Originally posted by Dave C
Does anyone know how long the backorder "wait" is for AFR heads for BBC's?
I heard that it was a long time.
before I went with Pro Toplines as cast AFR heads were like 4-6mos. wait list
Stix ,
I am running the out of the box 320 Pro Toplines , they flowed more than they were actually advertised !!! I want to say around 298 int. / 408 exh. I sent the flow #,s to Info he said they looked good. All who have looked at them before I put them on and they were impressed with the quality.
all Roller setup w/Manley 11/32" stem Severe Duty Valves installed to my cam specs. set me back $ 1850.00 Complete
ready to run, shipping included...got them from Joe Kettler @ allchevyengines.com he will put any combo together for ya
Just my 2* but definately worth a serious look into.
Gopherrr
Originally posted by Dave C
Does anyone know how long the backorder "wait" is for AFR heads for BBC's?
I heard that it was a long time.
before I went with Pro Toplines as cast AFR heads were like 4-6mos. wait list
Another here with the pro toplines so far so good they were going to get ported but the guy said that they fowed really well so we left them alone
Fiat48 you mentioned Dart having a problem with thin seats and unaccurate stud locations. Has anyone else experienced this or knows if the prob was corrected? I'm getting ready to smack the cash down on some Dart Pro1's but it wouldn't hurt my feelings to go Brodix if Dart is having probs.
Also I noticed most of you mentioned AFR or Brodix. Any reason you don't include Dart? I thought I had made a decision but maybe not. Thanks.
I'll speak with a local head builder tomorrow and see what his report is. Last year he was griping about the stud locations and had called Dart about it. May have been just a bad run or since corrected. I had considered the Pro 1 head due to the good flow numbers out of the box, but went Brodix instead. Perhaps he has a set in stock and I'll get a look.
Update 12/10: Talked with head builder today and he said no problem with any Darts he has received in past 3 months.
AFRs #1 out of the box-worth any wait,Canfield excellent for the money but you need a good head guy to make them work to potential,Topline,heavily advertised,poor exhaust port,lower quality,Dart,look at the flow #s and buy somthing else,Edelbrock, same as last comment but over hyped and overpriced for what they flow.Bottom line-order the AFRs and put somthing else on to use till they finally arrive,it will be worth the wait. Now I'll have to kill you..... TIMINATOR
I'm glad I started this thread. Alot of very good info for us "don't know it alls". About buying bare heads and building them yourself,..... the cost of all the parts becomes almost prohibitive after you get them together. Are the parts that bad that they come with when ordered assembled? My boat is a 500hp bracket boat. Nothing exotic.
Here's my point. Example: Jegs
Dart BBC bare head ea $854.99
Dart BBC assembled ea $1039.99
For $185 per head you get Valves, springs, seals, retainers, locks, studs and guideplates. How good of quality are those parts? Now price those components with known name brand quality parts. Not even close.
Do you need this quality? Maybe not. But a dropped valve or a retainer that fails, even a broken stud can ruin many other parts.
I've never dropped a valve. I let other guys do that and learn from them what not to do. Good valves are $25 ea. x 16.
That's what I am saying. Don't buy unknown or cheap components.
The parts used in assembly of all these heads are CAR SPECIFIC!!!! You should have better valves,different guide clearances,premium(metalclad) stem seals,and allways check your valvetrain geometry. In a dragrace application the rpms are a VERY short duration,in a boat you run at 3000 rpm to keep on plane and may run at 5000+ rpm for miles,=more heat,more load. The guys that have gotten away with car stuff are lucky or don't have enough HP to hurt their stuff...do you? TIMINATOR
Here are a set of Dart 320s DNE is putting on my 489 BBC. They definalty needed some work as they did not flow as well as we wanted, but they are now up to par, I only went with these heads since I got them for a good deal, but they now flow pretty darn good, I will try to get the flow numbers wednesday or thurs for comparisons,I think they flow similar to a pro 1 now.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...P00840-med.JPG http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...P00839-med.JPG http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...P00842-med.JPG