Tell me about stock SBF heads/topend

[blkfordsedan]

A lot depends on what your goals are. Do you want (or need) to keep full emissions? Are you looking for a little more power and MPG with a minimum amount of hassle? Are you planning on re-using the original pistons? If so, I would stick with the E7 truck heads ('87+) or pre-97 Explorer heads. Add a factory H.O. Cam or even a set of 1.7 Cobra rocker arms and a set of long tube headers and it will be a different truck. You can go with an aftermarket cam, but it must have a fairly smooth idle and good vacuum to work with the speed density. The '78 thru '86 302/351 heads are junk. If you do a mild pocket port on the E7 heads and maybe even install GT40 valves, they'll be pretty fair. You could switch to early model heads but it won't be worth the added headaches for very little gain, IMO. If you want to go all-out and built a strong performance motor, then its a different story.

[Movin]

No issues AFAIK, rear end seems smooth/solid enough. Why do you ask?

The post above mine had used the entire drivetrain out of a markVII and put it into a F150 ,
I get the engine and trans but the rear is a little lite unless
it just highway transportation.

It looks like Brian has you pointed in the right direction for OEM type
performance with headers and such. Citizencane has it happening for
anything else HP wise right up till you are race track only.

[blkfordsedan]

FYI- go to the ford-trucks.com forum and just search the '87-'96 tech threads. we get several nw guys every few weeks asking the same questions you are.