Technical Vortec Heads worth it?

I think that's a pretty good idea.

 

I don't know where you are I tried the link but it would not come through. But check Topeka craigslist

 

Be careful now, this dance ain't for everybody- only the sexy people.

 

I wouldn't use the vortec heads just for the ugly 4-across-the-top bolt pattern. For the negligible extra expense I'd rather have the new heads, which will outperform the vortec heads, be lighter, and look better too. It's really not much of a decision.

 

Just found Edelbrock is doing a $150 rebate on their E-Street heads bringing them to almost 750.

http://www.edelbrock.com/e-street-rebate/

 

Humm? This is a lot of things and ugly isn't one of them.


This belongs to don's hot rods.

 

There's a little bit of misconception about aluminum heads and compression ratios.

The aluminum heads shed combustion chamber heat quickly. So because of that they not only tolerate higher combustion from increased compression but the engine must have higher compression to make the just the same amount of power. You can raise the compression past this break even point and make even more power, higher than with iron heads - But if you don't raise compression up to at least that break even point you will make less power.

Tv hat might be just semantics to some and that's OK with me. It would make a difference on head choice especially if your just swapping heads or piston purchase if you're rebuilding.

http://www.performanceracing.com/magazine/online_bonus_feature/hot_topic_iron_vs_aluminum.html

With aluminum, Tony Mamo of AFR (Air Flow Research), Valencia, California, concurred, “detonation is less likely in an engine on the ragged edge, as it won’t hold as much heat. But that also firms up the argument that a cast iron head on an engine without detonation issues would make more power for the very same reason!”

“You need to build more heat with aluminum to make the same power,” agreed Bill Mitchell Jr. of Bill Mitchell Products, Ronkonkoma, New York, “or compensate by coating the chambers to keep more heat in the cylinders.”

 

That is an attractive engine, but IMHO I still don't like it because it's immediately identifiable as a newer-style head. It's obviously a SBC, but then you see the inline bolt patten... it's just not the same. I know, I know, people use newer stuff all time. Just lie to me, make your new crate engine look like an older block haha

 

Do you have pistons in the block already?
The Vortec are smaller chamber compared to most late Chevy heads. So they will bump your compression.
With a big heavy car don't go with to big of intake port size or you may end up with a real dog.

 

Yeah it's a fully assembled running '73 350. I started it up and it ran but has bad compression on two cylinders so I plan for a full rebuild. I'll take it to a machine shop when i get it stripped down to see if i need to bore it and if so i'll run flat top pistons for the vortec.

 

That's a pretty picture of an engine 31 Vick but I don't see anything about it that says traditional. nada.
It will however fit very nicely between the rails of a fiberglass body 32 or a 69 Camaro and I expect it will work very well. With or without aluminum heads.
No disrespect.

 

I would change the dist cap and run that baby proud with or without a hood.

 

At least now you have time to build the whole engine as a package.
My used Vortex heads were perfect guess I got lucky.

 

I have a stock '79 305 with Quadrajet and headers in my daily. It's a pig. I don't remember the head casting but it has 1.88 intakes and dished pistons. Would Vortec heads give it more compression and mid-range with the stock cam?

 

Not sure on the 305 how much help but I know a 400 crank in one is a big help.

 

My '74 350 core had either 8.2 or 8.6 dished pistons. To put ARP bolts in the stock rods was more $$ than a set of new Scat rods. The only 2 native things to my engine are the crank and block.

 

Super Chevy did a magazine article on this about 12 years ago. They took a stock GM Goodwrench engine and threw Vortec heads and a mild (Less than .460 lift) cam in and brought the power up something like 100 horsepower.
http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/46370-gm-350-crate-engine-build-v/

 

Bravo 'vic. I ran heavy ol iron Merlins in my BBC for those very reasons. I was told how slow the car would be, how heavy the heads were, how nobody would port them for me, and more not worth repeating. "...and you'll be lucky to just break into the 11s..." was the general opinion. Mine was that I "built the combination" in my head and was shooting for low 11s. Imagine their surprise, almost double what mine was, when it went 10.88 right off the trailer on it's 1st full pass. It settled in to low .80s-high .70s as the night wore on, yet I heard nothing from the nay-sayers except 1 who "just knew" I was on the bottle. "I'll give you a grand if you find nitrous on my car, you give me a hundred if you don't." but he didn't take the challenge. My point toward the topic is about planning and expected performance. I had 1 source for everything I couldn't do, 1 person I consulted with, we both nailed the goal and then some. That said it's probably the best advice I have for the O/P, make a plan and stick to it. You can always find a dozen magazine stories and even more "keyboard experts" that won't agree with your choices. Only you know what you want, and that can be both power and budget. FWIW, I too think Vortec heads are ugly when it comes to traditional stuff.

 

And you can buy a new set with free shipping for about $650. I wouldn't bother refurbing used ones. I'm sure you'd be tripping over these things in junkyards
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12558060

 

If you're dead set on old style valve covers: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Valve-Cover-Adapter-for-Center-Bolt-Heads,1890.html

 

For street use in a 69 Impala you want an engine with good low end and mid range. Building it for pure high speed dyno numbers would be ridiculous. So, you would probably be better off with a mild cam, Vortec heads and generally on the conservative side. Wonder what the Chev experts would recommend for this application: general street and road use in a heavy car. An engine that will be reliable and long lived, have enough power to be interesting, and not break the bank on parts cost or fuel economy.

 

Easy: Stock 350, 327/350 horse cam. 9.5:1 1.94/1.60 heads, Performer intake, street tuned Q-Jet and HEI, and a decent flowing exhaust.

 

ah yep iron makes more HP

 

I was gifted a 1989 350 with Vortek heads, I ground the valves, replaced seals, and springs.
290 Comp cam, (no interference with guides) used an Edelbrock intake and 650 Holley double pumper.
Had to get it running in a hurry, (engine went in my F100, and we were moving!)
Engine ran great, just seemed to 'flatten out' at 5500 RPM... (felt like a 'swirl')
I tore it down in our new garage, and matched ports (resized gaskets)
Pit it back together and the usual 'difference'...
At 2200 RPM it took off like a jet...pull your hat off.
Love those Vorteks! (especially under the hood....'Stormin Norman' gave me a set of chrome valve covers, looks 'decent'. But when I open the hood, I'm always wary of some duck quackin' about them FOUR BOLTS. I usually say, "Yeah, they match the number in the Mains..."

 

You know, call me thick, but I really fail to see how any of this is relevant when the engine is in a '70 Impala. I mean, I just don't get it. So someone is going to see this Impala at a cruise night, mistake it for a flathead powered deuce highboy, and then walk up and recognize the Vortec heads?? I'm sorry, I just don't get it, and I am the guy with period-correct hose clamps.
I guess I need red smoothies and wide white bias plies on my small-block S-10?

 

R-O-A-S-T-E-D

 

Haha, I must have glossed over the post where this was going in an OT Impala. I was thinking more as the Vortec heads would pertain to on-topic applications.

 

Well that's the whole deal then isn't it? An OT Impala on a traditional hot rod site. Fail.

This site has continued to slip away from it's traditional roots and allow more OT stuff to creep in but some of us still cling to the original idea. No disrespect.

 

Well, as far as I'm concerned, anything post '48 is off-topic, but that's a whole nother question, and I aint getting into that...

 

Let's pretend it's a 64 Impala. What do the engine gurus suggest?