The better head flow you have, the smaller the cam can be and still achieve your goals. The smaller cam will give you the best street manners. If you want 450-500 HP, you are going to need good flowing heads. The amount of money you will need to spend on yours or other iron heads to get them to flow that well, well, you might as well just buy aluminum heads. Out of the box aluminum heads with a good valve job will outflow most if not all ported iron heads. With aluminum heads, you just need to use more static compression, at least 10-10.50:1 depending on the cam. The aluminum heads will allow you to run on pump gas even with that much compression. You might find this build up interesting, http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/new-buildup-448ci-stg-2-se-hyd-roller-an-mpg-motor.252771/
I found a extra set of solid 430 push rods yesterday and remembered this thread. I'll sell them if you're in need.
Briz, I’m thinking of going with aluminum heads. Can you give me some ideas of what type of package you would purchase for the top end of the engine to achieve 500 horsepower. I really want to do it right the first time around, I currently have the iron big port heads from the 430 and I would like to use them but not sure this would get me to 450-500 hp. Thanks
It wont. I've got very well ported 430 iron heads and made 420hp /500tq using a 290-08 cam and a worked Q jet. Flat top pistons true 10:1 compression. Runs fine on 93 . I could make 50+ more with nice alumn heads and would have spent about the same$ as I did porting the irons + been 50 or more Lbs lighter.
Hello briz, Thanks for all the information and I’m very interested in purchasing the push rods. I think I’ll just get a good port on my iron heads, a friend of mine was trying to convince me to turn my iron heads into stage 1 with the stage 1 valves but I think that’s doing a bit much. Please give me the information information for the purchase, being that I’m new I have to ask what form of payment (PayPal, debit) and where do I go to make the transaction
Let me dig em out and get them cleaned up. Been laying in a old valve cover for years. I'll get you a picture and you can make a decission based on that. PM me for details.
