A429 heads info??

hey guys, i have a set of A429 heads on a motor i bought, did a little research on them and they seem to be decent heads, im wanting to find out who out there has some flow numbers? best cam for these heads? i have a trick flow track heat intake on the motor also. wanting to figure out the potential for these heads, motor is a flat top 514, any input will be most helpful!!!!!

These heads can be dismal to spectacular depending on the porting. The only way to know is get them on a bench and have them tested. You will see the best results for matching the can after you know flow too. You are merely guessing until you know.

schmitty wrote:These heads can be dismal to spectacular depending on the porting.  The only way to know is get them on a bench and have them tested.  You will see the best results for matching the can after you know flow too.  You are merely guessing until you know.  

ok, there is a local place that flows heads hut im not sure if i trust them, anyone you recommend for porting and flow testing?

Send them out to Oakley. He's got a banner at the top of the home page.

checked them out, seem to be very reputable, thanks!

Phillip will do you right.

motivated34 wrote:

ok, there is a local place that flows heads hut im not sure if i trust them, anyone you recommend for porting and flow testing?

Where exactly are you at...?

I also have a CNC program for those heads, if you wish to go to that extent.

I'm located in Macon Georgia, where are you?

Randy is in Roseville/Detroit Mich. area and does top notch work.

Phillip and Randy are excellent to work with and are very experienced. Engine Systems, in Tucker Ga. is another option a little closer to Macon. Keith Fulp (Wheelie 58) has close ties with this shop I believe.

O ya I've heard of engine systems also, thank you!

Example for you: Copy/Paste

534CI

Ford Racing A460 Block
Bored to 4.4415”
ARP main studs
Randy Malik Durabond Cam bearings .090” wider

Eagle 6.8 H-Beam rods with L19 rod bolts connected to Diamond Flat Top pistons 13.25 to 1 Compression Ratio. Diamond file to fit rings.

Scat 4340 Forged 4.310” Custom crank via Performance Crankshafts Inc. Internally balanced with SFI Dampner and JW Flywheel. King ¾ groove main bearings. Clevite H-series rod bearings.

Aluminum A429 Heads with 2.245” Intake valves and 1.76” Exhaust valves. FRPP Roller Rockers and Jomar Stud Girdle. Comp 943 Roller valve springs and Titanium Retainers.
Intake installed height 1.990” Exhaust installed height 2.050”
Average Intake Flow of all 8 ports (Charlie Evans and Scott Vincent work)
0.100 (72) 0.200 (154) 0.300 (230) 0.400 (298) 0.500 (332) 0.600 (345) 0.700 (357) 0.750 (361)

Average Exhaust Flow of all 8 ports
0.100 (57) 0.200 (121) 0.300 (167) 0.400 (198) 0.500 (213) 0.600 (225) 0.700 (230) 0.750 (232)

Comp Cams Custom Roller (Albert Clark Bad Attitude Series)
Duration @ .050 277° Intake and 287° Exhaust
Lobe separation 111.65°
Gross Valve lift .785 Intake and .777 Exhaust
Intake lobe degreed to 108.35° ATDC


Edelbrock Victor 4500 intake match ported to the heads and with port work in the flange area, topped with a custom 1100 cfm Pro-Systems Dominator and 1” HVH spacer

MSD Billet Distributor.
MSD 7AL3 Ignition box and Jacobs Electronics Ultra Coil.
Taylor Plug Wires.
NGK R5671A-8 Plugs OR AR3934 Autolite Plugs

2" into 3.5" individual tube headers for Fox Chassis via D&D Automotive Specialists.

Fully rollerized Coan Powerglide transmission. JW Ultrabell, JW Ultra Case & JW Tail shaft with Pro Tree transbrake. 9” Custom PTC Drag Converter 5500 stall.

Canton FOX pan with Canton Windage Tray.

Ford 9” Rear with full spool and 4.30:1 gears.
31” Hoosier Drag Slicks

Car weighs. 3200# including 180# driver.
5.88 at 118 mph
9.26 at 145 mph


I've tuned about as much as I can out of this combo. But it works, it's consistent and it's low maintenance.

61coon wrote:Phillip and Randy are excellent to work with and are very experienced. Engine Systems, in Tucker Ga. is another option a little closer to Macon. Keith Fulp (Wheelie 58) has close ties with this shop I believe.

Keith is just a little north of you and you could carry them to them as cheap as you could ship them.

Here are some A429 ported numbers for the heads that I bought from Dave Freelander. These are the heads from project "cheapskate" in proven builds section. This is a copy and paste of what Dave did/observed.

" Hears what the heads ended up flowing. As you can see a quality performance valve job is worth its weight in gold, I have not touched the intake ports except for the valve job. The valve job that was on these appeared to have only 2 angles and a sharp ridge, but the portwork itself looked rather nice. Lesson here is you get what you pay for in a valve job cost of the valve job $225

it should also be noted the intake valves on the befor did not have a backcut and the after numbers java a light backcut Nd that is also contributing to the excelent intake flows.

intake before valve job / after valve job.

.100 75 / 75
.200 143 / 169
.300 221 / 260
.400 293 / 319
.500 325 / 360
.600 349 / 384
.650 356 / 388
.700 358 / 391

exhaust before, after number are affected by a big ridge that need to be blended out, I'll post numbers after I get after them as the after numbers with the ridge where about the same as before. I expect improvements into the low 200's after I finish blending them.

