What's the going rate for 308 small block heads? I have a set that I've pondered either using myself or selling/trading. I know stock eliminator and super stock class guys snatch them up left and right.
The ever-so desireable 308 Heads
- Thread starter gagembassett
- Start date
-
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
@GTX JOHN can tell you better than anyone! 
www.forabodiesonly.com
[FOR SALE] - HP Head Liquidation.......................$150 pair
My very close friend and the man who has prepared most of my cylinder heads for all my race cars has been sadly forced to close his shop due to Health challenges! Here is a trailer load of his selected Mopar heads that he has collected to prepare as ordered by racers. All have been Hot...
www.forabodiesonly.com
Here's one that didn't sell for less than $100 [FOR SALE] - 308 head
if there not cracked between the valves there worth about 100 bucks each here . maybe more or less depending on location
Given the aftermarket aluminum heads out there now and the cost to rebuild a set of 308’s I would think that they’re not nearly as desirable as they used to be. I would think those racing classes that require stock heads would be about the only market.
I mean I have a set of ported 308’s on the 340 in my Duster. And knowing what I paid to have them done, even like 10 years ago, there’s no way I’d rebuild and port a set of 308’s vs just buying a new set of aluminum heads.
I feel like they fall into the same category as a lot of the later, stock upgrade parts. At one time you could junkyard dive and hunt down stuff like the 308 heads, and 11.75” brakes, police spec bars etc, etc. And they were and are an upgrade over factory A body parts, but, the aftermarket has long since surpassed the levels of performance they can provide.
I mean I have a set of ported 308’s on the 340 in my Duster. And knowing what I paid to have them done, even like 10 years ago, there’s no way I’d rebuild and port a set of 308’s vs just buying a new set of aluminum heads.
I feel like they fall into the same category as a lot of the later, stock upgrade parts. At one time you could junkyard dive and hunt down stuff like the 308 heads, and 11.75” brakes, police spec bars etc, etc. And they were and are an upgrade over factory A body parts, but, the aftermarket has long since surpassed the levels of performance they can provide.
Mr. Sinister
Devastation Manager
I like the idea of using the original castings especially for street use.
The biggest concern is the aftermarket/aluminum heads durability. You won't see them being rebuilt time after time like the OEM cast iron.
The HP Oem heads will still command higher value for the #s guys.
The HP Oem heads will still command higher value for the #s guys.
gzig5
Well-Known Member
Curious what you think is wearing out faster or preventing rebuild on an aluminum head than on a cast iron one? Valve guides, seals, and seats are wear parts and replaceable on both.
Let's all ask that question in 30 or 40 years.. We all know the cast can literally be used abused and confused while still being rebuildable. The cast is a lot more forgiving should a valve come loose, or the seats being beat all to snot the aluminum does not fare as well.
While aluminum does provide many performance advantages with weight, modern bowl work, valve sizes ect you can do similar to cast and still keep #s matching. Even at Edelbrock performer RPM level the 308 is a great of the shelf head for around 300 used per pair vs over 1500 per pair.
Newbomb Turk
Well-Known Member
Aluminum has been used for cylinder heads for decades.
The biggest killer of them is electrolysis.
They are about as bullet proof as it gets.
First, most folks don’t use their cars enough that it’s going to be a problem for them. And I don’t know if you’ve looked at the average age of members in this board, but 40 years from now not many of them will be worried about rebuilding aluminum heads. I’m on the young side of the average age for this board and I’ll be doing good to still be around in 40 years.
Next up, if an aluminum head drops a seat and it chews up the cylinder you just weld up the chamber and machine it. I’m not gonna say it’s easy, but it’s a better fix than what you can do with cast iron because when you’re done it’s as good as new.
And last, your price comparison is out of whack. In order to flow like an Eddy RPM out of the box a set of 308’s needs to have bigger valves installed with new seats, the bowls then cleaned up, and ported around the “stage II” level. At that point they’ll be pretty close to an Eddy RPM out of the box. And unless you did ALL of that work yourself, you’ve paid as much as it would cost to buy a set of Eddy’s.
How do I know? Well, because I bought a set of 308’s, paid less than $300 for the pair, then had them ported and rebuilt. They flow a little better than OOTB eddy RPM’s, and by the time it was all paid for it cost me just as much.
And that’s with eddy’s, that’s not even buying a set of Speedmasters on sale.
Unless you need OE heads for a racing class or really want a stock looking set of heads buying a set of 308’s is a fools errand. They’ll be cracked, so no matter what you’ll be doing seats, guides and cut to true them up. And then they’ll just be stock heads with a slightly better exhaust port.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
In 30 or 40 years, if I even still remember what an aluminum head is I'll be shickeled titless!! I'll either be 97 or 107.....lol. I really don't think I want to see what the world will be then. 
jeff alder
Well-Known Member
It will be burnt to a crisp if we don't do something about the locusts. That would be us...not the biblical bugs.In 30 or 40 years, if I even still remember what an aluminum head is I'll be shickeled titless!! I'll either be 97 or 107.....lol. I really don't think I want to see what the world will be then.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
Yep. Next chance 11-5-24
jeff alder
Well-Known Member
My last chance was in the 1980's when I chose not to have children and lend to the overpopulation and destruction of the 3rd rock from the sun. Politicians will never be a part of the solution as they can't win an election without promoting growth, more jobs, bigger industry ETC ETC ETC...Reducing the population, growing your own food and riding horses is the only working current answer to the bugs. Until cold fusion becomes a reality, solutions to completely removing waste and pollution, using renewable fuels and controlling the population this rock is done. It's just a matter of time. Man I wish I had a K Mart sub right now. LOLYep. Next chance 11-5-24
Last edited:
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
I’ve got a set that a FABO member ported, they flow 271 cfm @ 500.
The ported 308's I have on my 340 flowed 264 cfm @.500 . If I recall correctly though most OOTB Eddy RPM's are around 250 cfm @.500 depending on whose bench you're using.
And even at the "friend" price by the time I was all done having those 308 heads done I had as much into them as a set of Eddy RPM's. For all out racing that's a decent enough difference but for street use I doubt I'd notice much if any performance difference. Especially if you consider any benefit gained from losing 50lb's off the nose with the Eddy's.
If I were doing it today I wouldn't waste my time with the 308's.
Ironmike
Well-Known Member
Find a local guy to buy them. IMO they're not worth the cost to ship those anchors. Not that there's anything wrong with them
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2005
- Messages
- 8,126
- Reaction score
- 4,560
They appear to be the heads Skrews did a while back yes?
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Exactly, good eye!
-
