The heads on my engine (newly rebuilt, don't tell me to scrap it and start over please) have a date code of 6E26 & 6E27 (May 26, 1966 and May 27, 1966, respectively). According to what I've read, and the "How to Rebuild the Small-Block Ford" by George Reid, after May 8, 1966, they changed and no longer had the cast in pushrod guides. However mine do?!?!?!? They were cast at the Cleveland foundry, so maybe some didn't change on a timely basis.

The also have the taller valve stem, which is normally used with rail-type rockers, but it has regular rockers. I'm probably going to go with some roller rockers, but should I be concerned about the taller valve stems?

Thanks!

 

you should be ok, But I would take the engine to the local machine shop and double check what length pushrod you need. Its a cool little tool that looks just like a pushrod just ajdustable.

 

Rocker geometry was my first concern. I need to study up on it, but everything seems to land where it should. I've seen that tool before, but never used one. Thanks for the tip!

Are the books wrong about the date of the change to the rail-type rockers and elimination of the cast in valve guides?