How do I date a 4 cylinder head?

[Jitterbugdude]

Is there a date code somewhere on the 4 cylinder head? If so, where? If no date code is there a way to tell a 71 from a 72 etc?
I have 4 heads and the intake/exhaust gasket that I tried today only fit 1 of them. These are all solid lifter heads.
Thanks,
Randy B

[rpoz-29]

To my knowledge they were all the same. That's weird. How much is it off on the other heads? Is it a difference in the ports, or is it a big difference?

[Jitterbugdude]

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intake%20exhaust%20gasket%202%20diff%20manufacturers.jpg

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Evidently I had a brain fart of biblical proportions. I went back and "stretched" the very stiff gaskets over the studs and they fit all four heads. The pic shows two different manufacturers. The top is a "Mr. Gasket" and the bottom is a Fel-Pro. I was actually trying to put one of them on upside down but if you look at the pic these are the actual way they get mounted. One of them seems upside down to me and that's where the confusion was.

I'd still like to know how to date Vega heads.

Randy B

[monzaaddict]

guy on facebook about a year ago did same thing

[monzaaddict]

I think someone said 71's had higher lift camshaft but I do not know if that was with 2 barrel carb or if 2 barrel carb was even available in 71.

[Jitterbugdude]

! barrel cams are different than 2 barrel cams.

[rpoz-29]

From the factory there was no exhaust gasket, only an intake gasket. The exhaust bolted against the head tight enough not to leak, (8 exhaust bolts vs 4 intake bolts), although most of the aftermarket gaskets I used had an exhaust gasket stapled to the intake gasket. The '71 2bbl cam is supposed to be the "hottest" cam Chevy put in a Vega. According to GM, there was no difference in the grind, but the '71 had a different part number. I used one in the Vega I autocrossed. I have chronic "Brain Flatulence" myself!

[vegagt73]

Use Friend Finder ?

[Monza Harry]

Use Friend Finder ?

I knew someone would go there! It is funny though! Sorry I can't help more than that but it looks like RPOZ-29 has it handled. Harry