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Would yo upay $1200 for a Chinese head

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Old 07-06-2019, 05:43 PM
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cv67
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St. Jude Donor '05

Default Would yo upay $1200 for a Chinese head

If:

-Had quality USA valvtrain parts
-Flowed as good if not better than most aftermarket pieces in/above that price point?
Obviously port/chamber work would be done
-Knew the seats were good, guides perfect etc? True bolt on and go dont worry type piece?
-Are you a traitor but ok with it cause its cheap and you went faster LOL

Lotsa stuff out therefor under a grand but Id be scared to put it on my mill.

Curious to know your thoughts good bad or indifferent

Roughly 200-210cc intake, 64cc
2.02 1.6

Last edited by cv67; 07-06-2019 at 06:19 PM.
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Old 07-06-2019, 06:58 PM
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Benny42
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I'll put my nomex suit on and answer this. I have some NKB 200cc heads on my car. I did a cam swap & installed them straight out of the box
3 years ago. I have about 9,000 miles on them and they are great. I don't have the rest of the combination to really exploit them, i'm still
running the stock bottom and the TPI intake, so i'm not much faster (yet, gears and intake to come). I had to get guide plates and push rods
and I paid a bit less.
Old 07-06-2019, 10:55 PM
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KurtK
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No, I would not
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Old 07-06-2019, 11:01 PM
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juanvaldez
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Is a CNC product produced in China different than a CNC product produced here?
Old 07-07-2019, 12:02 AM
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ConnecticutJunkman
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1200? No.
600? Maybe
Old 07-07-2019, 01:00 AM
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Though I do enjoy Asian women, she'd have to be somethin' really special for $1,200...
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Old 07-07-2019, 04:54 AM
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cv67
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Not cncnor china
Think again on the NK.....____ not being PC.

So whats a fair price in your guys head of qualty.performance/price vs

Why/why not.
Curious

Last edited by cv67; 07-07-2019 at 05:59 AM.
Old 07-07-2019, 09:24 AM
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Benny42
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Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
Not cncnor china
Think again on the NK.....____ not being PC.

So whats a fair price in your guys head of qualty.performance/price vs

Why/why not.
Curious
I guess I jumped in a little quick on this. Mine are not CnC machined but at the price I paid ( low ) I thought surely the were China castings.
Old 07-07-2019, 10:34 AM
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84 4+3
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There are deals to be had... but at 1200 no... you can get a nice US head at that price that's much better as far as QC and support... that's just me.
Old 07-07-2019, 10:56 AM
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Gixxerman
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No The phrase "Quality Control" has no Chinese translation
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Old 07-07-2019, 11:13 AM
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dizwiz24
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No.

Ask me what i think about chinese optisparks?

seriously, is china a military threat to us? If they cant make a reliable replacement auto part, do you think they could make something more complicated (like a missile or nuke)?
Old 07-07-2019, 11:13 AM
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64Scout
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It really depends on the quality requirement of the buyer. (Company that contracts the product) I work in a tire factory and we get a lot of chinese made molds that are high quality.
Are they CNC ported? Valves lapped? Is $1200 for a pair or each? That's hard to justify as it's close to name brand territory.
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Old 07-07-2019, 11:34 AM
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Kevova
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Maybe. I try to research quality of what I buy. There is so much no name GEN1 SBC it hard to know what you are buying. There's a fair amount of information on the dangers of poor QA of assembled heads.
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Old 07-07-2019, 12:49 PM
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cv67
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I wouldnt, but sounds like many would-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-CHEVY-4...a504%7Ciid%3A1

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/BlueP...yABEgJrlPD_BwE

There is so much no name GEN1 SBC it hard to know what you are buying.
many of them out there have different names but the same piece of junk. Have to know where the hardware is coming from also. No such thing as a good cheap spring ,valve etc been there done that!! Lucky I didnt lose the shortblock.

In fact that shortblock was a P.A.W. forged 350 assy...3 tries before I had parts that werent trash.....the balance job was so bad that thing shook itself to death in 1200 mi.Lots of thier house brand stuff was early china knockoff peices noone knew back then.

Just happen to have a set of knockoff Dart Platinums on their way bare. Ought to be interesting project will share the journey.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Speedmaster/7...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Last edited by cv67; 07-07-2019 at 02:59 PM.
Old 07-07-2019, 01:05 PM
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Kevova
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Sometimes you have to evaluate the seller. Skip White from what I know is a stand up operation.
Old 07-07-2019, 05:21 PM
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84 4+3
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Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
I wouldnt, but sounds like many would-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-CHEVY-4...a504%7Ciid%3A1

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/BlueP...yABEgJrlPD_BwE


many of them out there have different names but the same piece of junk. Have to know where the hardware is coming from also. No such thing as a good cheap spring ,valve etc been there done that!! Lucky I didnt lose the shortblock.

In fact that shortblock was a P.A.W. forged 350 assy...3 tries before I had parts that werent trash.....the balance job was so bad that thing shook itself to death in 1200 mi.Lots of thier house brand stuff was early china knockoff peices noone knew back then.

Just happen to have a set of knockoff Dart Platinums on their way bare. Ought to be interesting project will share the journey.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Speedmaster/7...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
Why not Jegs house brand?
Old 07-07-2019, 06:02 PM
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Joe C
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Originally Posted by 84 4+3
Why not Jegs house brand?
...or summit racing's house brand - not sure of the OP's application, but here's a set at $1050 (free shipping) 64cc, 200 runners, 2.02/1.60. i'm pretty sure summit's house brand heads are made by dart.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-162112/overview/

according to the site, made in the USA -

Last edited by Joe C; 07-07-2019 at 07:08 PM.

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Old 07-07-2019, 07:05 PM
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84 4+3
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Originally Posted by Joe C
...or summit racing's house brand - not sure of the OP's application, but here's a set at $1050 (free shipping) 64cc, 200 runners, 2.02/1.60. i'm pretty sure summit's house brand heads are made by dart.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-162112/overview/

according to the site, made in the USA -
The jegs are profilers. Also USA cast.
Old 07-07-2019, 07:59 PM
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TBSS/85vette
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Only If it had a happy ending.
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Old 07-08-2019, 09:34 AM
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MatthewMiller
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There's no reason that Chinese foundry can't produce good castings. As someone else already said, it will depend on the specs and how much oversight the importer gives them. My concern would be that I don't know how to look at a casting and tell. If you can find others who have run the same heads and gotten good flow numbers (independently verified) and good longevity out of them, and they are a significantly less expensive option, then go for it. If no verification can be found, then maybe think twice.


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