I am a new member and this is an older thread but thought I'd throw in my two cents....since I've been rodding since the '60s maybe this might help someone out there.

The 461 and 462 casting heads are good for street performance, especially the 461X casting, which featured runners of 170CC (vice the "stock" 461 casting 160CC runner). HOWEVER......

Neither the 461 or 462 have BOLT HOLES cast in the face of the head for your alternator, power steering, smog pump, etc.... SO, I would rate both of these castings as good for a restoration, resto rod, or budget racer ONLY.

Additionally, most of the 461, 462, and 186 castings came with pressed in rocker arm studs. Add the cost of having your heads surfaced and tapped for screw-in studs.

ALSO... guys my age remember that older SBC heads with 2.02/160 valves had an ugly habit of cracking between the valves.......

Two factory heads were not mentioned: the 487 and vortec heads.

The 487 was used on early 70s sbc performance engines. It has good intake/exhaust runner volume/velocity, accepts decking well, and is not prone to cracking like the later 882 and other 70s castings. It accepts 2.02/160 valves well, but most had pressed in rocker studs. They are larger chamber heads, but this allows you to run a flattop piston and still keep your CR under 9.5:1. There are also a SMALL number of 487X castings out there, these also feature a 170CC intake runner.

The new Vortec sbc heads are TOUGH to BEAT for a street head. They feature intake runners that promote intake air velocity over brute volume, hence a head that promotes TORQUE, the true friend of STREET rodders. Yes, the valves are 1.94 or 2.00, but they are part of an excellent, matched package. Many tests run by many mags prove that the Vortec head flows better than ANY OTHER factory cast head, except, of course, the 292 casting and maybe the rare X castings. Also, lets face it, the older sbc valve cover sealing, in a word, sucked. The Vortec has the superior center bolt cover/raised rail system that really eliminates oil drooling from under your covers. Best thing about them is the price, especially when compared to aftermarket heads. BUT... they are only a 64CC chamber, SO dished pistons are a consideration.

Hope this info is helpful. And now, I shall go outside, smoke a cigarette, and take the V12 Jag out to terrorize the locals. Which is weird, because I don't smoke......

 

It is helpful! Also humorous, now.
I also realise this is an older thread. That being said, just today
I was wondering if I should change out the heads on my low mileage
'90 L-98, (113 casting) for the original heads (462?) that need screw in studs installed and probably a valve job, guides?
Doing cam and intake change, motor is in '67 roadster since '91.
Bolt holes not an issue
Info here tells me 462's not that much better than alum 113's,
in view of the expense to get my 462's ready, which will probably be
2 to 3 times more than I'm thinking right now, ($200-300)
My 113's run just fine and barring suprises, need only spring and
guideplate ghanges. I'll bring the 462 set home and have a look at them....
Comments?

Cheers, GA
(Current and ongoing victim of project creep) me

 

I just thought I would point out since the invention of CNC Machining and other Production inovations that why these new performance Parts are so cheap. If you were to send a production Head to a well known Porting service and had them done right it would cost way more than just buying a set of CNC production Heads. I don't think anybody realises how much work it is. And that cost wouldn't include Flow Testing and Dyno work that has already been invested in the Aftermarket Heads. OK so You can do the work yourself, but you have to count your time for something. For my late 80's Turbo Motor I built I used the 441 Castings ( Low Compression Turbo Head) and bought a AFR Porting kit wich had proven Port Shape Patterns etc so that I would at least get some of the engineering people who did this for a living had developed. I spent 2 Weeks working on those Heads. There is a limit to what You can do, Ports can only be changed so much before you hit the water jacket, Combustion Chamber Shapes are pretty much as is. When I was done they worked well, however not as well as the AFR Heads that I used on my new Motor that I just bolted on "as is". The same is true for most Parts on a performance engine build. Try taking a set of Stock Rods and Polish the Beams, Shot Blast them, re size them, new AFR Bolts and balance them for less than a new set that will be stronger in the long run any way. Cranks and Cylinder Blocks arn't much diffrent. For a performance engine I would not even attempt to out smart a modern aftermaket head starting with a Production one. A lot has happened in the last 30 Years, and yes a lot of it is good for Us in the performance crowd.

 

how about bowtie phase3 iron heads?they are the highest performance small block chevy iron heads made by gm. 186cc intake runners

 

I have a set of 340292,with roller tip steel rockers,i've not checked them out very good,but i know there not cracked,how much should i ask for them?