Used Diamond W2 Aluminum Heads Yay or Nay?
For all out power nothing beats the W-2's on a small block. If I had some extra cash I'd buy those heads in a heartbeat... and put them on my 40 year old block. Matched set!!!!
I bought a blown 383 small block without a second thought. This was a $15,000 engine that I paid $2500 for... lots of good parts in it that I could not duplicate for the money. I'll have about another $1200-1400 in it after the block is sleeved (the crank work is done) and I get new pistons. Might save a buck if the engine shop can find a set of mayching used slugs from one of their customers.
The shop built several of these motors in the 90's and couple of their old customers have hung on to their old spares. They used Ross 2618 pistons back then. Might luck out.
As far as using used parts every engine ever run is running on used parts...