got a 79 350 and i want to put my 86 TPI equipment on it. the heads are casting number 624. i have heard several differing opinions. some seem to think it wont bolt up right because of bolt angles, others say that its fine because they didnt change till 87. so here it is.
will the 86 intake bolt to these heads or not? also, if the bolts are right, are the ports the same, ect?
i need to know this for sure, so i can know whether or not to send the 350 to get bored...
please help me out
i might post this in other areas too.

 

It doesnt matter. 86 is a iffy year for the different bolt angles. If they are at the different angle all you have to do is elongate the holes on the intake base with a drill. And use washers on the bolts. But I think 86 is the old style.

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87z 383,afr 190's, crane hyd roller(224/230-.509/.528,112 sep),Ported and polished mini ram, 24lb inj, 3.42 gears, strange 12 bolt, tremec 5spd, , 1,3/4" slp headers.(stock 305 hypercrap chip), other stealth goodies.
Runs 14's all day long.

 

but everything else is ok? port sizes and whatnot?

 

Go out and look at your TPI manifold. Are the center two bolts on each side the same angle as the bolts on the ends of the manifold, or do they look more vertical than the others? If they look the same, your manifold will bolt up to the heads. If not, do what 87Z says. Either way, there are not port location problems like you would have on Vortec heads.

For what it's worth, mid- to late-70's were not the "glory" years for GM performance. The heads are probably not that great for performance, but they probably aren't any worse than your '86 305 heads, either.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R. 2.73 unlimited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LB9 w/ZZ3 cam, TBD heads, exhaust, paint, etc.).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.