200 Cylinder Head conundrum

Stormin' Norman

Well-known member
Departed Member
My wagon came with a 302 CID V8. It was tired, so I asked around at my favourite Ford dealership if he had anyone who wanted to trade in a Fairmont or Zephyr? That was in 2006. He gave me a lead. I called up the fellow, and he was kind of cool about selling, because he just had the dealership do a full rebuild on the engine and transmission. I was sort of cool about it too, because it was a 200 Six and C4. A week later, he called me. Some drunk lady ran into the back end of it in a parking lot. Crunched the trunk almost to the rear window. The warranties on the engine and tranny were transferable. He got a settlement from the insurance, and I got his car for $350.

It only had 3,000 miles on both. I've only added another 5,000 miles. 1978 block and head.

I can have 2 other cylinder heads, from a 1981 Cougar sedan or a 1982 Zephyr sedan, for $75 each. The Zephyr runs, the Cougar might run.

And I needed another donor for a 2011 fender bender to mine. And that's also a 1978 Zephyr 200. I'm making a set of headers for mine, using the Zephyr as a mockup. No idea if it ran, but I think I did.

I want to make my own tri-power set up. From what I've seen, the intake logs on the 1981 and 1982 heads are identical on the surface except for the additional bungs for emission devices. I never took pictures of the engines of the 1981 or 1982 cars, because my digital camera froze up in -40 temperatures back in March, and the area roads are currently flooded out there, although the cars are high and dry.

Is the 1978 intake log the same externally? If so, I'll take it off and send it off for machining and any finer tweaks. I just can't find any pics here of the later heads.

Thanks.
 
Howdy Norm:

The '78 head is likely a D8xx casting. The '81 and '82 heads are likely E0xx castings. Heads from this era all have an array of taps, bungs and holes to adapt the latest EPA crutch to make them environmentally "Clean" or, more correctly, legal. They all will have a 1.75" carb hole, 1.76" intake valves and hardened valve seats. IIRC, the E0xx castings will have a larger intake tract volume of 1420 ccs, compared to 1345 ccs on the D8xx casting.

FYI, there is a D8xx casting that was used on 1980 Mustangs that had some rather obnoxious smog fitting that should be avoided.

What are your plans with the head rebuild? Hope that helps.

Adios, David
 
CZLN6":1t49dn85 said:
Howdy Norm:

The '78 head is likely a D8xx casting. The '81 and '82 heads are likely E0xx castings. Heads from this era all have an array of taps, bungs and holes to adapt the latest EPA crutch to make them environmentally "Clean" or, more correctly, legal. They all will have a 1.75" carb hole, 1.76" intake valves and hardened valve seats. IIRC, the E0xx castings will have a larger intake tract volume of 1420 ccs, compared to 1345 ccs on the D8xx casting.

FYI, there is a D8xx casting that was used on 1980 Mustangs that had some rather obnoxious smog fitting that should be avoided.

What are your plans with the head rebuild? Hope that helps.

Adios, David

Porting mainly, because they were all done about 8,000 miles ago, unless they look in need of more. If I don't get one of the E0xx heads (they might be Low Starter gray engines -the snow and ice were bad that day), the same fellow has some nice 170 adjustable rocker armed engines to pick from and some nice Carter YFs and YFAs for the front and rear carbs, so the head intake will be machined for a tri-power setup. Already have a 1975 Carter YFA from a Maverick, and the 2 Motorcraft rebuild kits (My Noah principle - 2 of all 'unobtainium' parts) just came today on the UPS truck!

I just want a great grocery getter with more torque in front of the SROD 4-speed, to haul my utility trailer, and drive down to Mexico for another Fox wagon next year. :mrgreen:

Got your book! Essential in my I6 toolbox! Excellent, clear, and nuts and bolts tips. Thanks.
 
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