Best head for the money??

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WARLOCKII

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I'm looking for some information or suggestions on which set of heads to use. My son and I are building a 383/727 for a 72 Swinger. We have a set of 71 906 heads and a set of 66 516 heads, we would like to be around 9.5 CR and 375-400 HP and run on pump gas. We are talking about using a mild cam around .488 lift. I don't know what cc the 516 are, both heads have 2.08 intakes but the 516 have 1.60 exh. compaired to 1.74 for the 906 heads. It has an 8 3/4 rear with 3.23 gears and will mainly be driven on the street. Whats your opinion?? Thanks
 
I'm looking for some information or suggestions on which set of heads to use. My son and I are building a 383/727 for a 72 Swinger. We have a set of 71 906 heads and a set of 66 516 heads, we would like to be around 9.5 CR and 375-400 HP and run on pump gas. We are talking about using a mild cam around .488 lift. I don't know what cc the 516 are, both heads have 2.08 intakes but the 516 have 1.60 exh. compaired to 1.74 for the 906 heads. It has an 8 3/4 rear with 3.23 gears and will mainly be driven on the street. Whats your opinion?? Thanks
use the 906 heads. i'm building a 68 383hp also for my 72 duster.i'm keeping my 383 all stock.
 
I'm looking for some information or suggestions on which set of heads to use. My son and I are building a 383/727 for a 72 Swinger. We have a set of 71 906 heads and a set of 66 516 heads, we would like to be around 9.5 CR and 375-400 HP and run on pump gas. We are talking about using a mild cam around .488 lift. I don't know what cc the 516 are, both heads have 2.08 intakes but the 516 have 1.60 exh. compaired to 1.74 for the 906 heads. It has an 8 3/4 rear with 3.23 gears and will mainly be driven on the street. Whats your opinion?? Thanks

Man, that's a loaded question!
 
Go with the 516's since they are a closed chamber head and will give you, depending on the head gasket, between 9.5-10 comp. (fine for pump gas premium) and switch to the 1.74 exhaust valves . You may want to also look into a pocket port job to clean up the flows. You also want to be dead nuts "zero deck" which might be tough with the piston choices out there for the 383.
 
I'm looking for some information or suggestions on which set of heads to use. My son and I are building a 383/727 for a 72 Swinger. We have a set of 71 906 heads and a set of 66 516 heads, we would like to be around 9.5 CR and 375-400 HP and run on pump gas. We are talking about using a mild cam around .488 lift. I don't know what cc the 516 are, both heads have 2.08 intakes but the 516 have 1.60 exh. compaired to 1.74 for the 906 heads. It has an 8 3/4 rear with 3.23 gears and will mainly be driven on the street. Whats your opinion?? Thanks

906's hands down for me. The 516 ex. ports are terrible. Comp's thumpr cam works really well in 383's if you advance it 6°.
Brian
 
How do you big block guys like the 452 for a mild street engine?
 
I like the 346 if you're talkin about factory heads. It's been reported that they have the 906 intake port and the 452 exhaust port. Sorta the best of both worlds.....but honestly, you're not gonna feel a difference in the butt dyno with any of the iron open chamber heads. now if you are including aftermarket, the 440 Source Stealth heads are a pretty good bang for the buck.....that is considering you understand they will need working to reach their full potential.
 
I just wanted to know which cylinder heads would be the best to use. I knew the title would get attention but some of you need to get your mind out of the gutter. LOL. A little humor is always good. We're thinking the 906's are the way to go.:D
 
I just wanted to know which cylinder heads would be the best to use. I knew the title would get attention but some of you need to get your mind out of the gutter. LOL. A little humor is always good.:D

You pays your money and take your chances around here.:burnout:

At least one of the members didn't try to convince you to go SB.=D>

383's are great engines, lots of torque and quick to rev, ask me how I know.

One other suggestion, you might consider going to 3.91 gears since you're talking mostly street, really livens things up. Also subframe connectors are a must, you can buy them cheap or build your own and weld them in.

Good luck.
 
I just wanted to know which cylinder heads would be the best to use. I knew the title would get attention but some of you need to get your mind out of the gutter. LOL. A little humor is always good. We're thinking the 906's are the way to go.:D

Sorry WARLOCKII......I couldn't pass it up

Hope you find something that will work for you
 
of what you have, use the 906. the 516 will help compression but they just dont flow. i wouldnt put a ton of money into whatever ehad you choose. i wouldnt even worry about hardened seats, it will take a lot of miles before you have any problems from unleaded gas. just do a good valve job. im guessing it isnt going to be a 20,000 mile a year daily driver. i had a set of 906 heads rebuilt in 2000 for the 431 in my dart. just decked for a flat surface, and a good 3 angle valve job original valves. i went 11.80 with them and drove it quite a bit. i put a set of stealth heads on it and disassembled the 906 to change the springs and just check them out, they looked great. i put them on the 400 over the winter and put it in my duster and it runs great, put over 4000 miles on it since the beginning of june.
 
Because it's a 383, I'd use the 516s, fitted with the 1.74 exh, a 2.14 intake and a 5 angle valve job. Have the throat cuts blended. Run them. The 383 does not have any really good "zero deck" pistons, so you want the smallest chamber you can get. Plus, power wise, a stock port set of 516s witht he bigger valves will have the capacity to make 430+hp, and you can always cam it for more exh if you're concerned. That's what I'd do.
 
I guess that if I were doing this I would like to shed a few pound of the front end, so why not go with aluminum heads. Bang for the buck a set of Edelbrocks are a great bargin and flow better out of the box than stockers. Now not to mention what are you going to pay for a good three angle valve job, springs, guides if they need be replaced, surfaced and in the end you still have a heavy stock port head for about the same cost as a set of Eddy's. Another option are the ones from 440 source, if you want a more stock appearing head that I believe are good up to 600 hp out of the box. Just my two cents worth.
 
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