Thread: Double Hump Heads

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Originally posted by MI2600
We might have to agree to disagree here.

I'm not a racer and I tend toward originality in my cars. I've found the 461s, 462s, etc are good dependable heads and I have had them completely rebuilt for less than $300.

I believe that for daily street use the aftermarket heads are overkill and a waste of money.

That may be fine for your car. However Hopper has made it clear he is after high performance in his ride. IMO, the 60's and 70's head technology is a bit outdated and the new design heads improve performanc and cylinder head cooling dramatically. If someone were building a "correct" restoration, the 461's may indeed be correct, but that is not the case on Hopper's engine.....

"High performance" is a relative term.

Most of the members are never going to be on the TV drag events, and are just looking for "satisfying" street performance. I would therefore still submit that buying $1500 super-duper aftermarket heads is unnecessary.

PS: My last set of rebuilt heads cost $240 for new guides, hardened exhaust seats, drilled for screw-in studs, and three angle seats.

I asked him today about the seats and he said they'd have to be changed to hardened seats. This confirms my decicion to go ahead with new heads whether they be max performance or just a head that breathes really well. I'm also thinking that maybe 400 hp isn't exactly needed on a street machine. To me, a good street machine is not so much about power but more about how well it all works together right? Like if u got a motor that won't let everything hook up because it has too much brass whats the use? I've become very much lost here and any suggestions on motor choice and combination would be worth a fortune to me at this point. I want to stay using the 350 block but other than that i'm not sure. I guess it doesn't really have to be a stroker motor. I want to use the money that i have to build the best street motor possible. One that has a nice balance between sensibility and all out balls. For example this thing has to be driver + street car + strip car for me. I'm not looking for much at the strip though just something fun to drive. I'd like to get at least 13 mpg too so that I can at least drive it without having to fill the tank up everytime i drive.

How much money you have will determine how fast you go, it's that simple, sadly. The more speed equipment you have to buy, the more it cost.
An 87 or newer stocker, with 4-barrel heads, and intake, a set of headers, and a set of 373 gears for your rear will make you a fun car to drive that will also be dependable.

Originally posted by MI2600
"High performance" is a relative term.

Most of the members are never going to be on the TV drag events, and are just looking for "satisfying" street performance. I would therefore still submit that buying $1500 super-duper aftermarket heads is unnecessary.

PS: My last set of rebuilt heads cost $240 for new guides, hardened exhaust seats, drilled for screw-in studs, and three angle seats.

I'm glad you're happy with them...good heads can be had, especially for a chebbie, for considerably less than $1500.

Browse through these 100+ combinations and choose one based on maximum torque at the lowest rpm's that uses cylinder heads that are affordable to you. Disregard horsepower.
http://www.ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos1.html

ok. If this truck does sell today, i think it will because this guy hasn't ever backed out of his word that i can see, i will have right around 2000 dollars to spend on motor/exhaust/tires. And if i have anything left over I'm going to put it into a 3.73 posi trac setup for the gm 12 bolt that it has under it.

My exhaust is going to be a custom made x-pipe. We're making it so that it bolts together at the "X" so that i don't have to pull the whole exhaust system if i ever have to work on the tranny. This is going to cost me 80 dollars because a friend that owns a very well respected exhaust shop is going to do it for me. No labor price involved there, Just have to pay for the pipe and mufflers.

The tires are gonna run 238 dollars for Eagle GTII.

The posi trac can come later, it's not all that important right now. The rest can be spent on the motor. So the budget for the motor is $1686. I know this won't get me a land speed record but if i can't build a respectable, dependable motor for that much, then something is wrong. If i have to save up a little more money, i can probably make it back up so that i have $2000 to spend on JUST the motor.

If it has a 12 bolt then there's a good chance you already have 373's in it- I never caught that it was a truck- with limited slip.
I would order the Dart Iron eagles, and a stage 1, almost stock, cam with lifters......now your out of money so bolt it up and, ENJOY!!!

Can I use the cast crank if its in good shape, and have the rods reconditioned to make good power? If i don't HAVE to buy a new crank/rods then there's really no reason to. I'm not looking to set the world on fire, i just want a fun street car that uses ALL of it assets to get the job done.

I'm building this motor for my '72 el camino It does have the 12 bolt but I NEED a posi, it doesn't have it currently. But that can come later on.

If i could use stock recondition rods, the stock 3.48 stroke crankshaft, buy a new set of pistons and just rebuild the bottom end then i could spend a lot more on a good topend. How much power can i build with stock rods/crank before it becomes dangerous? I've heard 300hp, i've head 350, and i've heard that stock rods are good enough to handle high numbers if u upgrade the bolts to ARP...

Sounds like a lot of diverse opinions, but all good info. I might have to make this choice down the road and the input is great.
I currently have a 350/350hp, fuelie heads, Torker I single plane manifold and a 600 cfm carb. One day soon I might change out the Torker for a Performer and go with new heads, to ease my pain. Or just bite the bullet and get a new crate engine. Don't think it will happen but it would be nice to have one of those small block 427's. If only money didn't matter.

Yea key phrase 'If only money didn't matter'

I'm thinking something like cast crank, reman stock rods, a speed pro hypereutetic flat top, This carb/intake combo , and then spend some money on a quality set of heads, not necessarily a ultra high performance head but a head like sportsman II or the Iron Eagles or even a set of Motowns.