find a yard with a "you pull it" style lot. i got my Vortec heads complete for $90. and to microkid, take a look at what Vortec heads flow.

http://www.purplesagetradingpost.com...20Large%20Port

look for the L31 Vortec heads on that site, the LS1 heads are in the same row.

at .500" lift the L31's flow 239/160cfm, LS1 heads flow 240/179cfm. at .400" lift, L31's flow 227/151cfm, LS1's 222/165cfm.

they're a dirt cheap head that flow like a much more expensive head.

 

If you can't do a pick and pull, which you'll still need to get them machined anyway. Just save and get the ones you want. You are right about not wanting to tear the motor down for just a little gain. There are a ridiculous amount of good heads out there but yea, they are pricey. Just be patient.

 

i found a place i can pull some heads for 60, and theres a machine shop right next to my house and im very good friends with the guy and he will port nd polish them for me for next to nothing and also show me how he does it

 

I spoke to a local machine shop around here that does all the port and polish work. I asked him how much to work a set of stock heads............he told me it would be cheaper to just buy a set from Summit or Jegs.

Can stock heads be machined, economically, to work like a set of performance heads? (as in 25-50 horse gains?)

By economically, I mean for about 1/2 of what performance heads would cost.....

 

you can buy a kit for doing the P&P yourself, it's not all that hard really. it's much cheaper than having someone else do it.

there's also a kit for getting extra clearance for running a cam over .480" lift in Vortec heads.

 

IMHO the best deal around for Vortecs would still be these:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Patriot-Perfor...ductId=1192214

Worked Vortec heads with 2.02/1.60" stainless valves, .575" lift springs, full P&P, perimeter or center bolt valve covers, dual intake bolt pattern (meaning you can use a Gen I small block intake), and they do not require the use of self aligning rocker arms.

If you were to get a set of used Vortecs, have them P&P'ed and the valves punched out, then assemble them with stainless valves and performance springs/retainers, purchase self aligning rocker arms, center bolt valve covers, and a Vortec style intake, you would be in well over the $630 that these suckers cost.

 

Well, my 50 dollar stripped head guy gave me this info today.....2.02 intake valves, 170cc intake runners, used to be truck heads. He says he has used this setup for years in circle track motors and they run like a champ. Im skeptical of the performance gain however.....I wonder how much better these are than what Im currently running???

 

that's for one head you realize that right??? and that's not including the intake manifold, or the rockers and valve covers either. so if you got those, you would be $1260 in the hole BEFORE you went out and bought rockers, covers and intake...

 

GM Vortec 185cc Cylinder Heads 64cc Combustion Chamber
2.02''/1.60''
Assembled
Sold as Pair

 

As Camaro 69 pointed out, that is per pair, assembled. Also if you wished, you could use the stock valve covers, stock rockers, and stock intake manifold as they do not require anything different from Gen I heads.