I have a guy that has been researching a combo for me when he has time. I am hoping that come December or January, I will be able to order everything that I need to do my swap.

Here is what I am doing. I will be doing the LT1 Conversion along with installing a cam and heads. I will also be getting my transmission rebuilt and putting in a TCI 3500 stall converter.

I hope this is enough info to decide on a set of heads.

LT1 Intake
Stock TPI TB
3500 stall
Cam: 296/304, .538/.559, 112...those are the advertised numbers, which is all Crane lists.

Will be using 1.6rr's and Crane 99846 Springs.

I am kinda new to working on the motor and don't know how to figure out what heads would be good with this setup. I know I can get good help from you guys/girls here.

TIA
John

 

What budget do you have?

 

i am probably looking at around 3k-3500 for the whole thing

 

I more or less meant budget as in the heads alone. Price out everything else, then see how much you have for the heads.

 

If I covered everything that I am going to be needing, I will have between 1800 and 2350 left over for the heads.

edit: take about another 650 off that...i forgot to deduct the cost of Ed Wright tuning

 

bump...

ok...i have started trying to get a good plan together as far as a projected budget goes, trying to get down to what will be left for the heads.

i need to make sure i have everything though. here is what i have so far.

cam (Crane 109841)
timing set (Cloyes True Double Roller)
valve springs (Crane 99846-16)
titanium retainers
roller rockers (Harland Sharp 1.6)
tci 3500 stall converter
trans. cooler (B&M)

and most important...the lt1 intake which will be sent to john millican for modding and i will be getting the recommended parts from him.

if you see anything that is missing, please let me know.

 

You still trying to figure out what heads to run??

I have the TFS 23* heads and love them. The flow numbers are dead on what they claim out of the box, and w/ nothing more than sanding down the flash I picked up 15 peak cfm and about 10-15% throughout the flow range.

I did get mine at a discount b/c of being good buddies w/ the supplier I used... so I ended up much cheaper than a set of AFRs, but IMO the AFRs or the TFS heads are the only way to go...

Just depends on your budget.

 

Chris...yes I am. I am trying to get all of the decision making out of the way so that come december or january when I get the money, I can just go ahead and order everything. I am trying to get things a little at a time though. Just need a set of heads that will match the cam that I am going to be getting.

 

IMO find a set of heads that you can afford, and get them. Then pick a cam to match both your heads and your intake. In your case a set of AFR or TFS heads mildly worked over w/ a 224/230 cam or a 230/236 cam, both on the XE COMP lobes would compliment the LT1 intake perfectly.

The cam that I went with is a middld ground on those two, and matches excellently w/ the TFS heads, and will work really well w/ the LT1 intake I am installing here shortly.

 

By LT1 conversion, I assume you mean that you're converting the LT1 intake to match the sbc gen1 heads. Right?
Because another option might be to get a set of AFR LT1 heads that already are matched to the intake or a set of LT1 or LT4 heads.
Of course... then mods would have to be made to the heads to make it work with the earlier block.
Just thought I'd throw that out there in case you haven't thought of it yet.

The most lo-budget approach would be a used set of LT1 heads

 

Chris...296/304, .538/.559, 112 those are the advertised specs on the cam that my buddy (a gm certified master mechanic) picked for me. he was matching it to the intake and in the process of trying to match it to a set of heads, but had other things come up and hasn't been able to.

streetiron...what is the difference in the heads that you are saying would have to be modded to fit the block? will the heads not match up?

 

The LT1 style heads, meaning any head that's designed to fit gen2 sbc motors, generally are not considered interchangable with the gen1 sbc pieces because of the reverse flow cooling and intake bolt pattern.
Some guys have modded them to fit, however, with some fabrication.
This is a link found on the Millican site.
http://www.lt1intake.com/LT1_retrofit.htm

The LT1 heads are a plentiful, low budget alternative for a pretty good HP head, at about $200 - $400 on ebay.
By modding a set of LT1 heads it's possible to put together a good, complete EFI system for about $1000.
Modding a set of LT1 heads to fit the block makes it unnessecary to mod an LT1 intake to fit gen1 sbc heads.
http://www.malcams.com/legacy/misc/LT4.htm

 

is it possible to use those heads with the cam that i have listed above? it has a rough idle, which is what i am looking for.


btw...thanks for those links, they have some very informative stuff in them

 

That cam would work as well with LT1 heads as it would with other aftermarket heads.
It seems like a bigger cam than I'd choose for my build tho.
The LT1 heads have a smaller intake runner than is typically available with aftermarket heads @170cc. Other heads would probably outperform the LT1s unless hp/$$ is an issue with you. But if there aren't any budget limitations, then why not go with a Miniram?
You wouldn't have to do any head mods at all to make that fit a set of gen1 sbc heads.

 

main reason i am going lt1 is because 1) i already have the intake here and 2) i know several people that can help me if i have any kinds of lt1 specific problems.

the specs on that cam were the advertised...can't find specs @ .050 anywhere on it. you are saying that a set of stock lt1 heads would work with that cam? other than springs and rocker arms, is there anything else i would need to change? i am looking for upwards of at least 350rwhp from my car...whether i see that with the heads/cam/intake i don't know and i highly doubt, but this should get me close to that.

 

I'm not sure what the max lift would be for stock LT1 heads, but that's one of the easier mods to make on a set of heads. It usually takes nothing more than removing a few 1/1000s off the top of the valve guide and then the usual spring set-up measurement.
If you bought a set of bare LT1 heads off ebay, they'd probably cost in the neighborhood of $150. Then you could have the fabrication done to make them work on your block, and a good valve job with some nice valves and springs. While they're in the shop just specify .550 lift and that ought to take care of it.
A lot of shops might think that you've lost your marbles, trying to weld up a set of LT1 heads to fit an earlier block, because the word out on the street is that it can't be done. But it can and has been done with great success.
If you study that article and look at some pics of the heads and do some searches, you can figure out whether that project is for you or not.
There's definitely no shortage of cheap Lt1 heads on ebay.