Holland

I am saving up and starting to collect parts for my 350 that is going in to my RS in the summer. I am working with an 82 model remanufactured block (the non roller cam). So I hear the stock heads suck. I would like to find a good set of heads for cheap. Looking to spend less than $300 on the whole head set up. Any ideas. This is a daily driver and I am trying to push out at very least 350 HP. Help me out on what heads will work for this. I know it has to do with a lot of other aspects of the motor but that will be taken care of later.

Racerwannabe

To hit that power level you're going to have to spend more unless you can find something used. I suggest the Vortec heads which you can get for a litle more than $400.00. Put a Comp Cams XE 262 cam in there using the stock 1.5 rockers and, with headers and the right intake, you will reach your goal. You'll need some center bolt valve covers to work with the vortecs which are another $50.00 or so.

cbpldc

You can always go with a nice used set of Vortec heads, but then you will need a Vortech manifold.

Just my $.02

Chris

Holland

Are all the vortec heads the same? IS there not different models? Whick ones are better than others? Also what cars did these heads come off of. And does any one know the numbers to identify them in the junkyard.. a a a I mean salvage yard.

Holland

I forgot to ask, will these heads fit on my 82 block? The bolt patterns are all the same?

Biochem

Vortech heads are offered by the dealership I believe, so you will have a hard time finding them in a yard. It'd be like trying to find a junked car with AFRs or Edelbrocks.

They will bolt to your shortblock, but the intake bolt patterns are different then SBC stock manifolds.

Your best bet if you are on that tight of a budget would be to find some vette aluminum heads and do some porting and polishing. HP aint cheap!

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1984 z28 w/ a 357 cu in. monster engine which is looking like the posterchild for Edelbrock with the exception of the Holley 750vac... all the suspension stuff... 9-bolt posi disk is in...

-=ICON Motorsports=-

Holland

Do you know off hand if these vortech heads come complete or naked. How do the aluminum vette heads compare to the vortech heads. Has anyone checked out a price for the vortech intake. Is the intake any good or is there a better aftermarket intake I could use. ( think inexpensive )

www.olemisspaintball.com Check it out.

cbpldc

Check out www.paceparts.com

They have the Vortec heads complete for $510.00. That is a pretty good price for a very noticable mod IMHO.

Chris

Racerwannabe

I've seen them for $419.00 per pair in Chevy High Performance magazine but I forget what dealer. Check out Scoggin Dickey as they have some good prices.

The vortec heads are OE on the vortec 350 truck engines. I'm not sure of the years or models but I'm sure there are some wrecks somewhere. Maybe someone else knows?

To bolt these on your engine you will need some thick head gaskets to keep the compression in check. I would use the Fel-Pro .041" compressed thickness gaskets. They also use self centering rockers which you would need to get unless you mod them for guide plates. Scoggin Dickey is selling vortec heads with screw-in studs and guide plates that are also machined for valve lift to .55" They include good springs too and are the ones I planned to get before I researched the AFR's. They go for about $320.00 each IIRC.

Also, edelbrock makes the Performer RPM and the Air Gap intakes with vortec bolt patterns. Avoid the vortecs that have been drilled for standard intake bolt patterns. Allthough the manifold will bolt up the runners are off.

Also, I think there is a problem with OE exhaust manifolds but I'm not sure why, you will need headers though.

Damon

Yes the stock heads suck, but if you want to go fast for REAL cheap ($300 is real cheap) you gotta look at things a little different than the average guy.

You gotta look at things like I do!

For $500 for a set of Vortecs I could port the crap out of my emissions 350 heads and be power and money ahead. Spend $200 and have them pocket ported (especially the exhaust side), and 3-angle valve job done. Basically this means they do all the work jsut behind the valve and around the valve seat. That's where 80% of the flow potential is. Spend the other $100 getting a decent set of valves to complement the smooth ports (Malney Street flow 1.94/1.50 valves will fit your heads). Undercut stems, swirl polished and backcut heads all mean even more flow.

That's how I'd spend MY $300 and I'd be money and power ahead of a stock set of Vortecs.

BTW- I would also upgrade the weak stock valve springs with a stronger set if you plan on making any real power over 5000, but I consider that a cost associated with the cam, not the heads.

Holland

I hear that you dont even have to go with the vortech intake when you use the vorech heads. They say that you can just modify the two center bolts. Does anyone know any more on how to do this. Is the ortech intake more benifical than any other after market intake, say edelbrock or holly and the rest of them.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

The Vortec heads have higher roof intake ports, which is why you want to use a Vortec specific manifold. You can use earlier manifolds if they have sufficient material, but the ports will not match exactly. Pace or someone has a package that includes the heads (complete), intake, rocker arms (you need self-aligning, which no one mentioned), and gaskets. About $700 if memory serves.

The other "issues" w/Vortec heads are: press-in studs; poor valve springs. If you're using any kind of performance cam, you'll need to address them.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/LB9 block, ZZ3 cam and intake, TBD heads, Hooker headers & y-pipe, 3" Catco cat).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

Racerwannabe

Um, I mentioned that...

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

My bad. So much for that speed reading course...

FlashGTA

A good set of heads for $300, yeah, we'd all like to find those. To make 350 HP get a set of stock TPI heads and have the bowls blended and a mild port and you should get your 350 HP with the right engine combo. Next cheapest would be to get a set of S/R Torquer heads unless you plan on buying a new intake anyway in which case Vortec's would be the best choice.