Thanks for the info. For now my future plans do not include racing at the track. I am not interested in that. Just want a car with a few mods that I can work on that is just fast enough to make you nervous. What sort of HP should I shoot for? I still want it street legal.
i am doing exactly what you are, but i may be given some 67 289 heads with the 54cc chambers with only 10,000 miles on them, i will probably see about getting them ported out and all. and i am ordering a new aluminum 2 row radiator from summit in a few days, since it is my 20th Bday today. i am also waiting for an engine hoist to take the motor out for cleaning and bearing check and i am also going to modify the oil pan to hole more oil and switch the HV pump with a reg. one. i heard that the 71 and down 302's had timing chains that don't have a 4 degree. retard in it or something so i might do that also.
i was at a swap meet about a week ago and there was a set of 95 cobra heads with full roller rockers on them for 450, not sure if that is good but i sure want the RR's
I might just keep the current combo as is and do a few little things that will help down the road like a manual rack, maby an electric waterpump. I want to ditch the Cobra R's for some welds because my setup is all drag, and those 17's with the 40 series sidewall are really hurting me. my buddy had 315's on his camaro, went to 265/60/15 and never looked back. Then start building a 351W based stroker, how does that plan sound?
I dont know exactly what you should do, but I think there is more than 5-10 hp in a set of valves on stock heads. My stockers just have valves, the ports are untouched, and not milled. I also have a stock cam, stock bottem end, unported Cobra intake, and all the minor bolt on parts. This made 272 rwhp, 316 rwtq through all the accessories. From my cars experience the valves helped a ton, and has allowed my car on an untouched 133,000 mile suspension, at full weight, to go mid 12s all day long on slicks.
My next project might involve porting these heads, porting a stock intake, as well as a stout 306 bottem end, and making a run at the 11s. I think it is totally possible to see 300 rwhp and 11s with E7 heads (I have seen it done before). Sure they arent the best and for the money there is better, but something about stock heads running great times, that I like!
All this is leading to my point, if it were me, Id have the E7s on there impressing people all day long!
300HP is very possible with a very well thought out combo with a Cobra intake, stock heads with GREAT valves and custom valve job, stock cam or stock style cam specs
You kinda have to know exactly what you want before you build a motor. Trust me, you dont want to be kicking yourself in the butt after the fact. The motor I built was a product of a MILLION mind changes, but it all weighed out and I am still happy with my choices. Just don't buy in to something... I don't know that I would have changed anything on my motor if I would have done it agian. It's a good feeling.