Realistic Expectations - 11 second Demon weekly driver

-
It's not even really about the ability of iron heads. It's money invested vs. what you're left with in the end. Last pair of iron heads I did, and this was 17 years ago or so cost me 1200$. You can get a set of aluminum heads for less than that and they are repairable and can be worked beyond their OOTB condition.
 
Exactly.
Iron heads can be ported to a powerhouse part. Now weigh the cost of the iron head work vs. an aluminum head as in a OOTB condition plus machinist check for a good bill of health to bolt on.
Compare flow rates vs. dollars spent vs. weight.

Pick your parts, spend your money.
 
It's not even really about the ability of iron heads. It's money invested vs. what you're left with in the end. Last pair of iron heads I did, and this was 17 years ago or so cost me 1200$. You can get a set of aluminum heads for less than that and they are repairable and can be worked beyond their OOTB condition.

He has the heads already and they have an oversized valve... just run the stuff !! Lol
 
He has the heads already and they have an oversized valve... just run the stuff !! Lol


Hi,

I've got 915 heads with 2.14 / 1.81 valves. From what I've read that may have been a mistake installing the larger size valves in the 915 head.

So the question is, having professional work done on the iron heads i already have vs buying indy ez or trick flow heads.


Maybe I'm misunderstand the OP. Sounds like his heads aren't ready to run.
 
Xguard... dont let this turn into a witch hunt, everyone will tell you what you NEED, but until you get a solid baseline with some passes and drive it around, IMO theres no point to get aluminum heads yet. Use what you have first, it will be serious handful in an Abody anywho! My dart is an iron headed smallblock, full interior and goes 11.60's
I agree with dadodgekid wholeheartedly. When I first started racing my Coronet way back when, it had a 448" in it that was a stroked 383" with the offset ground 440" crank @3.90 stroke. It weighed in at a whopping 4500 lbs. race weight and was running 14.0's. With just a set of slicks and lots of tuning and testing I got the car down to 12.0's (114mph) at that same porky weight. The cam was small a .480 hydraulic (230@.050) and just some pocket ported 906's so it definitely performed better than it should have. Put that motor in an A-body and I am sure you could get down to low 11's and drive it drive as a Friday driver. I hammered on that car for 2 years that way driving it 45 miles to the strip and back twice a week. I also drove it daily for the most part and is was very docile. The craziest piece was the 4.30 gears, but I also had 28" tall tires so it wasn't too out of hand. Once you are sure you hit your maximum time/speed with your combo, decide what the next speed is you want to go and build a new combo to get there. Throwing parts at an old combo usually is more expensive in the long run when trying to make a big jump.
 
Maybe I'm misunderstand the OP. Sounds like his heads aren't ready to run.

They could be run as is. I had it running with them before but didn't take it to the track.

I talked to Dwayne Porter yesterday. Think I'm gonna follow his advice and buy a set of Trick Flow heads.

From what I've seen, going to the oversized valves on 915's decreases flow (with out a lot of other work). It shouldn't be that big of a set back to save for the heads.

The motor is out of the car right now anyway. Seems like an opportune time to spruce it up.
 
They could be run as is. I had it running with them before but didn't take it to the track.

I talked to Dwayne Porter yesterday. Think I'm gonna follow his advice and buy a set of Trick Flow heads.

From what I've seen, going to the oversized valves on 915's decreases flow (with out a lot of other work). It shouldn't be that big of a set back to save for the heads.

The motor is out of the car right now anyway. Seems like an opportune time to spruce it up.
Dewayne is the man. He is the one I got my Indy EZ heads and solid roller cam from. I finally got my dart down to 10.49 in the 1/4 with 4.30 gears and 28 street tires. I think it would of been faster with the 4.10 but I blew them up. So I had a set of 4.30 laying around. Lol
 
The 915 heads are probably worth more unported than ported. There are guys looking for 915 heads and typically they want to finish them themselves. If it was me I'd sell any iron heads I had to fund buying aluminum heads. I agree with Dwayne on this one. If you're looking for performance then go ahead and get the 240 Trick Flow heads now. You could spend $1000 or more on your 915 heads and still not be happy and then when you try to sell them you'll just get the stinkeye from the resto crowd since your heads have been ported.
 
Go Trick flow. I gained nothing going from home ported 915s to OOTB edelbrocks. Actually I lost some because of the weight savings. This was on a 10.90 car.
 
To give you an idea of what it took for my 3000lb '69 Cuda to go 10.7's@125 was>
440sp block, 9.8:1, template ported 906's 2.14/1.81, HS r/rockers, a too big .650 Comp solid, Team G, 850DP, 4800 8" vert, 14x32's, 4.88's, L/bars/coil-overs. I may not have had the best set up in it and it may have been a bit quicker as I only ran it the once like that before hitting with spray, it ran 11.2@118 with the dead stock 906's I took off.......If you have the $$$ go with the 240 trick flows should run your numbers with those.
 
