304 heads interchangeable?

[EddieT]

So a while back I broke the exhaust manifold mounting lobe off the head on my '79 304. My buddy thought it would just be easier (easier than trying to weld cast iron that is) to swap heads out. He was nice enough to pick a pair of heads up for me. However, I noticed that these heads are apparently off an earlier engine as they are missing the holes for the air/smog manifolds. I remember reading a few years back something about domed pistons on one engine and not on the other, I can't remember. Anyway, is this swap possible?

I am not concerned about the missing holes as the air manifold holes were plugged long ago, just whether these heads are usable to my application.
Thanks

[Allan E.]

If the combustion chambers are the same shape, you can use them. You heard correctly, contoured piston type heads won't work with flat top pistons, and the opposite is also true.