After driving and getting used to my car I'm on the hunt for more power, the heads seem to be the next logical step, albeit very costly. I'm 23 so I don't exactly have money coming from every orifice so I need to stay in budget.I bought my car as it sits, all the motor work was done by a previous owner two owners back so what I know about the motor is totally limited. This is all I know...

was told it was a 383 but could just be a normal 350

Demon 750 CFM carb
Edelbrock Victor JR Intake
Crane cam (dunno which one)
Crane Roller Rockers


The more I read about heads the more I get confused, I liked the idea of Vortec heads but read alot of articles about how they are not totally bolt on. I was told by somebody else that AFR heads are the best but there are about 10 million choices on their website and I'm lost. I want to keep the car a street/strip setup, it alreads has the 4 link and is all plumbed and ready for nitrous, all I need is a bottle...which I won't be adding. Anyone have any insight into this, I thought I knew alot about f-bodies until I bought one.

AFR, Brodix, Dart are all popular aftermarket choices.

To be able to make a decision on your heads or cam, you need to know where you are now. Motor in or out? If out, I would open up and take account of what you have, stroke, cam , pistons. Then you can make a better decision on what you need for what you will be doing with the car.
You would not want to be spraying a motor with cast slugs or cast crank, it has been done but to be on the safe side, do your homework first.

To be able to make a decision on your heads or cam, you need to know where you are now. Motor in or out? If out, I would open up and take account of what you have, stroke, cam , pistons. Then you can make a better decision on what you need for what you will be doing with the car.
You would not want to be spraying a motor with cast slugs or cast crank, it has been done but to be on the safe side, do your homework first.

It won't be sprayed at all, the guy who did the motor had it all done for nitrous, motor is in the car, turn key and go.

need to know what you got but afr makes some great heads and very knowledgable. just give them a call i just got some AFR210's. For your setup not to sure what it is but I would assume 195's would be great.

You need to find out, what you have. A 750 CFM Demon is too large for a 350 IMHO, but it will be just fine on a 383 ! Vortec heads are really too small for a 383 IMHO, but just fine on a 350. A good head for a street 383 are RHS Pro-action heads in the steel variety with 180cc intake runners.

need to know what you got but afr makes some great heads and very knowledgable. just give them a call i just got some AFR210's. For your setup not to sure what it is but I would assume 195's would be great.

That's what I was looking at on their site

You need to find out, what you have. A 750 CFM Demon is too large for a 350 IMHO, but it will be just fine on a 383 ! Vortec heads are really too small for a 383 IMHO, but just fine on a 350. A good head for a street 383 are RHS Pro-action heads in the steel variety with 180cc intake runners.

The guy I bought it from was 90% sure it was a 383, clues lead to it being a 383. I want to keep it street but it will certainly see track time, basically I want to avoid putting a cage in the car, it would be cool but I don't have the heart to hack up a 1st gen, so it has to stay in the 12's.

I was looking for pretty much the same thing out of my car but i ended up with something thats easily capable of below 12 so i am not to sure about the track as of now.

Its easily manageable out of a 383 even on a budget.

You need to find out, what you have. A 750 CFM Demon is too large for a 350 IMHO, but it will be just fine on a 383 ! Vortec heads are really too small for a 383 IMHO, but just fine on a 350. A good head for a street 383 are RHS Pro-action heads in the steel variety with 180cc intake runners.

RHS are really good heads Ive kinda gotten away from them here latley and used AFR 180 and AFR 195 eliminators. 180 for a torqy 350 and mild 383, AFR 195 for a wild 350 and a strokin wild 383. I love doin strokers. got a book with all the combos that have been tried and I pick and choose parts to bild what eve the cutomer is after.
Need to know whats in the motor. You state that the PO sais its setup for NO2, well that could be 100 shot cause hypers will take that or it could be setup for a 250 shot were everything in it WILL be forged. no way to tell unless you open it up. to put the heads on it youll have to open it up anyway. your choice....

If youre on a budget look at the TFS heads, good heads for the $

Don't forget about Edelbrock heads. $1000 for ready to bolt on, no mods needed, aluminum heads. They will perform about the same as vortecs at about the same end cost.

The more I read about heads the more I get confused, I liked the idea of Vortec heads but read alot of articles about how they are not totally bolt on. I was told by somebody else that AFR heads are the best but there are about 10 million choices on their website and I'm lost. I want to keep the car a street/strip setup, it alreads has the 4 link and is all plumbed and ready for nitrous, all I need is a bottle...which I won't be adding. Anyone have any insight into this, I thought I knew alot about f-bodies until I bought one.

I've got a brand new set of upgraded vortecs(bigger springs and screw in studs) I'm selling along with a new intake, and new valve covers for $850. This will produce a lot of mid range tq on your 383. I have 195 AFR's on my 406, and they are awesome, but they are costly. To get the full potential out of AFRs, you need a higher lift cam and a fair amount of compression. I feel like I could have gone with a solid roller cam and made 60-80 hp more than I'm making with my hydraulic flat tappet, but I wanted something that was relatively maintenance free, and that I didn't have to rev to 7500-8000 rpm to make peak power.

