Trick Flow heads
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From: Union NJ
Trick Flow heads
Anyone use these heads? One of my buddies gave me a brand new pair of heads and other new parts because he decided to go with a big block. The heads have 64cc chambers, 195cc intake and 72cc exhaust runners 2.02/1.60 ss valves. Never used Trick Flow sbc heads and I was thinking of using them on my 355 that I just built for my 79. Along with the heads I also got a set of Scorpion roller rockers, Comp pushrods, and a comp 230/230 .480"/.480" cam and lifters and a pair of tall aluminum valve covers. These heads should make 10.5 to 1 compression with my short block. Are these heads Decent?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Auburndale Florida
2025 C2 of the Year ('64-'66) Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07-'09
Terrible heads, no flow, bad castings. I have a pr on my 383. Never again. But I would be glad to take them off your hands !!! 
Seriously they are a great product!!!
Seriously they are a great product!!!
Pro
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Freeport FL
I dont think they would work well for your aplication. If you want to ship them to me, perhaps I can reimburse you for the shipping.
Seriously, how come I dont have buddies like that?
If for some reason you decide not to use thm, I would be intersted in them. It would be a step up from the 185 Holleys I am running now that seem to be limiting me.
Seriously, how come I dont have buddies like that?
If for some reason you decide not to use thm, I would be intersted in them. It would be a step up from the 185 Holleys I am running now that seem to be limiting me.
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From: Union NJ
Pete, you say your considering a smaller cam. The cam you mentioned is tiny to say the least. Such an injustice to the heads you have. By the way you said this combo will give you about 10.5:1 comp. ratio, I ussume you have flat top pistons in the engine.
My opinion is that your under-caming the engine as it is.
Skip
My opinion is that your under-caming the engine as it is.
Skip
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From: Union NJ
Pete, your going to use a set of heads that are capable of supporting a far larger cam. I was thinking around a 460/480 or better yet, a 488/510 and I don't know why you think you would have to run at 3800 rpm for these cams to be in the power range. Far less than that. The cams I'm talking about offer excellent steet manners, and not as well as stock, but very tolorable in every way espesially the first one mentioned. It's obvious your not building a race car, or often called a Pro Street car, but I would think you would at least want a slightly lope idle, and a better match up with the free flowing heads your putting on the car. Yes your going to have more usable power over stock, but I think the cam is a full step down at least from what you like much more. When you said smaller than what you had mentioned in your first post, I wondered just how much, and your choice is only slightly smaller. You would be surprised at how much better the engine would perform and sound with a slightly larger cam, combined with those heads, and not having to run anywhere near 3800 rpm for cruising. Each to his own. I see more under camed engines than I do over camed, after all the sound at idle, the power when a spirited moment comes over you, is a thrill for me, and so much a part of owning a street rod, and I personally gotta have it.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Indiana
They are good heads. I have a pair on my 71. I picked up about 70 rwhp over the set of S/R torquers that they replaced. I'm running a comp 282S (.495/.495, 236/236@.50). Idle is very smooth at 800 rpm and very torquey from 2000 on up. Vacuum is 12" at idle so all vacuum accesories work well. As others have said, you can by with a bit more cam, but you're choice will still run well. However, if I had to do it all over agian, I would probably go with dual pattern cam as it would compliment these heads better. Here's my chassis dyno run.And a nice flat torque curve with a single plane.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
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From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
With Skip. The cam is as small as you want to go. As a matter of fact it may be too small to run with premium fuel without dialing your timing back. Your DCR may be high enough where you need a bigger cam to run 10.5 to 1 compression. You shouldnt have any issues with vacumn or streetability with that cam with 3.55 gears. the only issue i see is a possability of detonation with premium gas. I have 10.4 comp in my 383 and had to go with a 236/242 cam to get my DCR low enough to safely run premium.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
... All im doing is putting a fresh engine in my Vette and not building a race car since I already have one. I think I will use a 224/224 .470/.470 and get plenty of vac. and great street maners. That should be fine with those heads and 10.5 to 1 comp. and the car has 3.55 gears and is getting a 2004R trans. That will be plenty for crusing everywhere with the a/c on! And it will have more useable hp on the street. I dont plan on driving around town at 3800+ rpm just to stay in the engines power range...
on each point
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From: Union NJ
They are good heads. I have a pair on my 71. I picked up about 70 rwhp over the set of S/R torquers that they replaced. I'm running a comp 282S (.495/.495, 236/236@.50). Idle is very smooth at 800 rpm and very torquey from 2000 on up. Vacuum is 12" at idle so all vacuum accesories work well. As others have said, you can by with a bit more cam, but you're choice will still run well. However, if I had to do it all over agian, I would probably go with dual pattern cam as it would compliment these heads better. Here's my chassis dyno run.And a nice flat torque curve with a single plane.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
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From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
I would be hardpressed to argue with Jackson ever, but does anyone else think that intake runner is too large on a 355 with a very mild cam? And with 230/230, is anyone else think there might be some pinging going on if he's up around 10.5:1?
