Ok, I know this has been thrashed about many times before but I am looking for opinions/real-world experience with different heads.

From what I can tell, the AFR190 looks really sweet. It costs a bunch, but it's nice. They told me it I could expect a ton of torque and HP and probably pass emissions too.

Anyway, other choices might be:
0. AFR 190
1. Edelbrock performer
2. Holley Systemax
3. L31 Vortec
4. World products
5. lots of others!

It's a tough choice for me. The AFR is good but expensive. The L31 vortec flows pretty damn good (even with the smaller valves)and is very inexpensive. Edelbrock looks ok and so does the Holley, but again they start getting up there in price.

If I go aluminum, then CR can be set to over 10:1 without worrying too much about detonation. Cast iron would probably have to get by at 9.5. Maybe the extra 1 point in CR isn't really worth worrying about, but am not sure.

There's a web-site where some guy posted the flow numbers for lots of heads: http://www.angelfire.com/wv/fuzzychevy/sbheads.html
Some heads did better on the exhaust side, some better on the intake, yada yada. But it's tough to say which ones work best under what conditions. Yep, the AFR beats everyone. After that, the L31 looks pretty damn caparable to the edelbrock and the holley- so go figure. I'm thinking that maybe the aluminum heads are better because they are CNC machined so that each head is exactly to specs. Maybe the cast iron flavors are not. Is this possible? What else could be going on here?

As for my goals, this is a going to be 1986 firebird that supposed to be a lot of fun to drive. I don't have any plans to race at the track, so my concerns are strictly street performance.

any opinions?

gene