I don't think I will ever use another set of stock heads on a small block ford ever again.
My first engine, 351W, got a set of trickflows. That has been a real happy engine for the past 8+ years.
My last engine is a little too strung for a Bronco, but it sure does run. Had a set of cast iron motorsports built up with Ferra valves, crane springs, scorpian rockers, definatly blew the bank on those. But they sure do breath nice.
Part of the trick is not to go too big for your plans. When you start looking at getting a set of old heads redone back to stock. It isn't that cheap, especially if they need lots of parts. When you are done you still have heads that are little ports and all choked up. By the time you port them out, hope the port job is right and the flows are even. You have manhandled heads. Then the valves are still small, so a new set of valves, and all the other stuff to go with them. The only original part in the heads when you are done is the raw casting. Might as well start with a fresh casting that doesn't need the port work.
As for brands of heads. That will be like asking what kind of carb to run? There is no "perfect" head for all applications.
Now if you are building a bone stock engine, even a stock cam. then stock heads might be a good choice. Any damage or excessive wear to the heads added to the slightest hint of a better then stock running engine, I would be shopping for heads. Good heads can make a small mild cam still breath very well while keeping idle quality very good.
If I had to pick a new set of heads today. Break out the Jeg's or Summit catalogs. Read all the descriptions. Some are deminsionally the same and will use stock length pushrods, others will have all kinds of changes like raised ports. Those will cause fitment issues later. And don't forget that you will need new rocker arms for almost all of the aftermarket heads.
