If that is your first time porting, you sir, have done professional work! That looks GREAT! And what a nice A-body you have!
Thanks 273, for this chance to open the topic up a little and inform newbies or strict budget workers that there are so many "after the fact" affordable add-ons to continue the project without searching for a "340".
Hey, great work on the heads! Those are iron heads, right? What bits did you use and where did you get them?
Follow-up question on cutting the head: Would a 0.040" cut mean new push rods or is it within tolerances, so to speak?Thanks 273, for this chance to open the topic up a little and inform newbies or strict budget workers that there are so many "after the fact" affordable add-ons to continue the project without searching for a "340".
By "bang for the buck", I assume you mean which would lower the E.T. the most. Of the 3 you listed, probably a quality converter at this point. A good converter will make up for a lack of gearing in 60 ft (if I had tires to hook it up) and get the car into the power band quicker. I've dropped .4 in years past just by a simple converter swap. I would fully expect this car to respond the same, and may give me more if it was a high end ($$) converter. But you could drop in a cheaper converter (300.00 Hughes?) and pull plenty off the E.T.
- But gears would certainly take a huge slice of E.T. right off the top (but take away the great highway cruising rpm I have now)! 3.55's - 3.91's would certainly help the teener move it off the line and get into the power band quicker. Price would be determined by the shopper.
- Exhaling. I'm confident just a set of headers alone would add 2 mph to this car in the 1/4 mile. I'm shifting at 5300-5400 rpm's right now, but a set of headers would probably move the shift point to 5600 rpms. Headers alone may be 25-30 hp when matched to this cam and home-ported heads. Yes, a cheap 135.00 dollar set of headers from summit would do the job.
- Compression, this cam is crying for compression, which I denied it to support the budget. It's not a fast ramp cam that aids in low compression motors. It's an old Crane fireball type of grind. A simple cutting of the heads .040 for a 150.00 bucks would be a seat of the pants difference, and add low end grunt, and be stronger all the way through.
Couple of things: First, the factory tin head gaskets are only about .015 thick compressed. Your typical over the counter fel pro head gasket (like I used in the Summit kit) is about .050 thick compressed. So, as you can see, .040 is only going to truly net me only about .005. Now, at the other end of the head gasket spectrum, if you go with a .028 compressed performance gasket, you are still only netting about .030 from the factory.
Thanks for the thorough reply!Couple of things: First, the factory tin head gaskets are only about .015 thick compressed. Your typical over the counter fel pro head gasket (like I used in the Summit kit) is about .050 thick compressed. So, as you can see, .040 is only going to truly net me only about .005. Now, at the other end of the head gasket spectrum, if you go with a .028 compressed performance gasket, you are still only netting about .030 from the factory.
- Trust me on this: Factory blocks have different deck heights and cylinder heads will vary as well. Not all engines were "true" from the factory and all used the same push rods from the factory be it 318,340 or 360. My point is, hydraulic lifters will generally be for given of a .030 gain (probably the best you'd do with a special thin gasket). Quick test is once assembled, with the valve shut and cam lobe on opposite side of lifter, your rocker should have slight "wiggle" room.
- I have never run into a problem with cutting the heads .040 and using stock push rods with hydraulic cams.
- Last, if you wanted to measure to be on the safe side, not a problem. Measure
I guess I would throw a warning out IF you deck the block, and cut the heads! Then, better pay attention to the push rods, and intake mating the heads.
Roger. Not doing that, though.
Thanks! Yes, they are stock 360 iron heads. I borrowed cutting bits from a friend. A couple of different sizes and lengths. I also used sandpaper rolls. I could not find them in Sweden so I ordered from Summit.
Ok, thanks.
Good to know. I too have manual brakes, but factory A/C that runs on vacuum so that was my only concern.
Can't answer on the A/C, sorry. I would think the vacuum should be ok.... that's just me think'n, and that's dangerous
Been using it to compare intakes. First the factory cast vs the Holley Street Dominator. Now it's the Action Plus vs both. We'll see which one performs the best (and I figured before starting not much difference in them all). Had 60 bucks into the cast, had 30 bucks into the Holley SD, and I'm not sure what I have into the Action plus, been around a while.
