I'm going to either be buying some new aluminum heads, or else I'd consider getting some used ones if anyone were to have something useful for a good price. Any suggestions? Nothing crazy, sub-sub-$1000 here.

 

For $569 you can get brand new aluminum Edelbrock heads at Summit. I wouldn't waste time buying used. From what I've seen they're always more than that. I'm seriously considering the Edelbrocks to swap on my Austin gasser at that price. They do need rocker arms, but you can get those from your old heads.
They're 64cc with 2.02"x1.60" valves.
Edelbrock 60899 - Edelbrock Performer RPM Cylinder Heads - Overview - SummitRacing.com

 

How would these be for my engine? Seems like it would bump my CR up to like 10.3:1. I really don't know how the intake runner size will affect things though.
http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=214487

 

AFR flow better then Edelbrock.

 

There are lots of heads (including other Edelbrock heads) that flow better, but unless you've got enough engine, cam, etc. to use that flow it will only hurt performance. Having heads with great amounts of flow is only useful if the cam, intake, exhaust sytem, etc. is all matched to what those heads flow. Too much is bad, no matter where it's at in the engine. Too much carb or intake, too much exhaust, will all create a inbalance that hurts performance.
For it to all work you need the right intake, carb, heads, exhaust system, and matched to each other. In any case, if an error is made, it's always better to go slightly smaller, as the effect will be better low end power, with a little high rpm loss. Most of us wont miss the few hundred rpm's on top if peak HP is reached at say 5500 vs. 6000 rpms.
I'd guess you will up the compression slightly if you're present heads are a larger chamber, but the 64cc chambers are kinda middle of the road. I've seen them from 55cc to 72cc, and unless you've got the large 72cc you wont see much compression rise. Even if you've got the 72cc now, it might raise .5 CR point going to 64cc. on a SBC. The aluminum heads will also allow your engine to run a higher CR and not have detonation or pining, so when going from cast iron to aluminum I'd always go slightly smaller chamber to gain some compression. They disipate heat better too.

 

I think those other heads are way too big for a 355. The guy with the 385 hp confirms it.

 

I see lots of heads with the intake runners advertised, but very few that advertise exhaust runners. Most exhaust runners flow around 70cc's, with some down around 60cc and some way up around 80cc. Now all that depends on what header tube size you have to really flow those numbers. (for SBC)
All these heads are bench flowed for max flow, but if you can't flow that out the headers, and down the exhaust, it's all worthless. Most people don't match intake or exhaust ports when they get new heads; just bolt them on and run. I'm running stock cast iron small port heads on my Camaro with the 427, but I spent many nights grinding and matching the intake and exhaust runners to the mainfold and headers. I didn't have a way to flow test them afterwards, but I could definitely feel the results in performance afterwards. Fortunately at the time the only mods done were a valve job and the port work, so I knew the gains were strictly those things, and not anything else.

 

If I am going to spend around $1000 for heads I want the biggest. I will get the little stuff later. Not many can afford to buy the smaller heads, then do all the little stuff and buy another set of heads. There are lots of used eldelbrock heads for sale around here. All the racers take them off when the learn what they are doing. The AFR's are better heads and have lower CC. Mine were 53cc new. Are about 50cc now.

gains of over 50hp are typical when removing Edelbrock and installing AFR's. Unless you spend another $1000 to have the edelbrock heads worked.

 

Buying heads that are too big for the car doen't make sense. Better to wait until you can do all the rest the work on the engine to match those big heads if you don't want to buy twice. I wouldn't reccommend the Edelbrock heads if someone told me they were going to build their car to the ultimate race car someday. Might as well keep the stock heads and engine, and then build a replacement, then sell the complete engine once it's in.
I've known people who stick too much head, too much carb, or too much cam in a engine, only to complain about performance later and wonder why they can't get enough HP out of their setup. There's a reason many of the big companies like Edelbrock, World, Dart, etc. sell complete top end kits now. It's becasue they know a lot of people don't know how to match it all up, so they do that for them. If there's nobody to help a newbie decide what's best for his engine, the aftermarket kits are a great help.

 

Still on the fence. I suppose I'll just continue saving up. Something will turn up. Just occured to me the guy I got the engine off of had some vortecs that he had the spring pockets cut made for my engine. Those could be fine for now. I'd need a different intake though.