3782461 heads on a 350 chevy SB
06-27-2007, 11:18 AM
#1
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3782461 heads on a 350 chevy SB
Okay guys,I found some heads with the number 3782461.I know that these are the camel hump heads but how will they perform with a '79 chevy block?Can the valve seats be redone..i.e is there enough "flesh" to go about.My engine requires accessory bolts,which aren't there in these heads.Any suggestion to mount my alternator and steering pump??
Greetz Erik.
Greetz Erik.
06-27-2007, 12:54 PM
#2
Safety Car
461's are pretty good cyl heads when looking at stuff the GM factory prouduced. They can be made to run very well. The intake runners flow pretty well even stock and the 64cc chambers help get some compression in a smog engine like your 1979 350. There are however much better alternatives in the aftermarket (for less $$$ than buying a set of 461's and getting them re-built would cost) and directly from GM (vortecs come to mind here althou they require a special intake manifold)
The 461's draw backs and fixes.
1. No accy holes. You can drill the front of them and make up the "pad" difference with some washers or custom made spacers. Lots of oval track racers did it yrs ago before we knew any better heads were out there.
2. No hardened exhaust seats. A machine shop will have to install hardened inserts in all 8 exhaust seats - expensive. You can also run them as is but you risk the chance of it beating the exhaust seats out of the head.
3. The castings are damn near 40yrs old and yes good in their day but much better cyl heads are availiable now. Also I'm sure the guides are gone, valves are worn out, rocker studs worn out or possibally going to pull out at the least opertune time. It's a lot of money to address all these issues in a 40yr old set of heads.
If you had a numbers matching car and needed a set of 461's fixed to make the car right, then they are worth it but just from a performance stand point they are not IMO.
Will
The 461's draw backs and fixes.
1. No accy holes. You can drill the front of them and make up the "pad" difference with some washers or custom made spacers. Lots of oval track racers did it yrs ago before we knew any better heads were out there.
2. No hardened exhaust seats. A machine shop will have to install hardened inserts in all 8 exhaust seats - expensive. You can also run them as is but you risk the chance of it beating the exhaust seats out of the head.
3. The castings are damn near 40yrs old and yes good in their day but much better cyl heads are availiable now. Also I'm sure the guides are gone, valves are worn out, rocker studs worn out or possibally going to pull out at the least opertune time. It's a lot of money to address all these issues in a 40yr old set of heads.
If you had a numbers matching car and needed a set of 461's fixed to make the car right, then they are worth it but just from a performance stand point they are not IMO.
Will
06-27-2007, 05:11 PM
#4
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Member Since: Nov 2006
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461's are pretty good cyl heads when looking at stuff the GM factory prouduced. They can be made to run very well. The intake runners flow pretty well even stock and the 64cc chambers help get some compression in a smog engine like your 1979 350. There are however much better alternatives in the aftermarket (for less $$$ than buying a set of 461's and getting them re-built would cost) and directly from GM (vortecs come to mind here althou they require a special intake manifold)
The 461's draw backs and fixes.
1. No accy holes. You can drill the front of them and make up the "pad" difference with some washers or custom made spacers. Lots of oval track racers did it yrs ago before we knew any better heads were out there.
2. No hardened exhaust seats. A machine shop will have to install hardened inserts in all 8 exhaust seats - expensive. You can also run them as is but you risk the chance of it beating the exhaust seats out of the head.
3. The castings are damn near 40yrs old and yes good in their day but much better cyl heads are availiable now. Also I'm sure the guides are gone, valves are worn out, rocker studs worn out or possibally going to pull out at the least opertune time. It's a lot of money to address all these issues in a 40yr old set of heads.
If you had a numbers matching car and needed a set of 461's fixed to make the car right, then they are worth it but just from a performance stand point they are not IMO.
Will
The 461's draw backs and fixes.
1. No accy holes. You can drill the front of them and make up the "pad" difference with some washers or custom made spacers. Lots of oval track racers did it yrs ago before we knew any better heads were out there.
2. No hardened exhaust seats. A machine shop will have to install hardened inserts in all 8 exhaust seats - expensive. You can also run them as is but you risk the chance of it beating the exhaust seats out of the head.
3. The castings are damn near 40yrs old and yes good in their day but much better cyl heads are availiable now. Also I'm sure the guides are gone, valves are worn out, rocker studs worn out or possibally going to pull out at the least opertune time. It's a lot of money to address all these issues in a 40yr old set of heads.
If you had a numbers matching car and needed a set of 461's fixed to make the car right, then they are worth it but just from a performance stand point they are not IMO.
Will
Last edited by glenn64vette; 06-27-2007 at 06:44 PM.
06-27-2007, 06:00 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
Personally if you got a good deal on 461X's I would sell them for a pretty penny to a numbers matching guy, and buy some new heads like Vortecs or Darts. No doubt they are good heads but by the time you sink a bunch of money into them you would be ahead with newer ones.
06-29-2007, 10:54 AM
#7
Erik, keep in mind that importing iron heads form the US costs nearly as much as aluminum heads due to the massive weight. Scoggin' Dickey upgraded Iron Vortecs, complete with alu vortec manifold (USD 1000,-)would cost me EUR 1500,- just to get them on my doorstep.
