You are correct. TA is in a tough spot here. These heads need to make 400 horse out of the box to be worth it. They have to produce the power of a warm 455. Otherwise it makes no sense to buy them. TA has a long way to go. Hell once the mold is settled they will likely flow and dyno test and tweak for months or even a year before they are released. If the first production run doesn't sell out quick it'll likely be the only production run.
I don't see any way it will be cheaper to build a 350 vs 455 when the heads are the same price as are the rockers and pistons. 350 rods are even more costly than whats available for a 455. so if a person has to pony up 3700-3800 bucks for heads and rockers the smart money heads over to a 455 or even a 430 where the power and torque output is greater for the same money. in my opinion these heads need to be able to utilize stock components and still offer a noticeable improvement. otherwise only a small number of people will choose to spend $$ on building a 350 over a BBB.
In my humble opinion, 350sbb to BBB is like, BBB to BBC. People will buy and run what they like. The heads will perform better than stock and will certainly be lighter. If you really want your 350 to go faster yet, make a high port billet head, and turn it to 10,000! of course easier said than done. Now go enjoy your 350 or 455 or whatever you like.
lastest notes are amusing. I'm out beating the 350 with a blower on it, turning 7k or more and y'all are still playing keyboard racers with the 350. also finishing up john's 67, 4 spd, with a blower for the street. do like the ebay site for roller rockers. may invest in one their offerings(1.7's) for john's 67. doesn't look to hard to modify.
Im surprised no one has been talking about a nice turbo 350. With these heads it would make more sense now. Im not talking a carbed top hat set up. Im talking about a full Sfi set up. If I wasnt so far into my 3800 build in my 87 t i would be building a forged 350 to mess around with some of the ls guys.
You mean something like this? I have mpfi setup for it and will be using fully ported alum heads... 2980 pounds of fun.
I could buy 2 455s that run for that much. It'd really be a deal breaker for me, and a lot of other people.
I've always wanted to build basically a GN SFI engine but with 2 more cylinders for my Regal. In the most basic of terms, one would just have to elongate the engine bolt ons right? One more port for the headers, etc. Everything would just be what... 6-8 inches closer to the front? It'd need a custom intake for sure. Don't know if the factory electronics would work, don't think there was ever an 8 port distributorless coil setup. It'd be a cool thing to toy around with given enough time money and engineering expertise.
If they really are a true bolt on, like they should be, like every other head for every other engine on the market, all you'd need is the heads themselves. Valve covers, alternator brackets, ac brackets, rockers, should all fit. Also exhaust manifolds would fit just by chance, they having the same bolt pattern as the headers, same way with the intake, although I don't know anyone that would. All iron, 500 bucks is not worth the 30hp gain with headers. With AL heads however, it's a never ending ascent into horsepower and you basically need headers. AL intake is a no brainer as well. Again, apologize if I sound entitled, or whiny or whatever. I'm pumped about these heads too and I really want a set, but I'm not gonna spend 4000 to run them. I'm just not, and I am clearly not alone in that aspect. From the pictures I saw, the topside of the heads looks very similar to the iron, rocker mounting and such, but those pictures may already be outdated.
You will spend at least 10 grand to get a 455 in the 10's so it will take that much to get a 350 in the 11's. The 455 guys will spend the same 2800 for the heads and will spend the same 900$ for the roller rockers. Then blow another 700+ $ to have them ported more. You want a kick butt 350 you are going to spend 10 grand. I spend 8 grand by the time it was said and done back in 1994 and has lasted this long so I think it was money well spent. If you guys don't want to spend the money on this Buick 350 then everyone should go buy a Chevy.
they are definitely worth the money, because I had the TA HD stock rocker set up and broke 1 and 4 others were ready to go. it trashed the cam and lifters.
nothing in the hot rod world is ever a true bolt on imo. and really the hp gain is worth the price of headers because you also save weight, the manifolds are heavy. the new aluminum heads to me are going to for the guy that already has a pretty hot cam, stiff valve springs, roller rockers, sp3 intake, and headers. and the only thing thats holding him back are they heads. its not really for the lower comp mild engine, this is all my opinion though.
That is a bad ass small block Buick you have there.... I like the 350 myself, I have wrestled with just going the easy route and throwing a 455 in mine but for some reason I want to see what I can do with my small block... I am in the process of building a nice running street engine, I'm going to end with $5,000-$6,000 in it easily. When I started out I figured I could build it for half that, lol. I agree, if you want to build a cheap motor go with a small block Chev.
Stage 1 se 455 heads are a true bolt on. they add excellent gains in hp and torque all by themselves. no reason the 350 heads should be any more difficult to use.
that will be cool Sean No carb. But, A full squential fuel injection engine . Run by a stand alone controller. Xfi, Holley, Mspro etc Throttlebody, injectors, cam and crank sensors etc. Custom headers, twin turbo. something to embarrass some LS guys. 2 more cylinders than my Turbo t's have
No all the accessories will all bolt right up on the 350 from the Grand national. The new TA intake could easily be modified for injector bungs and a throttle body. You dont have to booger any gn engine parts for it.There is no factory electronics from back then worth anything. A new Holley efi controller can control any engine. would be fun!
