I'm looking for cheap (iron) heads that are good enough to liven up my 305. The only other mods I want to perform are headers and a cam. I'm also looking to keep my TPI.

 

TBI, TPI or other? Is it pre87 or post 86? There are a ton of options out there depending on what you want. What's your budget? For a carb setup and a moderate cam I bet you could get away with some Vortecs and an intake, TPI may get more price at that point and it becomes a wash with aftermarket heads. RHS has a few good castings out there for pre86 heads if I remember correctly. Hell even porting a set of 416es or 083s and putting in bigger vales will flow decent.

If I had the peanut cam and TPI heads I'd be inclined to eliminate that first then worry about the heads.

 

It's a 1989 TPI 305. I don't want to spend much more than $500 - $600 (each) for heads. I would be fine with finding a set of heads and porting them, but I have no idea what type of heads are worth machining.

 

look at the 56cc tfs-30300006 heads from summit ..they are perfect for the 305 .. if your budget is 500-600 each head then they will be in your budget as a set is 1199.00.. a good cam would be the comp. cam 08-501-8 .. thats what comp. cams told me for those heads .. as far as headers, hooker 2055 are a good header ..

 

MWnova66 ported and polished his heads and got mad power from them...he was running a 300hp 305. You can also look into the World Torquer heads for a 305. Some of the better 305 heads that are pre-assembled.

 

From reading posts here going to a new aftermarket head, the TPI runners will then be a restriction negating the extra breathing capabilities the head maybe capable of.
Having what you currently have rebuilt with some work will yield you nice gains, be cheaper and won't make the runners a problem.

$350 my heads are getting 1.94 intake valves, 3 angle grind backcut on the valves, bowls hogged and if I added some porting, which according to the numbers found in the TBI section about heads, that $150-$200 extra charge for porting you could equal if not surpass a stock set of vortec. $500-$650 for both, not one!!

 

If you have 081 heads I would Keep those but port/polish add 1.94 valves and have them lightly De-shrouded and surfaced to make up the difference. I just ported/polished (valve guide looks like a narrowed vortec guide) put a set put Manley proflow 1.94/1.6 valves, De-shrouded them and surfaced them to 56cc's. I have not flowed them yet but I know that stock vortecs could not compare. Here is a picture of the a head when I started. They are now finished. 083 heads are from TPI 350.

 

if he's not going to do the work himself i would check into what its going to cost to get a set of heads done ... for a full port job ,bigger valves,bigger springs,valve job,resurface,screw in studs etc... if the price is close it would be worth it to get new aluminum heads over some old cast iron heads ...just my opinion ..

as far as the world heads , for 200.00 i wouldnt even consider them vs the tfs heads .. again just my opinion ..

 

Vortec truck heads. Can probably go to your local junk yard and get a decent set. Also, you will need Scoggin Dickey lower tpi base.

 

Unless he's using a big out going cam there is no need for a tone of other work. Mild port work, un-shrouded valves, resurfaced, valves and the parts to match your cam. Should not cost to much. Even less if you do the port work yourself.

 

Are you talking about the stock 081s? Im just looking for a 270-290 hp 305 tpi and would love to keep the stock heads if possible.

 

Yes, the 081 heads. What the past four posters said is exactly what he's done. If you want to use the factory heads, I'd do what they said.

 

ive never checked into it but what do you think it cost to have a set of 081 or 416 heads completely ported, bigger valves, bigger springs,resurface,screw in studs etc.. basically making them comparable with the 56cc tfs heads out of the box ...

 

All you really need is port work, valves (with a little unshrouding) surfacing and sprigns to mach you cam. These heads (081/416) ported nicely make great power. They are becoming really popular.

 

The heads or compression isn't what holds a 305 back, some of US on this board are misinformed! The reason why a 305 still can never compete with a 350, is because the bore 3.736 instead of 4", theres a serious amount of valve shrouding, stock TPI 305 or 350 heads are actually pretty good. Just put a turbo on it man, you'll spend $1200 roughly if you plan it out right, and you'll be way happier.

And if someone wants to F with a boosted TPI 305, you "could" be throwing down 450+ hp if you build it right, it will be safe and reliable with an intercooler and methanol injection(I'm gonna put nitro in mine but my motor will be n/a for a little on this other 357 I'm doing with my HSR 600+hp on 110 octane. Its 6.85 out here at speedway in tinley park for CAM2 100 octane, 110's like over $8 s gallon at other stations.

 

He didnt even really port them. Just bowlblended and some other minor stuff. I think the ports themselves were left alone.

 

Im trying to find a good set of heads to pair with a summit 1107 cam kit. I have an 82 pace car edition with an edelbrock 1906 carb and trying to get more pep for the car. I know i could just swap a 350 in but im trying my best to keep the original 305 in it. Any recommendations on heads?

 

Didi you read this thread? Plenty of good ideas already posted.

I think that 1107 cam is way too much cam for a street 305. If you do a performer intake, headers/exhaust, and a cam that in the 2-teens it'll run awesome for a 305 and still have good drivability, no problems.

 

So, that cam doesn't really want to run below 3000rpm. Seems like "literally can't drive it on the street" doesn't align very well with "get more pep".

Also the 305 is not a performance engine and you should extract it immediately.

 

[QUOTE=Tom 400 CFI;6567186]Didi you read this thread? Plenty of good ideas already posted.
.
Thanks for the idea i didnt realize how big that cam was i actually got the cam idea from another page in this forum. Im probably gonna run a comp 234 k kit and get my heads rebuilt. I didnt wanna run crazy numbers just something that gives this car some more heart. Its a numbers matching block so i didnt wanna ful swap the motor.

 

Since this 14 year old threat has been revived, there's been a big, recent update in the world of heads for the 305: Trick Flow no longer offers its aluminum 175 head, which was probably the best head available for a 305. It still offers a 175 head for SBC, but the chambers and valves have been enlarged to make it for a 350, so at first glance it looks like the same 305 head, but when you delve into the specs, you'll see that it's not. And when running through the search parameters for available cylinder heads, all other SBC sizes are on the list, except 305.

 

pair of 88-91 vette 113 castings would be good on a tpi 305. small enough valves bore clearance isnt an issue, and stock they are nominally 55-58cc chambers. you can find them cheap used. basic valve job is cheap. youll be buying springs to match cam anyway. or tfs super 98. just about your only option for aluminum heads on such a small bore engine.

To play devils advocate, it is the same labor, and materials costs to build a 350. heck a 90-91 vette L98 would bolt right in, with a gm 071 cam it is basically identical to a zz4 crate engine (minus the forged crank, and only 2 bolt mains) But for a street car its fine. 350hp, 400 foot pounds is easy and if tuned right will run on midgrade gas without problems.

 

If you could find some Vortec 059s that would be a good head.

 

World sells a set of Sportman Heads for the 305 that I had on mine for years that are a huge upgrade over the stockers. Also as others have said, the Vortec's are a good option but you need the later TPI engines for those to fit.

I did a heads/cam/exhaust upgrade on my 305 prior to my LS swap start and gained around 70hp.