Reply to "2V ALUMINUM HEADS on Ebay"

If these are the Aussie-produced aluminum heads now marketed by the owner of this page, they are probably quite similar to SVO. As has been published numerous times, the bare heads are about half the expense of adding them to your Pantera. As you found, the valve stems need to be longer- the mounting bolts or studs do, too as the castings are physically thicker. I also suggest valves that are single-groove rather than the looser multi-groove type which are known for failing at high engine speeds. Valve springs cannot sit directly on the aluminum head so you need steel valve spring cups of a size to fit both springs and the machined head pockets. The heads require valve guide plates (sometimes of custom shape), which then requires hardened pushrods that rub on them. Std steel pushrods will be sawn in half within 1000 miles & the grindings spread throughout the engine. I'm not familiar with those heads so the pushrod length needed may be non-stock, too. Head gaskets should be composite- Fel-Pro supplies teflon coated ones as there's some relative motion between aluminum heads & a cast iron block. Never use steel-shim gaskets or the heds will be dented during torquing. The combustion chambers are closed type so you need to accurately measure your short-block's compression ratio or you may be saddled with using racing-gas or worse- mechanical interference that cracks a piston. I certainly recommend stronger forged pistons for high compression use (over 9-1/2:1). If these things have alterd port positions for better efficiency, the stock headers may run into the gas tank and the rear suspension, forcing custom headers & exhaust. Stock-type intakes may not fit either and certainly take different gaskets. The carb & air cleaner may interfere with the engine screen and/or the decklid edge. Rule of Thumb- a pair of $1000 aluminum head castings will cost another $1000 for the rest of the assembly. If you got them fully assembled AND cheaper- congratulations. Their main value is the 60+ lbs less weight per pair, the fact that they don't hot-spot at high compression like iron and the total repair-ability by TIG welding if things don't go according to plan....