Heads upgrade for my 71 base model
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12
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Heads upgrade for my 71 base model
So , I know this is repeat question .
I'm so confused with all internet search .
I wont to upgrade my engine to get 350+HP from it but would like to maintain original look .
What heads can I use and cam to combine with.
I'm so confused with all internet search .
I wont to upgrade my engine to get 350+HP from it but would like to maintain original look .
What heads can I use and cam to combine with.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 112
From: Great Plains Iowa
Bear in mind an increase in horsepower will come at a higher rpm. The high horsepower factory cars all came with the lower gears necessary to maintain drive-ability so unless you are willing to go the whole route you'll end up with a high top end but lower performance down low where you really want it.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Car set up
Bear in mind an increase in horsepower will come at a higher rpm. The high horsepower factory cars all came with the lower gears necessary to maintain drive-ability so unless you are willing to go the whole route you'll end up with a high top end but lower performance down low where you really want it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,455
Likes: 977
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
I rebuilt the engine in my stock L-82 4 speed car back in Spring 2014 and wanted to retain as much "L-82" as possible....unless you look closely, the engine looks like a stock L-82 with the aluminum heads the difference (not real noticeable). I bored the OEM numbers matching block .030, had the forged L-82 rods reconditioned, had the forged L-82 crank reconditioned, reused the OEM aluminum L-82 intake, air cleaner assembly etc. I did, however, put a set of AFR 180 65 CC aluminum heads on with a .015 head gasket (compression 10.2:1) AND a howards roller cam (219/225 duration, .525/.525 lift, LSA 110) with JE forged racing pistons (9:1). The engine has better bottom end than the OEM L-82 (much more), tremendous mid range power (2,500-4,500 RPM) and screams to 6,000 RPM-its simply a monster with better power everywhere than most SBC's. The engine idle is better than the L-82 and pulls seamlessly from 900 RPM in 4 th gear with no tractability issues at all. The new L-82 will simply smoke any SBC C3 from any year with an OEM Corvette engine..hands down. AND it runs perfectly fine on 89 octane fuel...Go aluminum heads with a roller cam....just pick the right cam for what your are looking for and don't go crazy with lift and duration.
Last edited by jb78L-82; Oct 1, 2015 at 07:27 AM.
