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camel hump heads worth it?

1BEATK5

1BEATK5

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the deal is i have a used 85 truck engine thats going in my k5. i plan on re-gasketing it and doing an rv cam/lifters/t-chain/oil pump replacement before i install it. current mileage is unknown, but it does run well, and has had valve seals installed at some point.
for $200 i can get some 487x heads that are fresh with 1.94 valves. should i waste the money, or just run whats on it.
current heads should be 76cc, and the others 64? thats going to bring the compression up. but maybe too much? or maybe run a little bigger cam with some overlap to tame the compression?

the k5 is 5500lbs, 465/doubler/4.88s. 43" tires


edit- i realize there are way better heads out there, its just that they are cheap and rebuilt.
 
Did they machine and install hardened valve seats? Old double pump heads with the soft seats will not withstand unleaded fuel in the longterm. It's just a matter of time. If the head is 71 or older, these days it's not worth it to rebuild them because they cost more to fix up than you could get new heads for that are better.
 
I had a set on a 63 327, only reason is I was going for originality. Paid $350 for those heads, then had another $250 in rebuild. Looking back I would have gone vortec if the original look wasn't important
 
A decent head if its all you have?, also remember some of those heads don't have accessory holes.

If it has hardened seats and passes a vacuum test and accessory holes I would run them for $200
 
I've got the World Torquer SR's on my truck and think they're great heads. There's a set in the classifieds pretty cheap you may want to give it a look. clicky
 
I sold a pair of core 487X heads for $300

The stock car guys around here go nuts for them, and I'm pretty sure they arent double hump heads either, but I could be remembering things wrong.
 
79rustyk10 said:
I sold a pair of core 487X heads for $300

The stock car guys around here go nuts for them, and I'm pretty sure they arent double hump heads either, but I could be remembering things wrong.
Click to expand...

you might be right. i did some more looking and they dont have humps:rolleyes:

they are lt1 heads not camels. they arent 64cc either. they are 76. anyhoo i might just await and get some cheap aluminum heads instead. i found 2 sets of aluminum ones on craigslist.
a $600 set of ported and rebuilt l98 heads. it looks like he invested waaay too much into them. i also know the machinist. he does exellent work.
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/pts/2521437307.html

there is a new set of 220cc motown heads for $800. but thats way too big of an intake runner for what i need.
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/pts/2519667523.html

good price on those though
 
79rustyk10 said:
I sold a pair of core 487X heads for $300

The stock car guys around here go nuts for them, and I'm pretty sure they arent double hump heads either, but I could be remembering things wrong.
Click to expand...

That's a good price for them I have a few sets on accessory hole closed chambers. The cool thing is they don't have the humps distinct to the orig camel hump heads so tech guys just blow you off.
 
Arent those ones the 186's or something.

I cant remember anymore. I used to care about that casting number stuff, but with how affordable heads that would stomp any production iron casting are, theres no reason to worry about that unless you're going for a 100pt resto.

The way I see it, IF I need more than 882's can provide, Ill be stepping up to something aftermarket, Im really liking what Ive heard about the AFR's but thats hella-$$$.
 
79rustyk10 said:
Arent those ones the 186's or something.

I cant remember anymore. I used to care about that casting number stuff, but with how affordable heads that would stomp any production iron casting are, theres no reason to worry about that unless you're going for a 100pt resto.

The way I see it, IF I need more than 882's can provide, Ill be stepping up to something aftermarket, Im really liking what Ive heard about the AFR's but thats hella-$$$.
Click to expand...


yes the 186's have the accesory holes, how ever they are on the thin side and cant take much valve spring.
 
79rustyk10 said:
I sold a pair of core 487X heads for $300

The stock car guys around here go nuts for them, and I'm pretty sure they arent double hump heads either, but I could be remembering things wrong.
Click to expand...

Those are the best heads allowed at Elko and Savage racetracks. I saw a 355 SBC with a 2bbl carb get dynoed several years ago and it put down 415hp at the crank. He had a 4bbl manifold with a sliding adapter for the carb and they were sliding it back and forth to get the most hp.

BTW the tech guys at Elko are getting better at spotting the fakes. Supposedly last year a guy had an aluminum manifold mettalized or flame sprayed with iron to make it magnetic and rusty. Car ran to good so they did a tear down at tech on it.
 
Those dirt track guys are all about as much cheating as they can get away with.

I made alot of money for a while buying those type heads and selling for a big profit.
 
it aint just dirt track guys, you wouldnt beleive the stuff guys that run stock eliminator in nhra do and get away with.
 
1BEATK5 said:
you might be right. i did some more looking and they dont have humps:rolleyes:

they are lt1 heads not camels. they arent 64cc either. they are 76. anyhoo i might just await and get some cheap aluminum heads instead. i found 2 sets of aluminum ones on craigslist.
a $600 set of ported and rebuilt l98 heads. it looks like he invested waaay too much into them. i also know the machinist. he does exellent work.
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/pts/2521437307.html
Click to expand...
Those are 58cc heads? I have been debating sticking a nicer set of heads on my truck also. Would be nice to squeze some more power out of the dang thing. I kick myself for not doing a 383 when I rebuilt it. Had I known then what I know now I wouldn't have hesitated.
 
I think theres better heads than those for not much more money.

And with the 58cc chambers, you would have to have some dished pistons to get the compression down a little bit.
 
This is another example of why this place is cool. Guy asks a question, gets an answer, and also helps out those that search and find this info!
 
nsxxtreme said:
Those are 58cc heads? I have been debating sticking a nicer set of heads on my truck also. Would be nice to squeze some more power out of the dang thing. I kick myself for not doing a 383 when I rebuilt it. Had I known then what I know now I wouldn't have hesitated.
Click to expand...
if I was in your shoes I would go with vortec heads and an intake swap. I was just looking for a cheap power adder to a older engine
 
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