BBC cylinder head opinions..

[QBuff02]

Well, on an unrelated matter, had to pull a valve cover to do some checking. As the story goes when I bought the truck I didn't know exactly all what had been done internally on the engine other than "it was worked over" It allegedly had roller tip rocker arms, springs, valves and some other head work, but I couldn't be told for sure what heads, etc were on it or what actually had been done to them. Now after pulling a valve cover I have some proof of what it has and the casting numbers.. So what are the thoughts on these heads? thinking of doing a cam and intake swap, but am leaning towards pulling the engine and freshening the whole thing up.

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[74 Shortbed]

What are the plans for the truck??, you have the good heads and sounds like the work has already been done to the heads(providing it was done right that is)you could freshen that up cheap and have a real stump puller if that's what you're looking for..

 

[QBuff02]

pretty much what I'm looking for, below 6,000ish rpm. Been talking with the engine builder and he told me that if I'm wanting to put a bigger cam in it, that in order to really take advantage of a bigger/better cam I should pull it down and put some good domed pistons in it to up the c.r. to around 9-9.5. but like he said, we need to know what's there first before we get crazy. Lol Well now that I know what heads I have, I can start somewhere.. I told him I'd like to stay in the $1,500ish range on "freshening" it up. And since i'd be doing all the disassembly/assembly, He told me that's totally doable!

 

[74 Shortbed]

Yep, it needs to be tore down and see what you really have, 049's have a large chamber(122cc)but you may already have decent pistons that might work??, just need to measure **** up..

 

[4WDKC]

Yep, it needs to be tore down and see what you really have, 049's have a large chamber(122cc)but you may already have decent pistons that might work??, just need to measure **** up..

heads may have been milled before also, need to check that out before you start ordering parts.

 

[74 Shortbed]

heads may have been milled before also, need to check that out before you start ordering parts.

Yep, that's why I said need to measure **** up.

 

[QBuff02]

Yep, it needs to be tore down and see what you really have, 049's have a large chamber(122cc)but you may already have decent pistons that might work??, just need to measure **** up..

He said by listening to it, he doubts it has more than flat top pistons and 8:1 at best! Lol The man has literally built a couple thousand Chevy engines, so I laughed and said I'd take his word for it. Most heads he sees have had minimal resurfacing work done, and like he said, if I had "junk" heads on it, we'd be money ahead to find another set to start. But I feel pretty confident about these heads and what I'm intending to do with it. Now we just need to figure out the rest of the internals..

 

[QBuff02]

heads may have been milled before also, need to check that out before you start ordering parts.

Absolutely, I wouldn't think to order anything "blind", but we all know some people have!


And he's trying to talk me into a 496 kit for it. But I want to freshen it with a cam and intake change so I know what I have and know it will live for a few years. I intend to strip the truck and redo it in the next year or two's time. Want to have a little fun with it and not grenade it in the meantime. And when that time comes, then i'll build my dream engine. Lol

 

[74 Shortbed]

He said by listening to it, he doubts it has more than flat top pistons and 8:1 at best! Lol The man has literally built a couple thousand Chevy engines, so I laughed and said I'd take his word for it. Most heads he sees have had minimal resurfacing work done, and like he said, if I had "junk" heads on it, we'd be money ahead to find another set to start. But I feel pretty confident about these heads and what I'm intending to do with it. Now we just need to figure out the rest of the internals..

Well, you'll find out when you tear it apart, lol..

 

[QBuff02]

Well, you'll find out when you tear it apart, lol..

We actually bet a soda on it.. Lol I know, rich man's bet! But we've made a "sodie" bet on things ever since I was a teen working for him back in the early-mid 90's.

 

[74 Shortbed]

We actually bet a soda on it.. Lol I know, rich man's bet! But we've made a "sodie" bet on things ever since I was a teen working for him back in the early-mid 90's.

Cool..

 

[QBuff02]

The biggest take of this, if I remember right, the block is a late 70's 4 bolt (allegedly) block, and now I know the heads are early 70's castings, and then to top it off, the intake is casting #3866948 which is a Holley factory cast iron oval port intake from like 66-68 supposedly for the 396-427 390hp engines. The engine was originally put together by Previous owner for "cheater stock" truck pulling classes and I'd say the deeper I get into it, the more I see it's got a Heinz 57 of parts in it.. However, it DOES seem to run pretty good.. Just don't know what else i'll find when I pull it apart, kind of like a science experiment! Lol

 

[da_raabi]

Ever thought about a set of Gen VI heads? With the stock pistons they should up your CR to around 9.5:1 or so, and they breath like the big oval stock heads.

Might be worth looking into for cheap.

 

[QBuff02]

Well, you'll find out when you tear it apart, lol..

Ever thought about a set of Gen VI heads? With the stock pistons they should up your CR to around 9.5:1 or so, and they breath like the big oval stock heads.

Might be worth looking into for cheap.

Went through the valves last night and while I had the plugs out to roll it over easier, I put my borescope down a couple cylinders and low and behold.. It's got domed pistons in it already. Sonofabitch I won a sodie out of the deal! I called him this morning to give him a little **** and tell him of my discovery, and he replies with "those quieter 60 series flowmasters threw me off a little on that compression guess" Lol However, I don't know how much dome there actually is height wise, but I can clearly see they aren't dished or flat tops.. which is a good start if I wanna just freshen it up! This engine is like the guess that keeps on guessing! haha

 

[QBuff02]

Ever thought about a set of Gen VI heads? With the stock pistons they should up your CR to around 9.5:1 or so, and they breath like the big oval stock heads.

Might be worth looking into for cheap.

I had considered something along those lines pending what heads I had, but now knowing that I have good heads already, I'd work with what I had for the time being..