I picked up a 383 crank and a set of HP rods the other day for a pretty reasonable price. It's an Eagle cast steel crank and a set of Scat I- beam rods. These pieces are advertised to be good to 500 hp, and I'd like to use them to their full potential. I don't race regularly but I need it to hold together under "occasional hard service". So we'll say that hypothetically, I'm targeting the 475-500 hp range. And I'm guessing that aluminum heads are the only way to go on that. Is that a correct assumption? Are Vortecs an option? Or are there any good aftermarket iron heads that might work?
I'll also need to get some pistons. Do I want dished or flat, hypereutectic or forged ?
I guess the heads will determine what my piston design is to be and iron heads take a lower CR than alum. So I'll have to figure out what heads I'll be using first.
Also I realize its possible that I may be expecting too much of that bottom end with the 500 hp figure. Possibly someone could tell me what a reasonable power limit is on that.
Mainly I'm inquiring about what some good basic piston / head combos might be for this.
Help out if you can, Thanks

 

what you want depends on your application. i'd forget cast and consider hypers but really look at forged. 5.7 or 6 rods? that will paly into you piston choice also. 450 hp is a lot, more than most people really know. i'd not run anythng from scat, but that's just me and i don't know much. i'd look at aluminum heads for several reasons, forget vortecs. i'd also look at dished pistons and very small chamber heads. for a steet type application 350hp will be easier to build and keep plus cheaper to boot

 

Thanks, I did a search last night and pretty much found out what I need to know, and that is that I should be getting some dished pistons. So that will be my next purchace.
Scat's no good huh? I bought some 5.7s, if they look crummy when I get em, i'll put em in a slow car and buy something different.

Thanks for your reply and thanks to all the guys ahead of me who answered the very same question for someone else.