Anyone have any input on these heads?

[01cherryreds10]

I'm almost done with school for the year and since Christmas is rolling around, I may buy myself a present for trying so hard in school . I'm building a budget small block for my Malibu and the car's gonna stay street really with a couple passes at the track when I feel like going. The cam is a 280H (yes I have a cannister on the car already), 355 small block. The pistons are flat tops with 4 valve releifs here's the link except mine are cast aluminum which I guess Speed Pro doesn't make anymore... http://www.jegs.com/i/Sealed-Power/8...56F30/10002/-1

I read in the latest Super Chevy mag that they did a 400hp budget engine without machine work and used a set of Pro Comp 190cc heads from eBay. I was going to get those but then I heard some bad things about them and started to shy away. I was looking in magazines and found these and since Patriot has such a huge reputation with the LSx crowd, I'd like to stay to a reputable company. Here's the heads that I was looking at... http://www.jegs.com/p/Patriot-Perfor...22038/10002/-1.

I'm not sure really what compression I'd like to run, but I've heard that roughly around 10.4 to 10.8 is a great street compression ratio.

So can I just get some general input on what you guys would do if you were building a budget small block that's going to be on the street more than the track? If you need any information about anything just let me know. The block I think we're just gonna use the 69' truck block with 2 bolt mains a 2 piece rear seal since it's already bored .030 and the walls still have a crosshatch pattern on them.

I looked at the pistons and it says with a 64cc head it'd get around 9.47:1 compression, so is there any way to boost that up? Or is it really not even needed at a street car level?

Thanks and sorry for all the questions, just trying to get my first engine built so I can tear it up and build a bigger one.

[zap-mann]

For the price of the patriot heads you could run the GM Performance Bowtie Vortec head (this is a vortec style head that has the same characteristics as the GM Fastburn aluminum heads for about $1000 a set. Check them out.

[Myself]

Sounds to me like your build is going in 2 separate directions. If you're using a 2 bolt main block and a stock bottom end, you aren't going to need aftermarket heads. Go ahead with the flat tops, buy some reman. vortec heads, and a dual plane high rise intake like a Performer RPM. Go ahead and port match while you're at it. 9.5:1 is great for a carb'd street engine. Now, if this is going to be a daily driver, you might want to step that cam down a notch. Especially if you're running an auto trans. With a TH350 you'll want about a 3:73 rear gear. With 700R4 you can get away with a 3:42. If you really want to run a cam that large you'll be happy with around a 2000 rpm stall converter. Of course if this is not going to be a daily, than some of this will be irrelavent.

[01cherryreds10]

Actually, the car has a TH 350 with a 2200 stall, and I just installed the 442/GN rear end with 3.73! The only thing about Vortec heads that bothers me is the way that the valve covers are different and the intake bolt pattern is different. I have seen a couple different places that offer adapters to put perimeter bolt covers on the center bolt heads, but at $50 I'll stick with the dislike. It's not going to be a daily driver really but in a sense it is I guess you could say I just want to have fun with it and drive it alot. So yeah I'll drive it every other day Thanks for the information that actually helped out quite a bit considering I was thinking about stepping up from the Performer RPM to the Performer RPM air gap and I would need a different intake with the Vortecs anyways.

[01cherryreds10]

Ok, well there's two types of Vortec heads I'm looking at. The 185cc GMPP Vortecs, and the basic GM Vortec heads. What is the difference, if any? And will the difference (if any) benefit me in any way? I'm looking for a little pep to the street car.

[Myself]

The basic Vortec heads with pocket porting and port match will support 400hp. If you plan on more than that go ahead and get the GMPP version. But, if the price difference is not that much for 190cc aftermarket, go that route. Realistically much over a true 400hp, and a carb'd ride starts becoming "unstreetable". Traffic will be a nightmare.

[01cherryreds10]

Alright great thanks a bunch for the input. Before we added the cannister traffic was a bitch because of vacuum issues. Thanks again for the help I think I have an idea of where to go from here.

[Maaso]

Patriot uses VERY little nickel in their steel, which leads to soft metal. Most of their products are junk. They made their name with the LS series because they offered the cheapest heads on the market at the time, with no core.

+1 on anybody who said Vortec heads. If you don't already have an intake in your possesion, then who cares what the intake pattern is. The centerbolt can be a slight problem with aftermarket rockers, but just about anything...including some really nice shaft rockers can fit under them.

[01cherryreds10]

Alright cool thanks for the heads up on Patriot, I didn't know anything about that. Along the lines of rockers and centerbolt valve covers, should I go with stamped 1.6 rockers or 1.6 roller rockers like the ones Comp Cams makes?

And one more question, the headers that are currently on the car with normal SBC heads with fit the Vortec style head, correct?

[01cherryreds10]

Oh and I also forgot to mention the detail that I work at a GM dealership and could possibly get a discount on parts. After reading reviews I'm really torn between the L31 Vortecs, and the 185cc Bowtie Vortecs.

[RuLayd]

If you research those GM fast burn vortecs, they will tell you that the stock style, lightly ported vortec heads flow better and make more horsepower than spending a 1000$ for aftermarket.