About that 10.5:1... did you zero deck this block or are you running the 2cc JE Pistons? I'm assuming if you're replacing heads, you're going to use a composite gasket at .028" with the typical 5cc pistons, you're closer to 10.1:1.
Sorry, I like to be exact.
About that 10.5:1... did you zero deck this block or are you running the 2cc JE Pistons? I'm assuming if you're replacing heads, you're going to use a composite gasket at .028" with the typical 5cc pistons, you're closer to 10.1:1.
Sorry, I like to be exact.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2004
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I just finished building my 79 L82 355 with a set. I used a Comp Cams XE 268 (Int. 268. 224. 0.477. 110.0. Exh. 280. 230. 0.480). I installed a Performer intake with headers and dual exhaust. Runs great and is very streetable. My transmission is a TKO 500 with a 3:36 rear end. I don't think I would have been happy with a bigger Cam with my set-up and city traffic. P.S. my compression ratio is about 10:2 to 1 and I have yet to have any pinging with good gas.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
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From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
Good call 
To each their own. He said it was all free, why not use it if he'd be satisfied with the power output, even if you feel it isn't the best matched set up?
Were those pistons and rods free too?
Is your buddy's name by any chance Santa Claus?
OK, Pete, you don't want a street rod. I get it. Those heads your putting on the car, and all of that compression, not to mention the full roller rockers, JE pistons, eagle rods, misled me into thinking, street rod, and I guess the fact that the car was a Corvette also made me think, street rod, or at least building it up a good bit past the level of the new Chevy Silverado with a 5.3 engine 315hp.
What a strange combination of parts.
Not going fast is ok, but I want my engine to at least sound somewhat fast, and this is possible without sacrificing much drivability.
ps, you mentioned that your going to have more usable power over stock. Do you realize how low the hp is on a stock model in that era. Most V6 engines from Japan are hitting close to 300 hp.
Your gonna need some power to lug around that several hundred lbs of stereo equipment you mentioned.
What a strange combination of parts.
Not going fast is ok, but I want my engine to at least sound somewhat fast, and this is possible without sacrificing much drivability.
ps, you mentioned that your going to have more usable power over stock. Do you realize how low the hp is on a stock model in that era. Most V6 engines from Japan are hitting close to 300 hp.
Your gonna need some power to lug around that several hundred lbs of stereo equipment you mentioned.
Were those pistons and rods free too?
Is your buddy's name by any chance Santa Claus?
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From: Union NJ
The pistons, rods, crank and block I had bought about 2 months ago and built it to swap in over the winter. I was going to get the rest of the parts after the holidays, but my buddy gave me what he had because of his change of plans which has now changed again! Now he is selling the car he was building (82 Cutlass) and is thinking of buying my Mustang to have a drag car ready for next season without having to turn a single bolt.
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From: Union NJ
OK, Pete, you don't want a street rod. I get it. Those heads your putting on the car, and all of that compression, not to mention the full roller rockers, JE pistons, eagle rods, misled me into thinking, street rod, and I guess the fact that the car was a Corvette also made me think, street rod, or at least building it up a good bit past the level of the new Chevy Silverado with a 5.3 engine 315hp.
What a strange combination of parts.
Not going fast is ok, but I want my engine to at least sound somewhat fast, and this is possible without sacrificing much drivability.
ps, you mentioned that your going to have more usable power over stock. Do you realize how low the hp is on a stock model in that era. Most V6 engines from Japan are hitting close to 300 hp.
Your gonna need some power to lug around that several hundred lbs of stereo equipment you mentioned.
What a strange combination of parts.
Not going fast is ok, but I want my engine to at least sound somewhat fast, and this is possible without sacrificing much drivability.
ps, you mentioned that your going to have more usable power over stock. Do you realize how low the hp is on a stock model in that era. Most V6 engines from Japan are hitting close to 300 hp.
Your gonna need some power to lug around that several hundred lbs of stereo equipment you mentioned.