Baby Hemi nick name and all that type of thing. So if you can find that buyer you are good to go.
 
This is true , if you want to get good money you really need to put some time in on a clean up and paint. They are what they are, a set of vintage cast iron heads and you need a vintage minded person looking for them. you can spend a lot of money on just about any cast head and make it flow....but in todays go fast world, its aluminum all day long.
but, as they are, who knows its how bad they want them.
 
Its for restoration, a restoration on the right car brings in value if its a clone yes run a magnum who cares? I went through this with a guy telling me his 70 swinger was factory original I'm like "I'm sure they didn't paint the tops of the doors body color and the 360 in the engine bay isn't original the vin indicates it was a slant 6, Bumblebee stripe isnt factory either..." yeah I had his BP up.... People are either misinformed or full of crap these days and its blatant.
 
These are the most desirable small block Factory heads that anyone could ever want for their 340 every body and their mama knows about the pedigree...only bad problems is hardened valve seats that don't agree with no lead gas
 
Mtrhead said:
These are the most desirable small block Factory heads that anyone could ever want for their 340 every body and their mama knows about the pedigree...only bad problems is hardened valve seats that don't agree with no lead gas
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well... take 'em to a machine shop have 'em put in. Right? or is there an issue where that cant be done...I actually have 1 set of X and 2 sets of Js one with 1.88s on ewith 2.02s.
 
Machine shop can put hardened exhaust valve seats but the price is through the roof
 
Hardened seats is a haggle point I suppose It doesn't mean the heads are worthless. It really comes down to how many miles you'd put on the car if its daily driven get the hardened seats if its a 2 thousand mile a year car show summer car you'd probably get away with not having them installed. in all reality if you car show cruise the car and spend the money on that you are saving the next guy money. If someone is really on the cheap and running a small block mopar as a daily driver they'd swap in a magnum IMO.
 
Mtrhead said:
These are the most desirable small block Factory heads that anyone could ever want for their 340 every body and their mama knows about the pedigree...only bad problems is hardened valve seats that don't agree with no lead gas
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140k miles on my original 340 X heads unleaded gas valves never sunk? Wasn't an issue in my case. Do we have anyone reporting sunken valves with X heads, anyone?
 
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