stock iron heads 350 chevy, R&R'd head gaskets/ retorque

[waynekarnes]

i really don't want to drop my exhaust, pull all the smog stuff off (t is a california smog legal swap ), remove the exhaust manifolds to retorque my heads. i used the fel pro 2600 gasket kit, am getting mixed messages locally, about whether i need to retorque.

 

i think that i do. friends tell me, no need.

 

when i bought the z ( appears to be a scarab, home grown, V8 dropped in back around 76, 77, corvette 4 speed, scarab modified hurst comp plus shifter ), had been dead for 10 years. found out it had a cracked head.

 

replaced head, valve job on both heads.

 

all back together,torqued to specs.

 

now, has about 5 to 8 hours run time on it ( had thought was around 10 to 15 but rethunk it ), most of it short test rides around the block. one recent 8 to 10 mile ride.

 

am i correct in my old way of thinking, that i need to retorque those heads ???? any chance that i may have caused any harm ? i know, i used to change gaskets, warm it, and retorque right then, never driving the car, without retorquing.

 

thanks, wayne