Please Help ID these Heads

[Mr. Will]

I picked up this engine in a trade. It is curtly in a 47 Sportsman. I managed to get a pic of the bell with the 59 casting but not sure what these Heads are? They have a A casting and then the Ford script below and nothing else.

[flatjack9]

39 to 41 Ford.

[Mr. Will]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

39 to 41 Ford.

That is what I was wondering. What is the difference from the 59AB

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Mr. Will

That is what I was wondering. What is the difference from the 59AB

If you were to install these "A" heads (1939 - 1941) on a later block without relieving the combustion chamber area surrounding the valves, you'll quickly know the "difference". The center to center distance on these heads is about 5/16" shorter than the later heads and the valves of a later engine will hit them without the relief cut in.
Apparently someone had gone to the trouble of relieving the heads if they have been installed on a 59 series block.

[rotorwrench]

The "Big A" heads are the 81A types. They just didn't put the 81 on there. They were used on both 221 and early 239 engines in the several years that they were in common use. Kube has it on the valve clearance difference. They made a kit to modify early heads to work on the post war engines where the valve angles were changed. They were decent heads and some folks still seek them for the correctness on the prewar engines.

[Mr. Will]

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Originally Posted by Kube

If you were to install these "A" heads (1939 - 1941) on a later block without relieving the combustion chamber area surrounding the valves, you'll quickly know the "difference". The center to center distance on these heads is about 5/16" shorter than the later heads and the valves of a later engine will hit them without the relief cut in.
Apparently someone had gone to the trouble of relieving the heads if they have been installed on a 59 series block.

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

The "Big A" heads are the 81A types. They just didn't put the 81 on there. They were used on both 221 and early 239 engines in the several years that they were in common use. Kube has it on the valve clearance difference. They made a kit to modify early heads to work on the post war engines where the valve angles were changed. They were decent heads and some folks still seek them for the correctness on the prewar engines.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I appreciate the information.