To be fair here, even on a 455, if you took a set of TA's box stock Stage 1 SE heads, and replaced a set of decently ported irons, you would be making about the same power, might even lose a little. Alum head availability is about having something to work with, and build a combination around. There is a considerable difference between my 482 Iron head build, and my 482 Alum head build.. both of them mild streeters, making north of 500 HP on pump gas, with mild cams, and dual plane intakes. The iron head combo here is reasonably maxed out for that particular application.. whereas you just tickle the alum head motor with a touch more cam, and it really responds. Where a 230/240/114 flat tappet in that alum head motor is going to make about 515 HP, that every same combo, with a slightly bigger Hyd roller, is going to make about 50 more HP.. Buicks, be it the big block, or the small block, are cylinder head limited.. but don't judge the head, if you don't build the combo around it to make power. Just because you buy alum heads, does not mean your automatically going to make big power.. you got to work at it a little bit.. I encounter the same mindset with new Tomahawk owners.. often, I find they think just because they bought a Tomahawk, they are going to automatically make 800 Hp with it. While a big cube combo does help, you still have to work at it, and have some good parts to get there. Good parts that have nothing to do with the block.. Same goes for these 350 heads.. JW
True, but I’d think anyone purchasing aluminum heads would shoot for more than 395 hp on a 350, unless that person just wanted aluminum heads. When I had my deposit down I ordered the level 2 with 2.02 intakes and the head cut .030 for more squeeze, but the time waiting (almost 2 years) I lost interest. It could still happen for someone, Jay Michael comes to mind, to max out the 350
Jim's right. I wouldn't spend the coin for aluminums without also having a light rotating assembly and full roller setup. You need all the goodies.
Come on guys, it's 105 cubic inches less. There is no replacement for displacement, unless you use forced induction or the spray. The 350 is a Y block, so spinning them to 7000 RPM is not out of the question. The higher RPM you can spin a motor to, and have it breathe, the more HP it will make. The problem with that is street ability. Couple a big enough cam, and cylinder heads in it so it will breathe at 7000 RPM, and it will make big power, but it may have the typical drawbacks of bigger cams, loss of low end, low vacuum, and higher, rougher idle. The bigger the engine, the less it "feels" the cam. With the TA aluminum heads, you'll want at least 11:1 SCR, and you'll want to spin it up a lot higher. It will make more than 395 HP. Look at Mike Jr.s engine. It was powerful enough to wrap his poor GS around a pole, or tree.
Looks like it might be. 500 hp + is gunna need all the good stuff.... streetablity may drop off some too.
N/A, even the 383 sbc are right at 500 mark. Solid roller cam with more compression will bump it up some, but streetable? Might be touchy with big compression, race gas, & not over 5-6" vacuum. My friend has a stroker roller sbc with all the good stuff in his 64 vette. Low 600hp, but 13.5 comp, domed slugs, BIG solid cam, .750 lift, triple springs, yeah, race gas only. Then there's plan B. Power adders.
I would have to agree with Jim on his statements as the alums should out of box be as good as my ported which should be expected. the dyno sheet looks like the one from jr's 350 you can't knock it as it almost made 500 hp. Just now have to get to the point where the heads are ported more or nitrous power adder it. Next year I may be able to buy some parts port some alums and get new lighter rotating assembly and have Michael's Racing put this thing together before he retires, he gave me 29 years of a great motor. Almost 500 hp na If no one does this with in 2 years I will give it a shot, retirement comes in Jan. and will keep working so there will be a few extra dollars as I have wanted to do this more than anyone but funds have always stopped me. You know when that TA 510 cam was in there I had absolutely no trouble driving on the street ran very good and it was shafting like mad, need 410 gear and loose 3500 or tight 4000 stall. I was using a tight 3500 stall and 373 gear upping one of those would have helped both would be great! We can beat those 350 chebby's with the new stuff , If Jr was running this motor that wrap would have never happened lots of TQ down low