RHS are really good heads Ive kinda gotten away from them here latley and used AFR 180 and AFR 195 eliminators. 180 for a torqy 350 and mild 383, AFR 195 for a wild 350 and a strokin wild 383. I love doin strokers. got a book with all the combos that have been tried and I pick and choose parts to bild what eve the cutomer is after.
Need to know whats in the motor. You state that the PO sais its setup for NO2, well that could be 100 shot cause hypers will take that or it could be setup for a 250 shot were everything in it WILL be forged. no way to tell unless you open it up. to put the heads on it youll have to open it up anyway. your choice....

It's def set up for nitrous, everything except the tank is there. I was thinking of pulling the motor this winter and going through it, it leaks and burns oil pretty well so this would seem like the time, my friends know alot about SBC's and we'd be doing my motor as well as the 400 from my buddies 72 chevelle and his brothers 68 firebird.

If youre on a budget look at the TFS heads, good heads for the $

Will do

Don't forget about Edelbrock heads. $1000 for ready to bolt on, no mods needed, aluminum heads. They will perform about the same as vortecs at about the same end cost.

Always had good luck with edelbrock

I've got a brand new set of upgraded vortecs(bigger springs and screw in studs) I'm selling along with a new intake, and new valve covers for $850. This will produce a lot of mid range tq on your 383. I have 195 AFR's on my 406, and they are awesome, but they are costly. To get the full potential out of AFRs, you need a higher lift cam and a fair amount of compression. I feel like I could have gone with a solid roller cam and made 60-80 hp more than I'm making with my hydraulic flat tappet, but I wanted something that was relatively maintenance free, and that I didn't have to rev to 7500-8000 rpm to make peak power.

As of right now I'm more or less figuring out what I really want to do, money isn't all together at the time being.. I REALLY want the AFR 195's because I've heard alot of good about them and because I want the car to have some power.....the last dyno sheets were pretty sad. My first vehicle ever was a Jeep Wrangler that I bought when I was 15, lifted it, swapped axles, housings, had a winch, full cage etc, I learned a valuable lesson, don't buy cheap parts! I didn't have much money after I made the payment so I had to get everything lower quality, I'm not gonna do that on this car, I plan to have this car till I'm dead.

If it needs it rebuild it. Andys vortecs would be a good buy and you can deck the block down to get the piston .015 in the hole and use a .015 gasket and get a .030 quench (NO2-:thumbsup:). Then get your compression up around 10.3:1 and run a XR282HR and have a bad a$$ 383 that you could shoot a 150-200 shot on (if its all forged of course) and that thing will scoot. push a 68 Camaro thru the lights at mid 10's if you had enough tire to hold it to the track of course.
You would like that combo, I promise. :D
Tha AFRs would up the anty about 40-60 hp tho...but you wont have to touch the vortecs as is. You migh get away with an XR286HR. If you want to do it right tho, I highly recommend a roller....

What Vortec heads can you run with a .520 roller cam as is?I think Vortecs are not the right choice this time.Lets do the math.

Victor Jr. intake already have
valve covers already have
10310010PK1 $940 Comp. Prod.
$940 total



2913 Vortec V. JR. $255 Summit
Sum -G3309 valve covers $ 38 Summit
RHS12410K1 $699 Comp. Prod.
$922 total

The heads I listed are http://competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=10310010PK1
and http://competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RHS12410K1 If you bought a set of GM castings and had them machined for studs guide plates changed the springs and retainers you would have even more money in them than the RHS. heads.You cant get AFRs but for a little more you can get aluminum heads.http://competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=11310010K3 or http://competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=215PK.You need to pull the engine and see what you have then decide what you want and need.

Hey Chad, Andys heads have been worked and Com Cam valve springs have been added. I dont have the info in front of me but I remember seat pressures big enuff for a 550 cam...

Hey Chad, Andys heads have been worked and Com Cam valve springs have been added. I dont have the info in front of me but I remember seat pressures big enuff for a 550 cam...

Misread Andy's heads.Yes they are a steal if he can use them.I thought you were saying Vortecs in general.My bad.I told Andy in another thread if I had the spare funds I would buy his setup.

No sweat brother. everyone is allowed one mistake per day. :D

If it needs it rebuild it. Andys vortecs would be a good buy and you can deck the block down to get the piston .015 in the hole and use a .015 gasket and get a .030 quench (NO2-:thumbsup:). Then get your compression up around 10.3:1 and run a XR282HR and have a bad a$$ 383 that you could shoot a 150-200 shot on (if its all forged of course) and that thing will scoot. push a 68 Camaro thru the lights at mid 10's if you had enough tire to hold it to the track of course.
You would like that combo, I promise. :D
Tha AFRs would up the anty about 40-60 hp tho...but you wont have to touch the vortecs as is. You migh get away with an XR286HR. If you want to do it right tho, I highly recommend a roller....

