T/A HEADS AND ROCKERS!?

[BWP340]

I purchased a 360 block and heads last week. Long story short I believe I have a set of ta heads and rockers. Someone milled rocker arm pedestals flat for w2 style block lock down. Rockers are real ta rocker according to part numbers I have found. I also know they had heads like these that Bob mullen was working on. Some call it a w1 head.

So next, is there value in these heads? I know there is in the rockers. I'm just unsure on what I want to do next. Do I clean them up and sell them? Can I say they are a ta head. Then what's a fair market value? I don't what to give them away as I would use funds for next project, but I don't want to be that guy either. Of look what I have I want triple the value. Any advice would be helpful.

 

[B5blueGC]

Looks like you have one J head and one U head. From what I have read the all have the 915 casting number and most likely the 1.88 intake valve size.

 

[BWP340]

Looks like you have one J head and one U head. From what I have read the all have the 915 casting number and most likely the 1.88 intake valve size.

That's not actually accurate. So not all 915 heads are 1.88 valve. 1970-71 915 heads had 1.88 valves and 2.02 valves. 1972 they went to all 1.88 valves. I would imagine that change happened around april 1972. Thats when they went from forged and internal balance in 340s to cast and external balance. 73 no more 915 cast head and all were small valve. The u code and j code mismatched heads are not uncommon on ta motors. They took U, J and O code head blanks. Machined them for the ta motors.

 

[marksmopars]

Here is a photo of the original motor from my recently acquired AAR. If you look close you can see numbers matching what you have. Looks like a t/a head to me as I’ve never seen anything else with the offset pushrod provisions. Congrats

 

[Xcudame]

TA heads have the intake pushrod holes moved away from the ports as yours do. So yes, they appear to be TA heads that some one modified with the rocker shaft posts and machined out the intake push rod holes even more. As for what they're worth, I'd say less than a virgin set of heads, but someone might be willing to pay more. Which brings up the old saying, "It's worth only what someone is willing to pay."

 

[BWP340]

TA heads have the intake pushrod holes moved away from the ports as yours do. So yes, they appear to be TA heads that some one modified with the rocker shaft posts and machined out the intake push rod holes even more. As for what they're worth, I'd say less than a virgin set of heads, but someone might be willing to pay more. Which brings up the old saying, "It's worth only what someone is willing to pay."

That's kind of where I'm at with it. Thinking about building them and running them. I believe the true value is in the rockers. The heads have been modified which stinks, but is still the real deal ta head. Also these heads are pretty much worthless without the rockers. It's hard to say. The one rocker arm assembly I saw for sale was like 1,700$. I saw a post one here of bare heads of asking 2k. Like you said my heads aren't worth that. I don't have a ta challenger or aar cuda. If someone wanted or needed these parts I would try to work with them.

 

[BWP340]

Here is a photo of the original motor from my recently acquired AAR. If you look close you can see numbers matching what you have. Looks like a t/a head to me as I’ve never seen anything else with the offset pushrod provisions. Congrats

View attachment 137574

Are both heads on your Js? Or are the mismatched one u and one j or an o head. I see driver side is a j

 

[Xcudame]

Do you know if the previous owner installed harden exhaust seats? If so and everything looks good, I'd certainly use them. Even paying for a decent valve job and having harden exhaust seats installed would be cheaper than any other heads.

Normally when the rocker shaft posts are machined, it's to fix the geometry back to usefullness when running a big camshaft (think .55" or more) and those TA rocker arms. That 360 might be a pretty stout engine!

 

[BWP340]

Do you know if the previous owner installed harden exhaust seats? If so and everything looks good, I'd certainly use them. Even paying for a decent valve job and having harden exhaust seats installed would be cheaper than any other heads.

Normally when the rocker shaft posts are machined, it's to fix the geometry back to usefullness when running a big camshaft (think .55" or more) and those TA rocker arms. That 360 might be a pretty stout engine!

That 360 only came with block, crank and those heads. Block was machined for o ring seal. I think someone had it set up to go at one point.

 

[Xcudame]

Wow! Sounds like someone wanted to wind it up hard as in a race car engine! Might be a racer would want all those goodies!

 

[BWP340]

Wow! Sounds like someone wanted to wind it up hard as in a race car engine! Might be a racer would want all those goodies!

That's what I'm thinking. Some that drag races in a stock or super stock class I bet would want them

 

[BWP340]

Wow! Sounds like someone wanted to wind it up hard as in a race car engine! Might be a racer would want all those goodies!

 

[BWP340]

Wow! Sounds like someone wanted to wind it up hard as in a race car engine! Might be a racer would want all those goodies!

 

[Challenger RTA]

Do you know if the previous owner installed harden exhaust seats?

That what I was wondering. They are worth going all out on. Bronze guides and cut them, harden seats 3 angle cut , surface, clean ports and cc them. You have to spend money to make money or you have to know what was done. That's what I did to mine.

 

[BWP340]

Do you know if the previous owner installed harden exhaust seats? If so and everything looks good, I'd certainly use them. Even paying for a decent valve job and having harden exhaust seats installed would be cheaper than any other heads.

Normally when the rocker shaft posts are machined, it's to fix the geometry back to usefullness when running a big camshaft (think .55" or more) and those TA rocker arms. That 360 might be a pretty stout engine!

I have no idea what has been done. Honestly they guy had no idea what he had. Hell I didn't know what I had until I tore into it. I went there about an hour away from home. Got a surprise phone call to work. Saw the j on the head and it was a 71 360 block. I paid him, load it and I went to work. I hadn't even taken the valve covers off until I got home about 11 that night. That's when I realized I had something.

 

[marksmopars]

The value in the t/a head is you can port them way beyond the stock head, that’s why the pushrod is moved. I just purchased a new set of rollers for my engine, it came without, cost $1400 and it’s a nice product. Just couldn’t locate stock pieces and the aftermarket is a better piece than the stock by far.

 

[moparleo]

that casting number was used on standard 360 and 340 heads as well.
It came with .202 intake valves and a smaller combustion chamber than the others.
You may be right. Need to be cleaned and magnafluxed.
A Guide To Mopar V8 Cylinder Head And Block Casting Numbers

 

[marksmopars]

Are both heads on your Js? Or are the mismatched one u and one j or an o head. I see driver side is a j

Looks like a J but not sure could be an u on there, take a look. Engine is in the shop so can’t verify beyond the picture.

 

[AUSTA]

Looks like they have a lot of porting & Oringed also the block has been drilled for oil return around the lifters i would get them pressure tested & cleaned could be some good race heads

 

[Xcudame]

His heads are definitely TA heads as the non TA pushrod indent is on his heads. See circle below. Thinking more about it, this 360 could be built up with those heads and more gas pump friendly compression pistons and ~.500" lift camshaft and last basically forever without ever blowing a head gasket!