Cast or Alum.heads for racing.

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You could start out with Kate Jackson and fix her up ( lil' cosmetic surgery, enhance this, enhance that..) or just go straight to Farrah Fawcett ( the W-2 ! ) As far as ancilliary costs, you need an intake, some headers, valves, rocker arms regardless. Steve Dulcich put it this way: " Why use an “exotic” head like the W-2? Essentially, the W-2 and other similar aftermarket heads address and correct several bottlenecks to performance inherent in the small-block Mopar head architecture by offsetting the intake rockers to move the pushrods away from the center of the port for increased intake-port width. With the factory valvetrain, the intake port’s cross-sectional area is limited adjacent to the pushrods, while the W-2’s layout makes room for a wider port at the pushrod pinch. The W-2’s wider oval intake ports require a corresponding W-2 intake manifold. At the other end, the W-2 has raised exhaust ports and a spread bolt pattern at the header flange.

The bolt pattern change allows easy installation of large-tube headers, whereas the stock layout causes the header bolts to be crimped against the tubes—even with 1-5/8-inch street headers. Finally, the W-2 is available in a long-valve version, which increases the valvespring installed height from the factory1.65 inches to 2.00 inches, making room for the stouter springs needed to go with high-lift cams. W-2s come in a number of different chamber configurations. Our W-2 has the standard 70cc production-style open chamber. After the porting work, we had 75 cc’s for a compression ratio of 10.4:1. Milling the heads can bring the ratio near 12:1 with the same flattop pistons. "
 
I have not seen any headers for an early a body with w-2 heads. You might have to get some w-2 flanges and build your own. You were talking about your 66 for the head upgrade, weren't you?
 
Time to find another machinist" Edelbrock heads cracking when installed on cast blocks" :scratch: i've been running them for 3 seasons not one issue with them,or any issues with others i know that are using them..W2 might be a better head but they weight more(in racing weight savings is everything) and you need to use special W2 rockers,W2 intake,W2 headers,not cheap at all,i'll take a set of properly preped Aluminum heads over cast any day..and Aluminum heads can be fixed if damaged...can't always say that for cast..
 
I have a pair of Ede's that flow right at 300cfm at .600 with very strong numbers in the mid lifts, with rockers... I have $1500 total in the heads.

Try that with a set of W2's... Priced a set of good rockers, offsets, etc???

Oh, my stuff is lighter, easier to fix, not crack prone like w2's and I already have a stack of intakes and headers that I can use on the ede's, faults and everything.

It's all about what you want to build and at what level. For what the OP asked about and intended use, you could use either and have a grip more money into the w2's for minimal gain. Unless he's planning on running a .675 lift+ cam, the gains from the w2 aren't that great. YOU DON'T NEED W2'S TO RUN 11.00 ON A STROKER! Guys are running 11.00-11.40's with strokers, ede's and .530-.550 lift hydraulic cams.

If I was made of money, I wouldn't mess with any of the mopar or ede heads, go straight to the non cnc's Indy 360, have them ported correctly and stomp a mudhole in both the w2 and ede heads. It's all about finding a way to get what you need and being thrifty/getting good value for your $ to me.

Everyone has an opinion and quick to spend others money at a whim.

Why buy Farrah if Kate gets you off??? :sign10: LOL
 
Hey Scott, Just my measley 2 cents Canadian; We ran X heads back in the day. I had a set on my 340 that were ported by John Rossiter racing with big valves. My buddy ran them on his hairy solid lifter motor (hairy for the 1980s)They flowed great..........could never afford W2s with all of the add ons. The X heads worked great. Don't know much about aluminum heads but I know less weight = low ET.:cheers:
 
The right head will win more races when the engine is built to make use of them. IMO, there is no reaason at all to run iron on a race engine unless the rules say to. W2s are good heads, and the new RHS Magnums look promising. But they will cost more money to get to the level you need. You'll need 550hp on a race car to go way in the 10s. Closer to 600 on a car that does double duty on the street too. J heads are a total waste IMO in a race engine. To match even the RPMs they need port work, seats, guides, and other work. It simply doesnt make sense any more. They did work. But there's much better out there now. Not to mention smaller tighter chambers that no factory head has. So what is your right head? The budget and the ET, plus the current condition of the car and support systems need to be known.
 
pettybludart said:
What does everyone think is better for a racing engine?Cast W2 heads or the Eddy RPM aluminum heads?I was talking to an old friend(engine machinist)and he was telling me to go with some cast heads,he said the aluminum ones don,t like the heat(crack)when put on a cast block.I,m thinking about building another stroker motor,but need some other opinions on the cast (W2) heads.Any help?Thanks.


P.S Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.:toothy10:
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Did I miss something here? Pettyblu made no mention of $$. I happen to own a set of Eddy RPM's, but the W2 IS a Racing head and Does outperform the Eddy. The notion that it doesn't make enough extra power to haul itself down the track due to its extra weight is silly.
 
The opinions offered up here are all good and very constructive. However, many of them seem to mention the cost associated with the W2 versus the Eddy RPM. I 'm merely pointing out that from the beginning, money was not part of the eqution. Simply opinions on which head might be a better choice for Racing. Cost effectiveness of one head versus another is a Different question. Thanks
 
True!I did mention that my last stroker cost 6 grand(X heads were already done)I,d like to keep this one under 10 ???I,m thinking ya right!LOL!
 
In that case NEITHER a w2 nor an e-brock is the best choice.

Go buy some w8 or w9's.

Race engine is WAY too general. What are the expectations... he mentions 10-11 range. Don't take much to get there. If someone asked me to build a a SB to go high 10's in a 3300# A body, W2's wouldn't be my first, second, or possibly third suggestion.
 
crackedback said:
In that case NEITHER a w2 nor an e-brock is the best choice.

Go buy some w8 or w9's.

Race engine is WAY too general. What are the expectations... he mentions 10-11 range. Don't take much to get there. If someone asked me to build a a SB to go high 10's in a 3300# A body, W2's wouldn't be my first, second, or possibly third suggestion.
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Crackedback,this is for my 66 Dart which I think is in the 2700lb. range?(I haven,t weighed it yet)I,m probably gonna end up buying Eddy,s done already.These will be my last heads purchased.
 
pettybludart said:
Crackedback,this is for my 66 Dart which I think is in the 2700lb. range?(I haven,t weighed it yet)I,m probably gonna end up buying Eddy,s done already.These will be my last heads purchased.
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Even easier...

You can get 575-600 out of ede's and that's about the limit. That type of engine would easily push a 66 Dart in that weight range to the times/mph you desire. There are a few guys running mid 9's with ede's in cars that weigh in at 2700.

A race engine to one person, may not be much of a race engine to another. If you want something in excess of 600hp, look elsewhere for heads.
 
Thanks for ALL the responses from everyone!Definetely alot of opinions and options.I have a friend that offered to weld in a roll bar for me(gonna need it).
 
Scott, The only headers I know of for w2's are headman fenderwell's. Thats why I have them on my car, the first engine I put in it was a 372 w2. The edelbrock have a lot better short turn radius on the intake and especialy on the exhaust than the X and J heads. The w2 is even better thats why they make the power they do. Ask your head porter about the short turn and waite for the horse power lesson.I do'nt want to dissapiont you on the weight of your car but mine is 3215 with a quarter tank of gas and a 4spd and automatic car is about a 100 pounds less, my guess is 3100 with out you in it.
 
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