Small Block, Big Power - Mopar 340 LA Cylinder Head Info Dump, What To Look For, And MUCH More

It's 2026, and you have access to the internet. If you want to put together a high performance small block Mopar engine, you can hop online and hit order on a set of aluminum cylinder heads for a couple thousand bucks. But for the sort of engine builds I'm interested in, factory Chrysler cast iron cylinder heads are almost always a better choice. They have plenty of potential for making horsepower - especially if we're talking about the original X or J heads from a 340. They look right under the hood of your classic Mopar. And though they may need some reconditioning by a machinist, that process will typically cost much less than a set of aluminum replacements (which will ALSO need to visit a machine shop before being bolted on.)