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SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:13 am
by garym
I need some help in selecting a pair of aluminum heads that would be similar to grumpy Jenkins 331 cu in chevy engine that he ran in his vega many years ago.The reason I ask is that cylinder heads are a lot better now.I have a 331 sbc engine that I had Brandywine Cylinder Heads do a pair of cast iron heads for this engine and they are very close to what grump ran and in the engine book that he authored the iron heads that I had done were very close to what grump did on the 292 iron heads.
So sad to say these heads that I have are very thin and a lot of rust has taken its toll on these iron heads,so I am looking at aluminum heads.What would be a good replacement aluminum head that would not require a ton of work? I was thinking about a 225 or 235 cc intake runner and I have 5/16 valves( 2.05 int 1.60 ex) rockers stud girdle etc.Also another question is can bronze liners be put in the bronze valve guides that are going to come installed on the bare castings??
I really would like to get this engine running again as this motor ran 9.67 at 138+mph in the quarter. I was considering the new Pro Maxx 225 head or the RHS 235 head.Any advice/recommendations would be helpful. THANKS garym
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:37 am
by NormS
Gary, I'd look at the AFR heads. And,yes,K-Line guide liners can be put into bronze guides. I can understand why you want to get this engine running again. When I worked for Braswell back in the late '70's, I built several sets of dual quads for Jenkins. He was at the top of his game back then.
Norm/CFS
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:45 am
by cv67
Trick Flow DHS 175. Get the grinder out, paint em orange noone will know
Just came out...aluminum head with the "double hump" ends on them do pretty well for a small head with potential for more
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:55 am
by steve316
IMO out of the box performance equal to what you had will be hard to find with a 2.05 valve; unless you have set a ported with that valve size. Good luck sounds like a fun project. Steve
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 11:02 am
by Walter R. Malik
garym wrote: ↑Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:13 am
I need some help in selecting a pair of aluminum heads that would be similar to grumpy Jenkins 331 cu in chevy engine that he ran in his vega many years ago.The reason I ask is that cylinder heads are a lot better now.I have a 331 sbc engine that I had Brandywine Cylinder Heads do a pair of cast iron heads for this engine and they are very close to what grump ran and in the engine book that he authored the iron heads that I had done were very close to what grump did on the 292 iron heads.
So sad to say these heads that I have are very thin and a lot of rust has taken its toll on these iron heads,so I am looking at aluminum heads.What would be a good replacement aluminum head that would not require a ton of work? I was thinking about a 225 or 235 cc intake runner and I have 5/16 valves( 2.05 int 1.60 ex) rockers stud girdle etc.Also another question is can bronze liners be put in the bronze valve guides that are going to come installed on the bare castings??
I really would like to get this engine running again as this motor ran 9.67 at 138+mph in the quarter. I was considering the new Pro Maxx 225 head or the RHS 235 head.Any advice/recommendations would be helpful. THANKS garym
That port volume number is way to much for any earlier Chevrolet cast iron head. If you are really looking for an aluminum head to actually mimic the iron heads of the day then go no larger than 200 cc on the intake ports; 210 cc if the iron's were brazed.
The DART 200 is probably close and they'll put 5/16" intake guides in 'em if you want. Just call them direct.
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 11:44 am
by stealth
NormS wrote: ↑Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:37 am
Gary, I'd look at the AFR heads. And,yes,K-Line guide liners can be put into bronze guides. I can understand why you want to get this engine running again. When I worked for Braswell back in the late '70's, I built several sets of dual quads for Jenkins. He was at the top of his game back then.
Norm/CFS
Based on his outstanding engines in pro stock truck....I’d say he was at the top of his game for quite some time!
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 12:16 pm
by Newold1
I think the ProMaxx 200cc straight plug 64cc head would be a good upgrade for the 331SBC. Good flow numbers at .500" - .600" lifts Nicely priced too. Paint'em orange and have at em!
225cc and 235cc versions of any heads would be to big for that 331 you are freshening. JMHO
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:41 pm
by garym
Thanks for the replies.The iron 292 heads that I had ported were ported to the max and I was wondering if a 200 cc aluminum head is going to be big enough.The heads are were ported extensively, and I want to get a cylinder head as close to these without all of work.As the pushrod pinch area I will put more material(weld) to get the intake port wider , the iron heads that I have are opened up a lot.I know that this 331 motor loved a lot of RPM and with my car weight of 2300+ lbs 9.67 @138 mph is not too bad for a home built motor. Again thank you all for the replies this is a GREAT forum. garym
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:49 pm
by Carnut1
Do you have flows on the old 292's? It would be easier to give accurate advice. Thanks, Charlie
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:50 pm
by Carnut1
Port cc of the old heads too!
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:38 pm
by shoedoos
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:20 pm
by Schurkey
Am I wrong?
I would expect that ancient 292 iron castings "ported to the max" would get CREAMED by out-of-the-box (plus minor clean-up) modern aluminum heads.
Aside from "flow", which could be equaled or exceeded by merely going to a larger runner (but maybe with some loss of velocity) I'd expect the modern combustion chamber to completely kick-ass on the 292. In short, a similar cross-section (cc) head today would destroy reworked "Turbo" head castings from a power-production perspective, perhaps with less spark advance to boot.
Have I been reading too much advertising?
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:23 pm
by bigjoe1
The old iron heads could do very well on small cubic inch engines 327---maybe up to 350 inches--As the cubic inches go up, 383-400, the runner volume was too small
JOE SHERMAN RACING
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:41 pm
by cgarb
Don't cut well ported 292's too much slack. They ran hard for what they are. If they are well done they will beat most 200 runner heads out of the box.
Re: SBC Aluminum head choices??,etc
Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 4:34 am
by MELWAY
Get some untouched sportsman 2 heads and cut seats to suit your valves and do some basic bowl porting. Angle mill if needed to match your current chamber volume and they will run hard for not a lot of money