.100 55
.200 119
.300 167
.400 186
.500 186
.600 188
.700 190
"

Those A429 exhaust numbers should come up significantly.
Should easily end up around (1.76" valve) :

.200 117
.300 161
.400 200
.500 224
.600 244
.700 257

This was not an all out porting job. Did have a decent valve job.

if done properly those heads will go over 400 cfm in the right hands...with 2.23 valves

Some A429's have valve clipping issues with 2.23" valve - beware!
Mine certainly did, and they were not early castings.
https://www.429-460.com/t4560-a429-clipping-valves

68galaxie wrote:Some A429's have valve clipping issues with 2.23" valve - beware!
Mine certainly did, and they were not early castings.
https://www.429-460.com/t4560-a429-clipping-valves

Yes mine did also that is why they have 2.23 valves instead of the 2.25...

68galaxie wrote:Some A429's have valve clipping issues with 2.23" valve - beware!
Mine certainly did, and they were not early castings.
https://www.429-460.com/t4560-a429-clipping-valves

Mine too. It cost me bigtime. 11 runs.

the Coug wrote:

68galaxie wrote:Some A429's have valve clipping issues with 2.23" valve - beware!
Mine certainly did, and they were not early castings.
https://www.429-460.com/t4560-a429-clipping-valves

Yes mine did also that is why they have 2.23 valves instead of the 2.25...

I have told the same thing back in the 90's from a BBF racer, that was in the know, so becareful.

the Coug wrote:if done properly those heads will go over 400 cfm in the right hands...with 2.23 valves

Your exhaust valves were shy too...........

rmcomprandy wrote:

motivated34 wrote:

ok, there is a local place that flows heads hut im not sure if i trust them, anyone you recommend for porting and flow testing?

Where exactly are you at...?

I also have a CNC program for those heads, if you wish to go to that extent.

How much does a CNC port job and valve job run for these heads and what kind of final numbers do they average after CNC porting? Im just looking for a "quote" on the price and numbers.

mudtrucker wrote:

rmcomprandy wrote:

motivated34 wrote:

ok, there is a local place that flows heads hut im not sure if i trust them, anyone you recommend for porting and flow testing?

Where exactly are you at...?

I also have a CNC program for those heads, if you wish to go to that extent.

How much does a CNC port job and valve job run for these heads and what kind of final numbers do they average after CNC porting? Im just looking for a "quote" on the price and numbers.

Because of the different placement exhaust valve bowls on these A429 heads the CNC program does not do the exhaust valve bowls and these need to be hand blended. The port from the exhaust flange inward IS machined by CNC along with the entire intake port.

That Job is $799.00 for the CNC stuff. The guides need to be removed for this so after reinstalling them, a valve job MUST be done either by you or us. A matching competition valve job is $240.00 for the valve and seat work.

D. Sea wrote:Example for you:  Copy/Paste

534CI

Ford Racing A460 Block
Bored to 4.4415”
ARP main studs
Randy Malik Durabond Cam bearings .090” wider

Eagle 6.8 H-Beam rods with L19 rod bolts connected to Diamond Flat Top pistons 13.25 to 1 Compression Ratio.  Diamond file to fit rings.

Scat 4340 Forged 4.310” Custom crank via Performance Crankshafts Inc.  Internally balanced with SFI Dampner and JW Flywheel.  King ¾ groove main bearings.  Clevite H-series rod bearings.

Aluminum A429 Heads with 2.245” Intake valves and 1.76” Exhaust valves.  FRPP Roller Rockers and Jomar Stud Girdle.  Comp 943 Roller valve springs and Titanium Retainers.
Intake installed height 1.990” Exhaust installed height 2.050”
Average Intake Flow of all 8 ports (Charlie Evans and Scott Vincent work)
0.100 (72) 0.200 (154) 0.300 (230) 0.400 (298) 0.500 (332) 0.600 (345) 0.700 (357) 0.750 (361)

Average Exhaust Flow of all 8 ports
0.100 (57) 0.200 (121) 0.300 (167) 0.400 (198) 0.500 (213) 0.600 (225) 0.700 (230) 0.750 (232)

Comp Cams Custom Roller (Albert Clark Bad Attitude Series)
Duration @ .050 277° Intake and 287° Exhaust
Lobe separation 111.65°
Gross Valve lift .785 Intake and .777 Exhaust
Intake lobe degreed to 108.35° ATDC


Edelbrock Victor 4500 intake match ported to the heads and with port work in the flange area,  topped with a custom 1100 cfm Pro-Systems Dominator and 1” HVH spacer

MSD Billet Distributor.
MSD 7AL3 Ignition box and Jacobs Electronics Ultra Coil.
Taylor Plug Wires.
NGK R5671A-8 Plugs OR AR3934 Autolite Plugs

2" into 3.5" individual tube headers for Fox Chassis via D&D Automotive Specialists.

Fully rollerized Coan Powerglide transmission. JW Ultrabell, JW Ultra Case & JW Tail shaft with Pro Tree transbrake.  9” Custom PTC Drag Converter 5500 stall.

Canton FOX pan with Canton Windage Tray.

Ford 9” Rear with full spool and 4.30:1 gears.
31” Hoosier Drag Slicks

Car weighs. 3200# including 180# driver.
5.88 at 118 mph
9.26 at 145 mph


I've tuned about as much as I can out of this combo.  But it works, it's consistent and it's low maintenance.

Yep they make some power for sure, 514fox87 (Melvyn) on here has run a 9.27 with his 466'' also using these heads ported by Charlie , they flowed 370 I believe , its a solid roller , 14 to 1 in a fox , 2930lbs at the time ,9' rear, 3.89 gears  28x10.5 tires

I have a home ported set running 5.70's on pump 93. Car ain't no 3000 lbs., tho.....