Is it worth it to have these heads professionally ported, or is it better to just get aftermarket heads like Iron Eagles or Performers. I'm looking on saving money, and Im assuming getting heads ported would be cheaper and close to as good as getting aftermarket heads.

 

Nowhere close to "as good", not least because typical aftermarket heads already come set up for screw-in studs, larger springs, higher than stock rocker ratios, etc. etc. etc. It might be possible to get flow numbers somewhere near what good heads can flow; but without that other stuff, you can't put a cam in them to allow them to run at high enough RPM to get all that flow capacity into action.

Best bang for the buck is to port them yourself. Any idiot can handle that.... even me. If I can do it, it's got to be pretty much least-common-denominator.

 

It's usually not cost effective to pay some shop to port stock
cast iron heads.
The flow can be brought up to rival some aftermarket heads but the time involved will cost you. (shop labour) As a full on porting is nessessary.
Better to port them yourself and get a good shop to finish them
with machine work and valve job.

Get an real $estimate$ from a real shop in your area on what that will cost you and compare it to out of the box aftermarket heads that will meet your power goals, before you start.

I and others have achieved 240+/- intake flow and 180+ cfm exhuast flow with these type of heads, so the potential is there
for real strong performance. But like I said it takes a full port job.
At shop labour prices the cost will be up there.

 

I agree with f-bird. I too went down this road, purchased a set of "mildy ported" iron l98 heads for 200 bucks off of ebay and ended up giving them to a friend. I ended up gettin a set of AFR 190's for 1200 shipped to my door. The cash you will spend on porting these heads will probally put you close to the 800$ mark. My buddy did the same on his lightning. He got a set of gt40 heads, had them ported....$900 later he had a set of nice flowing heads..BUT he said after everything said & done...Wish I would have went for the AFR's... Either way you go, plan on spending 1000$. Unless you know how to port heads yourself. Good luck which ever you decide.