whagge70

I am fairly new to the Corvette Forum and just embarking on my journey to resurrect my fathers 1960 Corvette after towing it around for 29 years (he stuck it nose first into a telephone pole).

This being one of my first posts to the forum and being several decades removed from wrenching on this car, I appreciate any of you taking the time in advance.

That said, I am rolling on the project. Body fully stripped and in for fiberglass work with Showcase Auto Rebuild. Full Jim Meyer f/r suspension ordered, being built and frame ready to accept it. Have a Perfect Fit Tremec TKO 5 Speed Conversion from Silver Sport Transmission at the ready. Initially thought I had settled on dropping a GM SP383 Crate in with an AZ Speed SuperJet Manifold and Holley HP EFI.

Unfortunately, I had too much time off from work over the holiday season and began over analyzing my choices. I came across an article on HorsepowerMonster.com where they built out a DART SBC 427 Stroker. I've been obsessed ever since trying to make it fit into the plans I have already made.

I would LOVE to take a similar approach for my short block but am 100% committed to the AZ Speed SuperJet and it requires Vortec heads (Jim at AZ Speed speaks highly of the Fast Burns as a fit for his manifold but I haven't yert told him I've changed my engine plans). DART insists that the Chevrolet Performance Fast Burn Cylinder Heads (19300955) I was sold on as part of the SP383 would not be sufficient for their short block. However, Summit Racing insists that the Fast Burn Heads and DART SBC 427 short block will work fine together. Also, in speaking to Tri-Satr about their Pro Star 427 CID SBC DART SHP shortblock, although not intimately familiar with the Fast Burn Heads after I read off the specs, they too seemed to think they would work.

I feel stuck between my wants and what is realistic at this point and am being too stubborn to just roll back to the original SP383 plan. Now I want that damn 427.

So... Does anyone out there have any experience with the DART SBC 427 and opinions on which Vortec style heads would be a fit? Or am I completely off my rocker!?

Other Heads I have looked at as options but they seem to have similar flow ratings (if not lower than the Fast Burns):
BMP SBC 23° VORTEC-STYLE ALUMINUM HEADS 64CC/210CC
WHITE PERFORMANCE SBC ALUMINUM HEADS 64CC/200CC WPM-S-274

Looking forward to any and all replies.

Cheers
W

AZDoug

I have Dart Pro 1 CNC heads on the 427 Dart SB in my car. I think the intake ports are 230 CC or something.

The comb chamber, (64 CC) is a fast burn type as I can't tolerate anymore than about 30* total timing advance.

If the 383 heads fit, they will work, but the won't flow as well.

Remember that the Dart blocks come with two different deck heights and that will have a huge impact on what intake will fit. The Little M block has the std deck height.

If you are planning on making high HP at high RPM, the 383 heads will severly restrict you, if you are running under 5k RPM, I doubt it will matter much, but you will lose flow across the RPM range.

The tall deck block will also give you problems trying to fit your alternator and expansion tank (if your car has one).

Edit: I milled down the valve cover bosses on the dart CNC heads by 3/8" to lower the valve covers for alternator and exp tank clearance.

Doug