any boss 302 experts here?

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skidmarks

skidmarks

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looking for some information on a set of heads. they are for a 289 302 ford but have a clevland style chamber and exhuast ports and cast iron

the casting number

XE 150985.

they are set up for pushrod guides and were only run on a dyno in the early 70"s at Holmand Moody. all the chambers were CC'ed and stamped on the exhaust gasket side.

anyone know anything about them?
 
They're experimental part parts for sure. XE stands for Experimental Engineering. You would need the drawing to see for sure what the changes or differences are. May be something minor, or a major change. Maybe HM still has the print on file. Worth a call. No other casting letters/numbers or stamped info on them?
 
True Boss 302 heads will not fit in a 289, and maybe not a 302 without notching the cyl. bore for valve clearence. they will physicaly bolt on the 289/302 block if I remember right. it has been over 20 years since I have messed with them.
 
So far nobody has a clue about them. Here are some pictures
 

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To me it looks like a "composite" head; I see Cleveland style (or Boss if you prefer) exhaust ports and chambers, slightly smaller valves than the Boss engines, and 289-302 style intake ports. A true Boss 302 head will have practically sewer sized intake ports that have a generous radius cast into them at top and bottom. The Boss intake will not work with those heads.
 
Fordors said:
To me it looks like a "composite" head; I see Cleveland style (or Boss if you prefer) exhaust ports and chambers, slightly smaller valves than the Boss engines, and 289-302 style intake ports. A true Boss 302 head will have practically sewer sized intake ports that have a generous radius cast into them at top and bottom. The Boss intake will not work with those heads.
Click to expand...

The small ports is what makes them odd I know the boss had bigger intake ports. The other question goes with the experimental part number.

What were they for and how many were made?

I think they are alittle rarer then the boss heads.
 
"So far nobody has a clue about them. Here are some pictures "

I told you what they are. They are experimental cylinder heads out of Ford Engine Engineering. They may have been cast to look at making the Boss 302 more streetable with the smaller ports. Or, they may have been for a different project. You'll never know what they were for or how many were cast, let alone machined, unless you find the Project Engineer who handled that program, or find the prints. There may have been 3 sets cast by " rubbing the cores" as used to be said, machined and sent to Holman-Moody, or, 100 sets were cast with the same destination. Yes, they are rarer than any production parts. They were rare 40 yrs ago, they're rarer now. But that doesn't mean they're worth a fortune. Most of that stuff didn't measure up and ended in the dumpster.
That's why it's experimental. Start calling Ford Motor and see if you can get to the reprographics and files Dept. All the older prints were stored for future reference, but with all the changes there, probably got canned. Greenfield Village/The Henry Ford can help too with older photos and records.
 
Thanks for your oppinion .


streetdreams said:
"So far nobody has a clue about them. Here are some pictures "

I told you what they are. They are experimental cylinder heads out of Ford Engine Engineering. They may have been cast to look at making the Boss 302 more streetable with the smaller ports. Or, they may have been for a different project. You'll never know what they were for or how many were cast, let alone machined, unless you find the Project Engineer who handled that program, or find the prints. There may have been 3 sets cast by " rubbing the cores" as used to be said, machined and sent to Holman-Moody, or, 100 sets were cast with the same destination. Yes, they are rarer than any production parts. They were rare 40 yrs ago, they're rarer now. But that doesn't mean they're worth a fortune. Most of that stuff didn't measure up and ended in the dumpster.
That's why it's experimental. Start calling Ford Motor and see if you can get to the reprographics and files Dept. All the older prints were stored for future reference, but with all the changes there, probably got canned. Greenfield Village/The Henry Ford can help too with older photos and records.
Click to expand...
 
Seriously, as Sweetdreams said they are experimental. The L shaped water port makes me wonder if they were originally designed to fit a '69 351W block and possibly use the stock 351 intake manifold.
 
Hey, don't listen to me. I only had 34+ years employment with Ford Motor Co. in the Engine Engineering Dept. and have initiated XE part numbers, from minor brackets or bolts on up, like just about everybody did in Design at one time or another. Ask any other retired or current Ford Engineers or Technologists in this forum. They'll give you the same oppinion.
 
craig said:
The L shaped water port makes me wonder if they were originally designed to fit a '69 351W block and possibly use the stock 351 intake manifold.
Click to expand...

That's interesting about the water port. The small block gasket matches up did a 351 windsor use the same gasket?

I got more info the the smaller intake was made to gain more power on the low end because the large port boss intakes made the motor bog down when slowing down for hard turns in the trans am racing. These were dynoed with a port o sonic intake. Each chamer has a cc mark and some other odd stampings in the ends of the heads I figure the engine build made as notes.

Everyone has an oppinion some say they are junk and worthless and others think different.

I guess the NOS crossboss intake that came with them was only worth 55 cents per pound
 
they have the 2V style exhaust. i was told they were dyno run with a portosonic intake


. i got a lead on a guy who is running a set of these now.
 
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