275's on the rear now, but they are just radial t/a's...with a nice setup i'd run et streets.

What Vortec heads can you run with a .520 roller cam as is?I think Vortecs are not the right choice this time.Lets do the math.

Victor Jr. intake already have
valve covers already have
10310010PK1 $940 Comp. Prod.
$940 total



2913 Vortec V. JR. $255 Summit
Sum -G3309 valve covers $ 38 Summit
RHS12410K1 $699 Comp. Prod.
$922 total

The heads I listed are http://competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=10310010PK1
and http://competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RHS12410K1 If you bought a set of GM castings and had them machined for studs guide plates changed the springs and retainers you would have even more money in them than the RHS. heads.You cant get AFRs but for a little more you can get aluminum heads.http://competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=11310010K3 or http://competitionproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=215PK.You need to pull the engine and see what you have then decide what you want and need.


I like the used vortecs simply for the fact that it's a set and those others are almost a grand each....unless I read the description totally wrong. The motor really should come out...it does need alot of TLC, hell when it was dynoed at the rear wheels it only put down 210 hp:( but that's when I first got the car, it wasn't tuned and it was wicked hot out. I do have another 4 bolt main block in my basement though.................hrmmm

What ever you decide don't buy the heads until you know what you have. If you get the wrong heads you will have made a costly mistake. For instance, you could have 68cc chambers now, and buy 76cc chamber aluminum heads which will kill your compression. Then you will have less preformance and be out the $. I might have missed it, but do you know what gears you have out back. Sometimes that can be a better seat of the pants upgrade depending on what gears you have.

275's on the rear now, but they are just radial t/a's...with a nice setup i'd run et streets.




I like the used vortecs simply for the fact that it's a set and those others are almost a grand each....unless I read the description totally wrong. The motor really should come out...it does need alot of TLC, hell when it was dynoed at the rear wheels it only put down 210 hp:( but that's when I first got the car, it wasn't tuned and it was wicked hot out. I do have another 4 bolt main block in my basement though.................hrmmm

The price is for a pair not each.Quantity 1 is one pair.Dart, Platinum Iron Eagle Cast Iron Chev SB Head, Assm., Pr.

Hey prox, Andy's heads would be good for you IMHO...

What ever you decide don't buy the heads until you know what you have. If you get the wrong heads you will have made a costly mistake. For instance, you could have 68cc chambers now, and buy 76cc chamber aluminum heads which will kill your compression. Then you will have less preformance and be out the $. I might have missed it, but do you know what gears you have out back. Sometimes that can be a better seat of the pants upgrade depending on what gears you have.

4.10's, they are going to be leaving though because I can't drive the car on the highway, 3.55's coming soon.....so it will be even more of a dog

The price is for a pair not each.Quantity 1 is one pair.Dart, Platinum Iron Eagle Cast Iron Chev SB Head, Assm., Pr.

Ahh, alright, I was trying to listen to somebody talk and read and etc, gotcha now.

Hey prox, Andy's heads would be good for you IMHO...

We shall see, if I had any brains I would just leave it and be happy but nope!

I still feel that Vortec's have too small of intake ports for a 383. GM only made those heads for a street driven 350. Yes, they will be torque monsters down low. Oh, by the way, why have increased lift if your intake port size is too small to support it ? For $850 you can buy lots of better aftermarket heads. Andy must figure they are too small for a 406, otherwise he wouldn't be trying to sell them to you. A 383 is only 23 CI smaller than a 406. Leave them for a 350.

Just to reply back to this thread, the initial poster expressed interest in vortec heads, so I posted mine up as an avenue for him. Yes, they were too small for the 406 I built that is in my sig. However I was going to run them when I had the 383 idea going through my head. I'm not asking $850 for the heads alone either, its for the heads, intake and valve covers. Read the entire post before you take things out of context. I only want $650 for the heads. http://www.camaros.net/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=30170&cat=5
The heads have been upgraded with 7/16" screw in studs, comp 986 springs, and comp guide plates. I think its a good deal considering I have almost a grand in them and they are brand new, never been put on an engine. People down vortecs all the time because of the extra cost associated with them due to the intake and valve covers, but I'm offering my complete setup at a price that you couldn't buy the heads and have upgrades done to them for.:thumbsup:

He wouldn't need the intake with other "Better" heads. It is nothing personal. He can't use those heads without the intake etc. It WILL cost him the $850 to use them. I have this smoking deal on a 327, only you have to buy the whole car, to use it.

A 383 is only 23 CI smaller than a 406. Leave them for a 350.

The OP said he was told its a 383 might be a 350.He needs to find out what he has then make a choice.

I know... I told him that in post #6 of this thread. That was before this turned into a swap meet. I wonder why the moderators haven't busted in to say that selling, in this section is not allowed ?

Don't turn this into a huge fight, I created this topic and have nothing to complain about, I asked peoples advice and am MORE than happy with the insight and opinions I've gathered.



I'm going to contact the guy I bought the car from tonight to see if he knows more about the motor, i'll keep this topic updated.......