Heads comparison

[CamaroAdam73]

My buddy has a SET of 1969 LT1 heads from a vett for 150$, bare and need dipped because they have some minor surfice rust.

My question is, how do theese heads match up against Dart Iron eagles or GM Vortecs?? And does anybody know If the vortec heads are better than the Iron eagles?

If i buy the LT1's, i'm going to dress then with really nice springs/ valves and roller rockers. Not sure what i'd do if i bought the iron eagles, and the vortecs would come pre-dressed.

Another possibility is since i'm going to have to send theese LT1's to the machine shop anyways, i might get them ported to fit bigger valves?

 

[monte olrac]

vortech are good, dart heads are better, i got some sportsman II with low milage (200) or less for 300 fully assy.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

if you want the LT-1 heads, they are available new as the World Products S/R Torquers. However, they represent the state of the art of 40 years ago and you can do much better. I would look to a set of heads with a more efficient chamber, like the L-36 Vortec heads. They out flow the LT-1 heads, and have much better chambers which will result in better fuel economy. There are other excellent choices in the aftermarket which offer a significant improvement over the old castings. Those LT-1 heads belong on a restoration car, and not on a modern hot rod.After all, by the time you rebuild them, you could have bought much better new heads for similar money.

 

[CamaroAdam73]

Thanks for the advice Brougham, MUCH appriciated and after doing some homework also, I'm going to go with Vortec.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

If you decide to go Vortec, I would buy a set that have already had their valve springs changed for a more aggressive cam, and that have had a screw in rocker stud conversion performed. These are the two big negatives to the Vortecs, and you will want to tackle them before bolting them to your car. This also raises the price a bit, and makes some of the other choices out there more viable. If I were buying street heads, I would be looking at aluminum Edelbrock heads as another possibility. While there are cheaper heads like the Patriots, you do sometimes get what you pay for with Chinese knock off castings. The Edelbrocks are on my short list to replace the S/R Torquers I have now when I have the cash for new heads.

 

[MD13ailey]

personally i would go for the vortec heads frpm what i have seen of them untouched (as far as port work) they make great power the LT1 heads are good to though. but if the buget allowed i would buy a set of AFR (air flow research) heads aluminum and CNC ported