I have a complete set of 882's that I just pulled of a 350 that was burning oil (probably was the busted valve seal I found). I was wondering if I should keep these heads for now and run them until I can afford some dart heads or something or buy these 186's complete with 1.5 rollers for $400.

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/pts/484159187.html

If I keep the 882's I still need to get them mag'd and gasket matched. I can't see putting money into those heads from what I have read. I would port the 186's also but I hear they are much better heads when ported than the 882's. If I run the 186's will I need dished pistons to get lower than a 10:1 CR since I will be on pump gas?


Here is what I am thinking of running

350 bored .030 over and stroked to 383
Comp Cams XE274 cam
RPM intake and holley 750 vacuum secondary carb.

What type of power can I expect from this set-up?

 

If you can get them shipped for less than $200, then the 186's are highly superior. They aren't the best things out there, but there isn't much worse than 882's.

Keep the 882's if you need a doorstop or anchor.

882's, about 325 HP. 186's, over 400.

 

I am in alaska also so I don't need them shipeed. or were you saying I should not pay more than 200 dollars for them all together including shipping?

 

No more than $650 total shipped.

 

Cool because I talked to the guy and can get them for 400 total since I can just pick them up

 

according to Stan Weiss's cylinder head guide, the 882s have better flow numbers than the 186s. The drawback is that the 882s are 76cc chamber heads. The 186s were manufactured during a time when gas had lead in it. They didn't receive the flame hardening of the valve seats that later unleaded heads received. The 186s are for guys who are numbers matching old Camaros so when they open the hood they can show people the double hump casting mark.

 

There's more to head selection than raw flow numbers.

882s are GARBAGE of the worst sort, no matter who posts numbers that say they "flow more".

I've taken 882s off of countless 70s smogger turds, and just stuck freshened up junkyard 186s on them, leaving the original cam, carb, distributor, and exhaust exactly as is (a TRUE before/after comparison); and the results are DRAMATIC. People CANNOT BELIEVE it's the same car and the same motor. Some of the happiest customers I ever had, were people for whom I did EXACTLY that.

Throw the 882s in the trash where they belong. PRACTICALLY ANYTHING ELSE is a better head. 186s are among the best of the old factory castings, but that's all they are, is old factory castings.

I'd say, $400 for a read-to-run set of them with all good parts (valves, springs, etc.) is about the most to pay for a set. If that's what they are, then it's a good deal. If you have to replace stuff or do work to them, pass. You can get Vortecs, a FAR better stock head, for the same or less, and get better results.

 

When you say "countless" I wonder how many trips to the junkyard are you talking about?

 

Equally countless.

I think I swapped a set of 186s onto a customer's 882-equipped car the first time in about 76 or 77, seems like it was about a 73 or 74 Monte Carlo. Probably did at least 10 or so of them in the next 10 or 12 years. No telling how many motors I dealt with that had one or the other of those castings, in addition to ones that I did straight swaps to like that. I visited junkyards on a regular basis back then, always keeping a shapr eye out looking for the 69 & 70 station wagons to gank the 186 heads out of. I still have a couple of sets laying around.

 

882's suck i dont care what you do to them.

 

I went ahead and got the 186's and think I got a pretty good deal. They have 1.5 alum. full rollers dual valve springs and have already been ported. Plus he gave me some chrome valve covers, a extra bare 186 head he had laying around and the pushrods that came off the heads. Now all I have to do is go back and pick up the Edlebrock 750 cfm Carb and Victor Jr intake that he has for 100 bucks for both. I still have to figure out whether the Victor Jr Intake will work with my setup or not but I think I will lose to much bottom end so I will look to trade it for a RPM.