Help Needed~ Which Heads should I use
 

Im working on my first drag car(94 Firebird) and really need some advice on which heads would be better to use. So far this is what I have to work with:

350 4 bolt, bored .040

Performance rods/bearings

Speed Pro .125, 76cc Domed, coated skirt hypereutectic pistons

Victor Jr intake

Erson Cam [email protected] 230/230 Lift- .480/.480 Lobe- 108 Or a Lunati Vodoo [email protected] 241/249 Lift- .525/.546 Lobe- 110/106. Havent decided on which one yet. Any suggestions on which one would be better?

Power Forged I beam connecting rods/floated/arp bolts

Holly 750 dual card (vacum)

I have 2 choices for the heads and this is where I really need advice. Both of these were offered to me at a really good price, so with budget in mind thats why Im trying to choose one of them.

1- 461 double hump, 202, 1.6, 220 ported and polished, been completely reworked.

2- 487 202, 1.6, performance springs, close chambered, ported, these also have been completely reworked.

Which one would be a better choice to use? Also any idea on how much hp I might get with either setup? Any help is greatly appreciated :)

Thanks

#1,NEED MORE CAM

Heads?
 

Could the Pistons be 7.6 on the Domes?76cc is a TON.
As far as the Head ? With the Sock GM casting,I think its a Toss up?
Save a Little $$$ and look for a set of World Sportsman II Cast Iron Heads with a 200 Runner,they can be had in the 500-600 Dollar range?And will Out Perform Either of the GM Choices!
Later
G 8)

How much are the heads? You can get NEW Dart street heads that will be better and have new valves and springs for around $680.00. Also to consider, the 461's have no accessory bolt holes in the end of the heads if you need them.

Re: Heads?
 

Sorry, I mean the way the shop thats building the engine has it set up for 76cc chambers I believe, sorry should have stated that.

I can get either set for $450-$500, both have been completely gone through and redone. They both also have new valves and springs in them. I was going to ask about a set of aluminum heads, but the ones I could afford dont seem to be any good from what Ive read here on the forums. What about the vortec heads? A lot of ppl seem to really praise them, but Im not to sure about em.

vortec hrads are very good i run them n love them, bu they need alot of work to accomodate a good sized cam
with no work they can only handle a 460 lift or so, if u mill the spring pockets and cut the valve guides u can get away with about 490 anything bigger requires new springs retainters and keepers,

when its all said and done its acually a lil more expensive than most people think, all in all ive put about 500 or 600...i bought a set of stock vortecs and had all the work done
they run well though makin almost 450 horse on a mild 383 with a roller cam
they r a good head,but its a kind of complicated route but its ur motor ur choice
as far as the other heads go its preety much a toss up they r basically the same

Something to concider if you'll be running pump gas, the 461 heads dont have hardened exhaust seats so that could be a problem, unless somebody has put them in there.

Vortec heads do have hardened seats but like bowhay mentioned with a slighty higher performance application like you intending they'll require a good bit of work to make work.

I also agree with the other post, pass up on both and get the Dart iron ealges. The price is about the same and it's a excellent head.

Stick a healthier cam in it and you'll be much happier.

JMO>Cp

Thanks for all the replys everyone.

I talked to the shop yesterday, and I decided to go with the 487's for now. They have been worked on quite a bit, and from what I have been told the only thing that hasn't been done is there not ported out to the max. I also asked about upgrading the cam to the Lunati vodoo, or even another one and they really advise me not to. The reasons they gave me were 1- going to loose vacum for the power brakes, and 2- that I would need a bigger stall converter and would loose quite a bit of low end torque. The drag track that we will mostly be racing at is only a 300 foot track which they say loosing torque on the low end would affect out times.

Cepx111When you guys have suggested a bigger cam, which would you reccomend? I can still change the cam if need be, and they will just have to understand that its my decision and not theres. With so many ppl suggesting a bigger cam, it seems like you guys know more about it and the cams have worked just fine for you this way.

Like I said before Im just learning all this, and it seems like I stay confused all the time,lol.

In all honesty they are right, however sticking a convertor and/or a gear is something you will probably do later on anyway, might as well get the cam you want now.
I would go with a lunati bracket master II solid flat tappet or the voodoo cam. Leave that baby cam alone.
Remember to get the matching springs for the cam you'll be running no matter which one you choose, changing springs after the fact is a bitch.