Need help choosing head/cam combo
 

Hey guys,

I am getting ready to build a motor for my 64 chevelle and need help picking the head/cam combo. It is a SBC 350 bored .030 to 355, 4 bolt main. flat top cast pistons. Holley 600cfm and performer RPM Intake. TH350 tranny right now but will be going with 700R or 200R overdrive.

This car will never see the track, autocross or anything other than the street and highway. I want a good strong motor, good torque, noticeable idle but still very streetable. I think better low end torque numbers are more important for this car than high horsepower. I wont need much over 5500rpm.

I have the original heads #462624 that are 1.72/1.5 valves with 76cc. I was hoping to keep it under $800 for the heads. Should I rebuild them or look for a vortec set to convert to? And what cam specs should I be looking at?

Give me some ideas!

thanks

For $800 to $900 I hear patriot heads are pretty good.

https://www.patriot-performance.com/...ome.php?cat=40

As far as a cam... I'd like to know myself ;)

in the LSX world,, patriot heads are junk!! you pay for what you get.

The trick flow heads are great as well as the afr 165's for a 350..

For your budget, you may be best to send yours out and get a good valve job and new valve springs, and a good cam.

also shop craigs list and other places for a good set of used heads.

AFR 165 for a 350? I was under the impression their 180s were appropriately sized for a 350.

Patriot heads seem to get pretty decent flow numbers, and while I agree they're definitely not AFR or TrickFlow, they're not bad... especially for a street car.

Just based on what he says the valve sizes are (pretty small) I don't know if rebuilding them would be the most viable option. Obviously it is if the money is tight, but you can spend as much on getting them refurbished as a set of Patriot or Vortech heads.

The problem with companies making LS heads is... the factory ones are pretty good to begin with, so making improvements is more of a challenge. Many first gen small block heads suck... unless theyre good double humps, or vortech heads. There is more room for improvement.

There is a guy on ebay that sell aluminum heads for $500 or $600 cant remember which right now but they say that they flow pretty well. His name or shop is skip white performance. I think that some people have used them before and said for the price there pretty good. Thought this might help.

Do your research before you buy a cheap set of heads. I have seen some really bad experiences over on Camaros.net with EL cheapo heads. I'd consider some GM vortec heads or a set of used Dart or AFR's before cheapos.

Thanks for the info guys. So far it seems like the vortec heads are the best bang for the buck for what I am trying to do.

Yes Vortec IMO are the best bang. Check out www.spdparts.com. As for cam choice small is going to be better for your daily driver. Don't get carried away with to much duration. You want torque in your daily driver over a broad rpm range. You mention an overdrive trans but did not state your rear gear ratio. I am assuming that you may have 3:08 now. IMO if you put and OD trans in you should change the rear gear to something around 3:42 may be 3:23 with a short tire. If you keep the 3:08 you will not like the drivability around town in OD as the RPM will be very low like below 1500. The vehicle gearing will effect operating RPM range thus cam choice. It is a package or system deal. The taller gearing you run the smaller the cam I would run. IMO opinion I would not waste money on most stock heads for rebuild. You will have almost as much $$ in a good reconditioning job and vortecs will out flow them hands done with more effient combustion chambers to boot. Also ask Scoggin Dickey about your intake if I remember correctly the bolt pattern and port height is diifferant and will cause you problems with your exsiting intake and vortec intakes are pricey. Valve lift is also limited with stock vortecs to .450" but Spd has upgraded heads for more lift.

Thanks for the info. The vortecs seem to be my best option. I do havve 3.08 in it now but will go to 3.73 probably with the overdrive.

Good choice. That is my favorite gear for those trans. I like the 2004R best. It will fit your trans tunnel better has a better gear split and a little more over drive than a 700R4. The 3.06 first ger ratio is to low IMO and to big a diff between 1st and 2nd.