And after I did a search for Vortecs I come to find out that, that was stupid. And my Performer intake won't even work on it. And some say my XE268 cam will work and some say it won't. Should I deny receipt when UPS gets here? What costs would I incure by doing that? I used a credit card. Or should I just keep them and have them redrilled for the right intake or is that too late to do.
Any help is greatly appreciated. UPS gets here about 5pm and they usually just drop everything off without getting a sig. Thanks.

Brad...

 

I'm pretty sure the redrilled vortec still have their original intake holes. but even if it does't just buy the intake that will fit and have fun.

did these heads that you ordered come with stronger valve springs? if so the XE268 will work great

 

I think the springs are stock. Could I just take the springs out of my other heads that I ran that cam with? They only have about 4 or 5000 miles on them.

Brad...

 

The assembled vortec heads have a valve lift limit
of .450". Anything more and you'll need to machine down
the valveguide bosses for extra clearance.
About .200" is good. You may as well upgrade the valvesprings
to some stock diameter hi perf replacements.
I like K-motion K700's for your application. The will have the right installed height and pressure for your XE268 cam.
Re-using the vortec retainers and seals. (1.70" installed height.)
This is a simple, machine shop operation and isn't expensive.
If you use these or simular springs with suitable
but not exessive pressure, you do not need to install screw-in studs or pin the studs, so save your money for a set of self aligning type rockers that you will need . The 1.5 stamped steel rockers are more than adaquate for 420 hp. The intake to buy for vortec heads is a Performer RPM for Vortecs. (Plug those stupid extra intake bolt holes with alan set screws and a little locktight or they will leak.)
The intake and carb will fit under your stock hood with room to spare IF YOU USE THE RIGHT AIR CLEANER!
The right air cleaner is an old design GM drop base air cleaner
from the 60's. It is the lowest available and flows better than all the aftermarket ones. (SEE the pic)

 

As you can see it fits with no problem.

 

The issue with the cam and those heads isn't the springs, although the ones that come on the heads out of the box are pure crap (replacement truck motor springs). The problem is that the bottom of the retainer only has somewhere around .480" of clearance to the top of the valve guide.

That cam is considered a good match for the flow characterisitcs of those heads. If I were in your situation I would keep it, and I'd put better springs on the heads no matter what, and while I had the springs off, I'd knock .050" or so off of the top of the guides just to be safe.

Drilling the holes is only part of the intake mismatch, and the smallest one at that. The real issue is that the ports don't even come close to lining up. You really should get a Vortec-specific intake.

 

Right on. I'm starting to feel a bit better about this. Still gonna be costly. Oh well. More overtime I guess. I have a 4" cowl hood. so air cleaners are not a prob. If I still have the bolt holes for the Vortec intake, I'll order one of those while I'm at it. And those springs you metioned. I would like to add the screw in studs and guide plates and machine down the valve guides so I can try some 1.6 rockers and a bigger cam some day. Might as well go all out.

Brad...