Looking for Cylinder Head Recommendations

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GoFish

GoFish

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I'm building a 360 with EFI and a turbo and my turbo designer estimates 600 hp. Hughes Engines has Edelbrock LA heads with full CNC porting and free shipping for $2110.00. These are closed-chamber, 65 cc heads. They say these are good to 625 hp. They come assembled with valves and springs.

Anyone have other suggestions? I need to stay in the 65 cc range, since we are trying to stay around 8.5:1 compression. Port location doesn't really matter since all plumbing will need to be customized for the turbo anyway. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
 
I think the hughes number is naturally aspirated. 625hp is about 310cfm which I find just a bit happy for any SB ede head. Most all the numbers I've ever seen for those heads on a calibrated SF600 bench @ 28 are in the high 280 low 290 range. Those hughes kit come with the stock ede valve springs IIRC, so that's another part of the equation which is probably not useful to you.

Keep in mind that by putting boost to the engine changes everything regarding port flow. With a turbo and pair of heads that flow in the 270's, I bet you could get 600+.

Being on the west coast, look up Brian Hafliger at Indio Motor Machine 760-347-5493. He's very good at porting SB Ede heads and reasonable.
 
That special Hughes has on the CNC heads does include the standard Edelbrock springs and retainers.

I am planning to get some Stage 1 ported and prepped closed chamber Edelbrocks from Shady Dell Speed for my 414 small block. They quoted me a price of $1825 (w/springs and retainers). Not cheap but their reputation for small block mopar heads is second to none:

http://www.shadydellspeedshop.com
 
What about Commando heads? Rocker gear is pricey for these and W-2's but TD's stuff is bullet proof.
 
I'd be interested to hear more details of your build - what turbo are you using and what EFI system?
 
The aluminum MP Large Port Commandos can outflow the Edelbrocks

by approx. 20-25 cfm at .600,, but after buying a set at MP's

insane prices + valvetrain + porting, you've just spent a *minimum*

of $4000.00, and that's minus rocker arms and pushrods.


The ported MP LPC heads are superior to the ported Edelbrocks

through all lifts, but just too pricey...unless money doesn't really matter

in the quest for available horsepower. And sometimes it doesn't, eh?
 
Yeah, well, money doesn't matter...until it does. I'd agree that $4,000 is too pricey.

I don't NEED 600 hp, but that's what my turbo guy estimates is possible. I should probably mention that this is for my '71 Scamp that I'm building strictly as a daily driver. I know I'm looking at stupid power, but its a midlife-crisis thing. I'll be running 8-10 lbs. of boost, with the ability to crank it to 12-15 lbs. on those rare track days.

I really don't know anything about small block heads, as my previous experience has all been with the 440 in my '70 'Cuda weekend car. This explains my need for direction in selecting heads. My initial thought was to go with Magnum heads, since everything I've read here and elsewhere seems to say they are better than the LA heads. If Hughes ported Edelbrocks flow 315 cfm, I'd agree with Cracked that that's serious overkill. Their tech line said I really needed this for 600 hp, but with forced induction, I'd think they'd flow well with even mild port work. I've still gotta buy $4.00+ per gallon CA 91 octane gas. so huge flow has its downside. The Scamp is being built as more of a pro-touring build with appropriate chassis and drivetrain upgrades (frame connectors and torque boxes, 8 3/4" rearend with backbrace, Viper disc brakes, 17-inch wheels, etc.), and as I said, it will be my daily driver when complete.

I'm currently pretty sure I'm going with the F.A.S.T. efi system, but I'm still up in the air regarding the turbo. I've found a really good turbo system designer, so I'm going to let him do the math on turbo sizing.

Thanks for the feedback so far, and especially for the speed shop referrals...:cheers:
 
If she is going to be a stock block she needs a girdle when making over 500 hp.



girdle.jpg
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Right you are. Girdle and Pro-Gram main caps were installed before machine work was done...
 
My coworker built a 408 turbo engine in his Dakota with EFI. He used the R/T heads that mopar performance sells. Jysnflem
 
Just to cap off this thread, today I paid $2,105 including shipping to Ryan at Shady Dell Speed Shop for ported and assembled Edelbrock LA heads...
 
just for a reference i have a set of the stage 3 eddies from hughes engines and they work great, they have 2.08 valves and according to them they flowed either 302 or 305 i can't remember, but also i don't think there are 2 flow benches that flow the same. good luck, oh for turbo or supercharger info call cd concept engineering at 401 826 4400 or www.sd-concepts.com. i met him at the mopar muscle true street challenge this month, this guy knows his stuff, and he deals alot with turbos and superchargers, he told me he was coming out with a kit soon th fit a bodies, turbo kit, he's supersmart on this stuff maybe he would help,I would tell the details of his car but i will wait till the mag comes out. just a hint street car--over 1000 dynoed at the wheels. i was impressed:cheers:
 
GoFish said:
Just to cap off this thread, today I paid $2,105 including shipping to Ryan at Shady Dell Speed Shop for ported and assembled Edelbrock LA heads...
Click to expand...

I think you made an excellent choice going with Shady Dell heads. Where those Stage 2 heads? He quoted me $2,250 plus shipping for Stage 3 closed chamber LA heads.
 
No, just stage 1 porting. Assembled heads were $1,875 and the rest was shipping. I know that the Hughes Engines stage 3 ported Eddys cost about the same, but for my purposes, I really don't need huge flow numbers--especially with 91 octane gas now closing in on $4.50/gal. here.

Now I'm going to check out sd concepts...will it never end?! 8)
 
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