Finally installed the heads on my ongoing engine rebuild. Masking everything off getting ready to paint it and noticed two tapped holes on the bottom of the heads. one on each end. You can see the end head bolts through them. Stock heads have no such holes. I am assuming that they were needed in the manufacturing process and that all I need to do is install short bolts with sealer and forget them but I hate to assume anything. Am I missing anything?

Ron.  If you’re talking about the 5/16-18 threaded holes that would be on the front of the right cylinder head and the rear of the left head, those are identical to the holes that are in the factory heads.  The oil dipstick tube on the front sump pans typically uses that hole to hold the tube in place.  These do not need any sealer or bolts in them if not being used.
 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Ted, I am talking about the ones on the bottom of the head just around the corner from where your arrow is pointing.

That's for the generator bracket, if I remember right.



Lawrenceville, GA

Don't think so. They are not on my stock heads unless I am really confused, which does sometimes happen.

I just checked.  It is for the generator bracket.  Your old heads should have it.



Lawrenceville, GA

On the other end, is that for the spark plug wire brackets?


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Ok guys, looked again at my stock head that is stuffed in a cabinet and I am only half stupid . There is a hole on one end of the stock head but not the other. After looking at some pictures, the generator bracket mounts on the passenger side front and the spark plug loom probably mounts on the back of the drivers side head. Have to revise my first post and limit the question to the one extra hole. I assume just stick a bolt in it and forget it unless I  find something else I want to bolt to the head. 

One plug wire bracket does mount to the passenger side head but it mounts to the intake flange, behind the distributor.  The other plug wire brackets mount to the block.

Since the heads are essentially the same, left and right, one will have that hole at the front of the engine and the other will be at the rear.



Lawrenceville, GA

Ron.  While the aluminum heads do have threaded holes on both ends of the lower edge versus the factory heads only having those same threaded holes only at the right front and the left rear of the engine, the threaded holes that are not being used for attaching anything can be left open.  Those holes are not drilled or threaded into anything that will leak.  Here's a revised picture of the threaded holes that are in question.
 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)