My LM1 has the factory 333882 heads. I know they are smog heads and don't flow very well. Is it worth getting them reworked with better valves and some porting, or would a bolt on GM Performance Parts set like the vortec's be a better choice for the same money?

882 heads are one of the best flowing factory castings. The only bad part about those heads are the chamber. The burn is not near as good as a closed chamber head or a fast burn style. They can be ported with good results, but it all depends on your skill and where you want to go with the engine.

I use Vortecs and I love them. The extra cost beyond the heads aren't as much as some people think. I got my rocker arms for $50, intake gaskets for $22 (the best intake gasket ever designed!), but I splurged on a polished Performer RPM...and the valve covers are cheap on eBay. If you think about it, if you're changing stock heads, you'll probably want a different intake manifold anyway, so the extra cost of a Vortec-specific manifold is justified.

where can i read my heads cast number?? i wonder what heads i have on my engine.

Marc

Marc, just pop the valve covers off. You'll see large numbers cast between a couple of valves. Post the numbers here or check them out at Mortec's site: http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm