455 with smog heads changing to edelbrock

The Pope · 07-18-2007, 12:18 PM

Hi Everybody,
My 455 is in the shop. The Guy who has done allot of work for the dealership that I am associated with origanaly sugested that we just rebuild the J heads and upgrade the intake to an edelbrock preformer with the aproprate edelbrock carb. Fortunatly he hadden't gone far before I stopped him and asked him to quote on the matching edelbrock heads. I know that addition to the rebuild is going to be expensive and I am going to hear it from my wife.
For the life of me and I am looking for some back up here. Is it not a complete waste of money to rebuild the J heads? I was really looking to the guys in the engine shop for the correct advice. I had asked the question about the J heads more than a couple of times. Please list your reasons as to why or why not I am correct in my thoughts. So I can back it up at the shop and with my wife.

Have a great day

Lloyd

joe_padavano · 07-18-2007, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pope

Hi Everybody,
My 455 is in the shop. The Guy who has done allot of work for the dealership that I am associated with origanaly sugested that we just rebuild the J heads and upgrade the intake to an edelbrock preformer with the aproprate edelbrock carb. Fortunatly he hadden't gone far before I stopped him and asked him to quote on the matching edelbrock heads. I know that addition to the rebuild is going to be expensive and I am going to hear it from my wife.
For the life of me and I am looking for some back up here. Is it not a complete waste of money to rebuild the J heads? I was really looking to the guys in the engine shop for the correct advice. I had asked the question about the J heads more than a couple of times. Please list your reasons as to why or why not I am correct in my thoughts. So I can back it up at the shop and with my wife.

Have a great day

Lloyd

What do you plan to do with this engine? If this is going in a Delta convertible (for example) and will only be used for cruising, you'll likely never feel the difference in the heads. If this is for a 442 that sees drag strip use, the J heads are doorstops.

texasred · 07-18-2007, 02:11 PM

70Wcars runs 10.5 on iron heads....but they aren't J's!

Ebrocks come bare and, out of the box, they don't flow any better than iron big-valve W30 heads. Sure...you lose 80 lbs or so, but at what cost on top of the jack for the heads?

As Joe suggested, I'd find earlier iron heads and spend that Ebrock head money elsewhere...unless you are really building a racer or boulevard bomber.

Just my $0.02.

C.J.

The Pope · 07-18-2007, 04:07 PM

The car is a 66 cutlass convertible that we are changing to a 442. My biggest hurdel is the fact that I am in Canada. If I could find W30 heads I would go that way. But I am figuring that once I find, ship, rebuild etc it might be easier and more cost effective to just go with the matching ebrocks. I can get them at a good price. There is another factor. I might sell this car in the future and I am thinking that an informed buyer will think that I haven't got a clue if thoes heads are in that car.

texasred · 07-18-2007, 04:45 PM

I wasn't saying find w30 heads. Not sure if you could anyway. Just get some good pre-73 heads, fill in the crossover and get them ported.

Sounds like you wanna buy the Ebrocks, though.

C.J.

The Pope · 07-18-2007, 05:42 PM

Thanks C.J.
I will see if I can find some G's on ebay and figure out what that will cost and compair that to the Ebrocks.

2blu442 · 07-18-2007, 05:56 PM

Please post your city, province in your profile. I've talked with a couple guys in B.C. and one in Ontario through this site. You might find a good set of C,E,G,Ga,Ka big block heads there in Canada or just south of the border. A good set of usable cores for $100-200 then a couple hundred more at the machine shop could give you some nice heads for $300-400. John

The Pope · 07-27-2007, 01:09 PM

Hi everyone,
After getting your feedback and getting the quote from the engine shop for the edelbrock replacements. ouch! I started looking and almost right away a set of NOS E heads came up, brand new still in the box.

Thanks, I will let you know how it turns out.

07-18-2007, 12:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
The Pope Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 17	455 with smog heads changing to edelbrock Hi Everybody, My 455 is in the shop. The Guy who has done allot of work for the dealership that I am associated with origanaly sugested that we just rebuild the J heads and upgrade the intake to an edelbrock preformer with the aproprate edelbrock carb. Fortunatly he hadden't gone far before I stopped him and asked him to quote on the matching edelbrock heads. I know that addition to the rebuild is going to be expensive and I am going to hear it from my wife. For the life of me and I am looking for some back up here. Is it not a complete waste of money to rebuild the J heads? I was really looking to the guys in the engine shop for the correct advice. I had asked the question about the J heads more than a couple of times. Please list your reasons as to why or why not I am correct in my thoughts. So I can back it up at the shop and with my wife. Have a great day Lloyd

07-18-2007, 02:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
texasred Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 807	70Wcars runs 10.5 on iron heads....but they aren't J's! Ebrocks come bare and, out of the box, they don't flow any better than iron big-valve W30 heads. Sure...you lose 80 lbs or so, but at what cost on top of the jack for the heads? As Joe suggested, I'd find earlier iron heads and spend that Ebrock head money elsewhere...unless you are really building a racer or boulevard bomber. Just my $0.02. C.J. __________________ Home of the 1971 Cutlass Supreme convertible Super Karate Monkey Death Car.

07-18-2007, 04:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
texasred Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 807	I wasn't saying find w30 heads. Not sure if you could anyway. Just get some good pre-73 heads, fill in the crossover and get them ported. Sounds like you wanna buy the Ebrocks, though. C.J. __________________ Home of the 1971 Cutlass Supreme convertible Super Karate Monkey Death Car.

07-18-2007, 05:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
2blu442 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Medford, Oregon Posts: 853	Please post your city, province in your profile. I've talked with a couple guys in B.C. and one in Ontario through this site. You might find a good set of C,E,G,Ga,Ka big block heads there in Canada or just south of the border. A good set of usable cores for $100-200 then a couple hundred more at the machine shop could give you some nice heads for $300-400. John __________________ 1964 Cutlass Factory 4spd 1965 442 4spd 1967 442 Auto 1967 Cutlass Convertible 1968 442 Auto 1969 442 W30 Auto 1970 442 4spd 1971 Cutlass Flat Top Wagon 1973 Che*vy 3/4 Ton 454/TH400 Tow Vehicle Only the tow vehicle is finished!

07-27-2007, 01:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
The Pope Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 17	I found some NOS E heads Hi everyone, After getting your feedback and getting the quote from the engine shop for the edelbrock replacements. ouch! I started looking and almost right away a set of NOS E heads came up, brand new still in the box. Thanks, I will let you know how it turns out.

07-18-2007, 04:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
The Pope Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 17	The car is a 66 cutlass convertible that we are changing to a 442. My biggest hurdel is the fact that I am in Canada. If I could find W30 heads I would go that way. But I am figuring that once I find, ship, rebuild etc it might be easier and more cost effective to just go with the matching ebrocks. I can get them at a good price. There is another factor. I might sell this car in the future and I am thinking that an informed buyer will think that I haven't got a clue if thoes heads are in that car.

07-18-2007, 05:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
The Pope Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 17	Thanks C.J. I will see if I can find some G's on ebay and figure out what that will cost and compair that to the Ebrocks.

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