I've started shopping around and I've got a pretty good idea of where I'm going with my engine rebuild project. I am stuck on one thing though, and that's Cylinder Head choice. What are your suggestions for both best performance and best value (as in inexpensive, but good enough to still make a 302 purr)?
heads From what I've heard and read, AFR is definately the way to go for the all out best flowing head, but they are a bit on the spendy side. I have Edelbrock performer RPM heads with 2.02/1.6 valves and they really rip. They were not too bad especially since I was able to use a friends employee discount at Schucks Auto. 25% off is pretty substantial when you're talking about a set of heads. For what it's worth though, I sort of wish I had bucked up and gotten the AFRs. One thing that will definately matter is what this rig is going to be used for. Also your cam choice, intake choice, converter choice, gears, etc... will all hinge off of what heads you go with.
I agree. It depends on what you're going to use the car for. If it's a strip-only car, the 185's are hard to beat, but they are a bit expensive. For a serious strip car, the AFR 165's are ideal, but still...are a bit more than I'd like to spend on a street car's engine. For the money, it's hard to beat the RPM heads. I wish I had another set for my Mustang. The ported iron heads on there aren't the greatest, though they do work. I just keep thinking about when we changed from running factory-iron heads (ported to the max, 1.94/1.50 stainless undercut valves, good springs, titanium retainers/keepers, on and on) and switched to a set of older RPM heads (new at the time) and gained .7 second and nearly 10 mph in the 1000'. I figured that was probably close to a 100 HP increase, plus they are a LOT more responsive than the iron heads ever were, and vacuum was also higher.
what about 66 289 heads? i plan on going thur my motor, but my budget is far too limited to consider after market heads. ive got a pair of 289 heads out of a mustang. nothing special, but i think its got the adjustable valvetrain, and the compression would no doubt be higher than the existing 72 heads. i planned to install hardened valve seats and roller rockers, but thats about it. how many horsepower over stock can i expect with the simple addition of those heads?
not much if any. The roller rockers will usually give about a 20-30 HP increase, but the heads themselves aren't much different than regular 302 heads. The extra compression might help, though.