Last edited:
A big block should be fairly easy to make run low 11's (streetable) with a little more gearing and the right heads. I ran 11.30 @119 in a full weight '71 Demon with a mild solid-lifter 416 SB stroker and OOTB Edelbrock RPM heads, on 89 octane in the heat. 3.91 gears and 3000 stall, so it was pretty liveable on the streets with 28" drag radials.
 
A big block should be fairly easy to make run low 11's (streetable) with a little more gearing and the right heads. I ran 11.30 @119 in a full weight '71 Demon with a mild solid-lifter 416 SB stroker and OOTB Edelbrock RPM heads, on 89 octane in the heat. 3.91 gears and 3000 stall, so it was pretty liveable on the streets with 28" drag radials.

I like this. Easy basic recipe. Nothing fancy. It doesn't have to be fancy. Just effective.
 
cheap and easy, but what do they flow? Probly not over 280 !
While that maybe true, it is 280cdm at what lift? Does his cam lift that much? Do you need to lift the cam that much? I say "NO!"
The head flows enough with the duration of his cam and the rest of the package to run the time. And that's the bottom line.

Can it be done with as cast OE heads?
 
My 70 Charger in full trim weighing 4000# ran 12.30 with 3.55s ...stock bottom end, 8.9ish comp, ported 906s , .550 solid roller, Hooker headers and full 2.5 exhaust, 6 pack intake.....
Daily driver for several years... 14" @ idle....
Stuff that in a 3300lb abody.... No problem...
 
While that maybe true, it is 280cdm at what lift? Does his cam lift that much? Do you need to lift the cam that much? I say "NO!"
The head flows enough with the duration of his cam and the rest of the package to run the time. And that's the bottom line.

Can it be done with as cast OE heads?


I believe OOTB Eddys flow 292. I can't say for sure. My new heads flow 345cfm.

The old cam with those OOTB eddys was a 242@.050 and .528 lift. It ran 11.70's all day every day and other than a couple tsack days a year is a street car I even take to the grovery store.

Those slips are on street tires, pump gas and full exhaust
 
Man! Ow I’m going to have to re read the whole thread from 3 years back. DANG IT!

LMFAO!
:lol:
I believe OOTB Eddys flow 292. I can't say for sure. My new heads flow 345cfm.

The old cam with those OOTB eddys was a 242@.050 and .528 lift. It ran 11.70's all day every day and other than a couple tsack days a year is a street car I even take to the grovery store.

Those slips are on street tires, pump gas and full exhaust
 
The 915 heads with that combo can get you 12.00 all day if ported a lil but by someone who can get an honest 260cfm. They start off at 220-228 cfm as cast iirr
Moderately to to fairly well ported should be close to 300cfm with those valve sizes.
Full boogie over 300 but the 906 will do more as an open chamber...@IQ52 would be the most experienced and more knowledgeable person to ask of the potential. I know I can get 280's out of a set with 2.08 int by .500-.550. As other said though.. it would be easier, more ootb to attain your goal with a set of aftermarket heads like 440 source or victors... but really you should see what you have and get test of what you think is the best looking port and the worst looking one and base you choice on that. For all you know... you already have 280's or the necessary flow.. and the rest may be drivetrain/suspension dialing.
 
I bought the Trick Flow heads. I'm putting it together now! My wife went to college and now grad school. It hasn't been kind to my hot rod budget :(. But we're getting there!
 
I bought the Trick Flow heads. I'm putting it together now! My wife went to college and now grad school. It hasn't been kind to my hot rod budget :(. But we're getting there!
Been there done that and it’ll be worth the pay out once all is said and done.
 
Hi,
Been buried in articles and threads. Think I have a combo sorted out. I have a 72 Dodge Demon, full interior, factory suspension, etc.

I'd like to have a low 11 second car that i can drive to work once a week. A "friday car" so to speak. Then drive it to the track after work. 40ish mile round trip.

I've got a 440. Forged factory internals. 915 heads with 2.14 / 1.81 valves. From what I've read that may have been a mistake installing the larger size valves in the 915 head.

So the question is, having proffessional work done on the iron heads i already have vs buying indy ez or trick flow heads.

The rest of the combo is as follows:
Lunati solid flat tappet cam 243/251 @ .050. .546"/.566" lift with 1.5 rocker.
Weiand team G intake.
Holley 850 dp.
3000 stall convertor.
3.55 gears

Thanks for input, tear me a new one if i need it. If this won't get low 11's what's a realistic expectation between the ported iron heads vs mostly ootb indy ez or trick flow 240 head.
Take that Team G and throw it away. One of the worst intakes. Get a Victor 440.
 
Take that Team G and throw it away. One of the worst intakes. Get a Victor 440.

Not entirly true , I got a team G that flows in the 325 range and only about 25 cfm diff between the runners ,320 being the lowest , that aint that bad . Had to do the same things to my victor to get it in the 350ish range , and the team G has a bigger plenum . To my way of thinking , the plenum on a victor is too small for a 505'' engine .
 
As always, “ymmv”..... but my experience has been that...... on the dyno and at the track, the 4150 version TG is kind of a dud.
There is often a big hole in the power curve right in the area of the stall speed for the typical street/strip combo.
 
-
Back
Top