[Will]

Lets say they've had a couple valve jobs but are otherwise in clean, stock condition.

What's a pair of #13s going for these days?

[marxjunk]

couple of valve jobs kills them..now they prob need seats..because of sunken valves...

anywhere from 100 to 250 depending on if you find a guy that needs your dates..

not rare..not hard to get and are literally everywhere

[jetallman]

I just sold a complete set for $275 in great condition this week

[Will]

OK, thanks for the info.

[poncho-mike]

I have a set that has been greased up and sitting on a shelf for years. Judging from where I had them stored, I must have pulled them before 1985. They are clean, complete, and have probably never had a valve job. I took them to a swap meet, asked $300. They didn't sell, best offer was $200.

I would estimate somewhere between $200 - 250 since they've had a couple of valve jobs.

I'm not sure if never having a valve job makes a difference to a lot of people. I think they focus just on the core price and don't give a second thought to keeping machine shop bills down by buying a quality part.

Mike

[bird72]

Have a great set of 1971 #96 heads. had them tanked and magnafluxed so buyer would know good. Thought 4-500 might be top end sell. Finally dropped CL to $285. Still have them. If I have to drop to 200 it will be almost "might as well keep them for who knows". Would have thought big valve heads might generate interest. I think people want spot on dated original for resto, or E head, or factory round port. The "blue collar" mid cost build must be losing popularity.

[ponyakr]

"...The "blue collar" mid cost build must be losing popularity..."


Or, most are going with 6x heads, because of the larger chambers(for stroker builds) and the hardened seats.

Hey, just a thought. May or may not be the case.

[Ben M.]

I've got 2 sets sitting here on the shelf for a future build, I didn't pay much for either set.

[Garry Sr]

I've got a set sitting here myself. I figure if I ever decide to build a backup engine they might come in handy. Just can't wrap my head around running smogger heads.

[GRX]

Given their condition, the 150-200 estimates seem about right. Give or take some depending on the area.

A pair of #12 will go for more since they are often listed as RA-3 heads. Even though they are essentially the same thing.

Very true in regards to the 6X heads. Popularity has really mushroomed. Started with Jim Hand's book then really took off when stroker kits became widely available. Irony is that for a long time nobody wanted them. Back in the late 80s I acquired a couple sets of virgin service replacement 6X-4 heads in exchange for machine work. Could still see blue around the exhaust seats from the factory induction hardening process. Asked $75 a pair at swap meets and nobody batted an eye.

[68WarDog]

Waited for over a year for mine. Seems dates are what restorers are looking for

[Mr Twister]

"Most" of the restorations have been done by now. Iron heads have no interest to the performance enthusiasts. Aluminum castings rule. The ship has sailed, as I have advertised many good D port casting numbers for small money and have gotten few calls.

[marxjunk]

the only heads ive done good with are stray 4 speed heads,,a single..that someone needs just a single...ive sold 12s and 48s really fast...

cant sell 13s..62s arent so bad..but slow...093s still do well..unless they are round ports or 4 speed heads..i dont even pick them up unless they are almost free....who would have thought it...even 71 96s are slow slow slow to sell..

i sell every 6x pair i can find...but they have to off the car already..not worth the labor to pull them to me..

[J.D.]

what about the 670's ? I got a set layin around

[jetallman]

I sold a set of 670 off a running motor for $350 and threw in the intake

[Torquewar]

Geeze i have a set of 13s and the one has a crack in the water jacket below the valve cover rail....guees there scrap.
Were on my motor years ago and thermostat failed. Wanted to save them and do the stich process.

[77 TRASHCAN]

I don't remember which magazine performed the serious flow test on Pontiac heads, but it revealed the true characteristics of of Pontiac heads. The 6X's caught folks off guard, especially compared to the exotic RAIV, SD and HO heads.
I was hoping Jim Hand was going to use 6X's after he had run his 64's for a while. Jim proved the common "smogger" heads to be awesome performance alternatives, they are still plentiful and cheap.

[unruhjonny]

I think this is is largely a locale deal;
I was looking for suitable heads to run in the PSMCD, and earlier this year I found myself with two pairs of #13's (that I each paid more than is suggested they're worth here), as well as a spare pair of #12's - I needed to sell some heads to offset buying the #12's, and ended up selling one of my sets of #13's - they appeared to be completely untouched, and I sold them for $400;

When I had the #12's shipped to me (from BC) the shipping worked out to be roughly $130;
So if you work your math backwards, and assume to lop off the shipping costs, I guess the guy bought my heads for $270 lol!

Keep in mind that north of the 49th, legit Pontiac engine parts are exponentially harder to find - and now with the poor exchange rate, it's prompting Canadians to keep their money here....

It is also worht noting that at the same time I sold:
- untouched 6X-4's: $400
- surprisingly, I found a guy who was specifically looking for a set of 1968-#17's (350/small valve), and I got $350 them too (they were in perfect running condition, I actually took them off my running motor to make the sale).

I think the magazine test showed that alot of these castings flow very well, and the valve size wasn't as big of a deal as previously thought.

[bird72]

I would run 96's over 6X's if only for bigger exhaust valve. Hardened seats not an issue on limited mile engine, put them in if worried. Other than that I don't believe 6X magic better head, pretty similar. Both run great 455 at 9.5 to 1. I also like pre 72 style x over and intake choice and predrill for headers. But there is no market as said except for numbers need. Builds are like I just saw at machine shop: aluminum head, full roller, stroker, big oil pan, and procharger..... looked very impressive but totally non traditional Poncho look. Anticipated 800hp.

[Will]

Originally Posted by bird72

I would run 96's over 6X's if only for bigger exhaust valve. ... and predrill for headers. ....

The bigger exhaust valve isn't always necessary but depends on what you're doing.

Not sure what you mean by the headers deal? All '75 and later big valve castings I've come across are fully drilled/tapped.

It's the early '70s heads (pre 6X), and usually small valve castings, that often didn't have all the holes drilled, or in the case of the 7K3, didn't even have the material into which to drill a hole...

The big advantages of the 6X castings are two-fold - chamber sizes that are very useful for optimizing CR for pump gas engines, and superior (to early '70s low CR heads) intake ports when porting.

In stock form any '67 and later 2.11" intake ports flow roughly the same. There are some minor variations, but nothing significant. If you're not porting the heads then buy whatever head has the chamber size you need. BUT, if you're going to port them for best flow then either the '60s castings or the 6X castings are the way to go. When Pontiac lowered CRs in '71 they did so by making the chambers deeper which truncated the short turn radius in the port. This makes it harder to get high flow numbers with good low lift flow also from heads like the 96 or 7K3. The port shape in the 6X castings was revised to make them more like the '60s castings which allows some pretty impressive flow numbers at all lifts.