With TA performance heads probably not available for a long time..

What do you think of Eldebrock’s aluminum heads, if they are even available? Better/more cost effective than potted iron heads?

 

I've not been in the Buick game long, but from what I understand those haven't been manufactured in quite some time.

 

Buick cylinder heads will be the last aluminum casting they will reproduce. I was told there at the back of the line not much of a market.

 

Sad state of affairs for sure!

 

You’d have a better chance playing pick up sticks with your butt cheeks than finding a brand new set of Buick Edlelbrock heads. I always wanted to say that. Credit to Planes , Trains, and automobiles.
Cliff

 

Yes, either the TA or the Edelbrock head will pack more punch then a stock iron head above 4500 rpm.

How much time will you spend above 4500 rpm if you have a street car.

Here's a interesting cut in stone rule / formula for Intake valve size vs lift vs air flow.

The formula is D x.18 = lift.

For a 2.130" Intake valve this means that up .383" lift the valve job and back side shape of the valve used ( multi angle valve job, well researched shape and back cut on valve ) will predominantly have control of the amount of air flow seen.

Above .383" lift then the size and shape of the rest of the port come to have a increasingly greater effect on the level of air flow produced .

One other way to look at this is if you where running a .500" lift Cam, then 76 % of your total air flow is being made is doing so up by the time .383" lift lift is reached.

In short a proper bowl porting job and a well reasearched valve job done on a iron head should make a easy 450 hp out of a street built 455 without resorting to a unstreetable Cam, nor Aluminum heads.

Most Edelbrock heads I have had on my flow bench do not flow what there stated to flow, the come in anywhere from 10 to 18 cfm less because they need a touch up more finessed valve job.

Couple this with the fact the current ones many times have too tight a valve stem clearance and then your not only into having less performance then expecte, but having a repair bill also in short order!

 

I’d stick with ported irons

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that Edelbrock sells more aluminum Cadillac heads than Buick heads.

 

Put yourself on the list at TA for a set of aluminum heads and run your iron heads in the meantime, depending how your car is set up with AC and power brakes. Manual brakes not a problem swapping heads.

 

I got a email from Eldebrock saying they have the heads back in stock. I have been considering getting a set for my GSX

 

I got pul on the TA list about 2 months ago for a set of SE st 1's Bare castings told me 8months or more...... They called on 6/30 told me since I order bare the should be ready at the end of July... Time will tell in in no rush.... Bare casting are easier to port. Then just do the final machining.

 

After bolting on a set of TA "sleeper" heads on the Riv's 430 There was a night and day difference and the car has never run better or cooler. I had a nicley ported set of factory 430 heads on it prior.

 

Bring, did you loose any low end torque?

 

If thats auto correct for "Briz" Nope. If anything she does way better burnouts. Ask @Waterboy John Carroll.

 

I have seen his Burnouts....No joke.

 

There's always al. Bulldogs if someone is willing to part with them.

 

I have a brand new set of 2nd generation Bulldogs on my car. I haven't fired up the engine. Gessler ported them. They were the first set he'd seen. On the exhaust port he couldn't do better than his best iron exhaust port, around .185 cfm at .500. The intakes were a different story! With not too much work he got 310 c.f.m. at the same lift. He corrected two troublesome issues w/ those heads: he relocated the poorly-drilled alternator bracket hole and he also opened up the oil-drain holes, as they didn't drain very quickly and some folks experienced a back-up of oil.

Everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING has been coated by Calico Coatings: valve heads, springs, keepers, seats, and exhaust ports. They are currently on the car, as I said, but have never been run. I'm not sure they ever will.

I was recently diagnosed w/ not only A-Fib but congestive heart failure. Not sure I will ever finish my 20-year project. I've got a lot of money in them but don't know what they're worth, but I theoretically could sell them a bolt on a set of stock '73 iron heads I have, but the price would have to be right. I don't know if I'm healthy enough to even pull the heads unless there's someone in S.C. or Ga. who could help me?

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there!

Best,

Ranger
Aiken, SC

 

Let me know what you want for them. I am in NC and could come down to pull them and get them from you. I use to travel a lot to Aiken SC.

 

Sent you a PM but I think I have more than $4K in them, at least $1k in coatings from Calico Coatings, so prolly gonna hang onto em. Don't wanna take a bath--another one!

 

Same experience here, Briz. Jim Weise custom ported a set of the sleeper TA SE Stage 1 heads for my 500 HP build. We painted them Buick red. My car runs smooth and cool and the paint still looks fresh after over two years.