PAC springs vs Patriot comes to mind from my LS days.

There are plenty of junk valve stem seals as well that won't last 50K

I used http://www.straubtechnologies.com/ parts on my last build.

 

Actually, I'm learning quite a bit from all the different opinions and ideas. I appreciate all the information! Please... don't stop on my account!

 

any update on you final choice?

am looking for new heads and stumbled across this thread about the Profiler heads in my research.
a mate has a set on his new 400 over here and raves about them.(not a corvette tho)

reading around the web on the heads, found this comment,
Exhaust Ports Raised 0.200" (Higher Than Stock OEM Iron Heads)
will this cause any problems, will the stock rams horns, and exhaust pipes still line up and fit?
also the exhaust port is "D" shaped, problem?
need the rams horn manifolds for the stock look.

would be looking at the 185cc intakes, 64cc chambers.
karnt justify AFR's at the moment, not for weekend cruiser.

 

If you're on a tight budget get hold of set of late 80's ali 113/ZZ4 vette heads, these work great on a smog bottom end with around 0.050 head gasket, get a set of roller rockers and a cam kit around 490" lift and you be in the low 13's for very little money. Make sure the cam is big enough to keep the DCR from going through the roof.

I have this same setup in my '51 Stude, it ran 13.4 recently with a lamer cam around 470". the 58cc heads in combo with around 8-1 compression and a thick head gasket will net you around 10.3-1 CR. measure your deck height and work out your current CR then put the info in a calculator. My quench is terrible on paper but the engine runs beautifully and is super reliable.

The only problem with this setup is keeping the CR LOW enough and the DCR low enough, the bigger cam and thicker head gasket helps this.

People will say how crap the vette heads are but if you're looking for 0-60 in around 5 seconds you will not do it cheaper than this IMHO. + you're using GM parts, not some cheap Chinese ebay heads. My 113's were just disassembled, cleaned up, valves lapped in with a drill and paste, new beehive comp cam springs and new seals, no porting.

Alternatively look for a set of second hand branded heads in 64cc Edelbrock etc with a thin head gasket , I use a 0,015" in my 383. Again run it though the calc first

 

I'd love for someone more experienced to weigh in on the raised exhaust ports issue, but I don't think that they generally cause an issue unless the exhaust is already physically touching the frame- 0.2" isn't very much change.

(I went with the 0.2" raised port Profilers myself but they won't be on the car until last this winter, if I'm lucky, so I can't say from experience.)

-Having said all of that, if you're going with heads that flow this well, why would you choke them with rams horns? Headers are one of the best investments you can make -better torque, fuel economy, and less weight.


I know you're in AU so probably don't have as easy and cheap access to parts but with an Advance Auto or Autozone 20% holiday coupon (they just had one this weekend) you can get a good set of coated FlowTech (Holley's brand) Vette headers for $302.98 USD.

I have no idea whether import duties are an issue in AU or not; I know some Europeans who have bought from Autozone Mexico's website as a way to avoid import duty before...


The FlowTech headers also are "gasketless" and come with o-rings and come with locking bolts which avoids the two main hassles of headers. They also have near perfect fitament with most aftermarket C3 accessories including Steeroids racks & staggered starters.



Adam

 

not sure your ramshorns would cover a 195 port...a 180 yes; Weekend cruiser or not just get a quality piece, dont want to lose a motor due to cheap parts failing. Afrs are nice but not the end all be all


113 89-91 L98 head and AFR 195

 

the historic rules for my state as a left hand drive car (fyi; we are a rhd country) means the car must be stock.
so am trying to keep the stock appearance with the rams horns,
i have ground and flapper wheeled the rams ports so the are not as rough, and they were matched to gaskets on my old heads.

the profiler heads have the raised ports, but ATK's, same casting, have stock ports from what i have been told.