Thread: C4AE or C8AE, which are better to work on?

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I have a set of C4AE-G heads with the large intake ports and also a set of
C8AE-H heads with the smaller intake ports. I noticed that the smaller ports have much higher port floors so I am guessing these were considered medium riser heads vs. the C4 low riser heads? I plan to have CJ sized valves
(2.09/1.65) installed and do some port work so want to use the better of the two. Any ideas or opinions?

C4's are the better bet and yep they are lowrisers. The C8's are the later velocity port design close to the MR. I would also depend on your exhaust mainfold or header choice. C4's have the vertical 8 bolt pattern and the C8's can have 12,14 or 16 bolt pattern. It's also wise to price out all your options. See how much it'll cost you to do the C4 heads and compare that to a new set of Edelbrocks. Those are in the $1300 range new out of the box. Sometimes the prices are close to each other if a shop does all the work. If your handy and can do your own porting and rebuild your ahead of the game with the C4's. Just have the shop do the machine work.

G.

Probably not advisable to do much beside a mild match port on the heads without a flow bench to check them on..... Bigger isn't always better, especially on port configurations...

Those C8's also have lower exhaust ports for the Mustang and Fairlane's tighter engine compartments along with the different bolt pattern. The lower ports don't flow as nice as the C4's higher ones. Everyone's right about spending too much money on the old heads. Just do a valve job, clean them up and use them. Any more than that go to the Edelbrocks, unless you have skills and can do some port work yourself.