Silver00V6Camaro

What are good but fairly cheap heads for my 75 L-48 vette

Silver00V6Camaro

anyone? what are the specs on a l-48 head. would heads like this be better than the stock ones. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=33617

FEDX

Define fairly cheap,whats your price range? A old set of double humps could be had sometimes,or maybe Vortec heads with a little more money.

stingr69

No those are not better. They are crack prone lightweight castings and are roughly equivalent to the stock 74-82 smog heads. They are the exact same heads used on 78-82 base engine Vettes.

-Mark.

marshrat99

Depends on how much money you have to spend and what your ultimate goals are. For me, I went with Dart Iron Eagle 180's since my goal was to build a dependable daily driver and keep all stock accessories. If I was interested in the drag strip, then my choice would have been completely different.

flood

I have the same questions about heads.

I think the old camel hump FI heads are fairly good but I have no idea what a set would cost.

Vortec heads are supposed to flow better than the camel hump heads and they have smaller valves. You can pick them up at a junkyard off trucks. There was a casting number that you wanted to stay away from though and I don't know what it is.

The problem with changing heads is that you would want to change the intake and cam too. That means rocker arms, lifters, pushrods and then there is always the BS stuff you have to get. Oh and don't forget the BS problems associated with any type of work on a car. Changing cams would require pulling the Radiator and then you might as well put a new timing chain on it.

All in all I think when I do my 75 L-48 I am going to just rebuild the entire thing. I mean yeah people say its slow but I ran a 15.8 up here at almost 5,000 feet ASL with my stock L-48. Thats not slow. ITs not FAST either. When it blows up I will make it faster.

humiliategravity

I looked into putting new heads on my L-48 but opted for the crate engine instead. The Vortecs seem like the best of what's around if you're just interested in swapping heads... you can buy the conversion kit online for about $800, then figure another couple hundred for miscellaneous parts.

Really consider crate engines. You can get a rebuilt 300 HP motor for $2000, and you won't destroy your matching numbers motor.

Dave

Fevre

Used alum L98 vette heads, will give a good compression bump and be good to 350 hp or so, same heads that are on the ZZ4 motor.

page62

I wouldn't get too panicky about preserving a '75 L48. It was the lowest horsepower V8 ever put in a Corvette! If anything, the original motor should be drop-kicked into the river...

Scoggin Dickey sells a complete basic Vortec kit for $729 (or something like that). Includes intake manifold, gaskets, and all that stuff...

flood

HA you forgot about the 1980 305 CA motor! I believe that was the lowest.

I dont think that keeping an original motor for any corvette is a bad idea, even if it wasn't the fastest it did start a new era for corvette. First HEI and the most fuel efficent to that day. Plus when looking at a Corvette for sale the original motor means alot to non-performance minded classic car buyers. Heck mine is original and it does add alot of nostalgic value.

On the other hand I would use a crane to put it in the river, drop kicking it would fricken hurt like mad.

with that being said. Go for a Vortec kit if you want a cheap route that will produce good power. I would seriously consider this if I had any money at all right now

page62

The '75 L48 was rated at 165 hp. The '80 LG4 was 180 hp. I think it would be fun to drop both engines in the river simultaneously and see which one hits the bottom first!

But seriously folks...even if my L82 bites the dust, I ain't gonna cry. I'm just not into this originality religion thing. Can you say ZZ4

joe73vette

I'm going with vortecs on mine when I rebuild it. Why are you changing heads? New heads on a hi-milage bottom end is asking for trouble.

Here is an interesting article comparing heads. For a stock rebuild look at the 180cc and under listing. They like the Darts. The World Products is like the stock 882 casting you probably have now. Joe

http://chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/41598/

joe73vette

I don;t think so - the ZZ4 uses fast burn heads, the L98's are junk compared to modern aluminum heads. Joe

page62

I hate to say this, but the ZZ4 does indeed use L98 heads. That's why you'll find so many L98 heads for sale . . . people swap in a set of fastburn heads on their ZZ4's!

turtlevette

The ZZ4 uses L98 heads. Thats a fact. The ZZ4 with fast burn heads and hot cam is a ZZ430.

The L98 heads can be ported to make over 400hp. Thats the most cost effective route. It also saves 50 pounds on the front end and 86 heads have conventional manifold bolt angles. The 87 up heads had a different angle on the bolts in the middle of the manifold. It is relatively easy to mill the intake or use a wedge spacer to make it work.

joe73vette

I stand corrected, thanks. Joe

Cylinder heads-Part # 12556463 cast Aluminum 1987-1991 Corvette L98 Head.

Another reason not to buy the ZZ4.

This aluminum head was used on the Corvette TPI engines from the mid-Eighties until the LT-1 1992 motors were introduced. The 882-iron head out-flowed this head across the board. This piece is not our first choice for a performance head considering that the largest valve this head fits is a 2.00/1.55-inch combination and it has a 58cc chamber.

turtlevette

i don't understand. I thought all sb heads have the same valve spacing. Why wouldn't 2.02/1.6 fit? Whats wrong with a 58 cc chamber. People go to a lot of trouble to angle mill heads to increase compression not to have to use a pop up piston.

markdtn

L98 aluminum heads all have the "old" bolt angles in the middle. 87 up Iron 350 (and 305) heads have the different angles. That is one of the differences in Vette and F-body TPI intakes. (Vette TPI intakes have external EGR exhaust entrance instead of in the center of each head)

Hitch

I don't have a lot to add that hasn't been already said but if you want a set of double hump heads I have a set listed here...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=934643

Dave..

crazydalys

[QUOTE=joe73vette]I'm going with vortecs on mine when I rebuild it. Why are you changing heads? New heads on a hi-milage bottom end is asking for trouble.

Why is it trouble to put new heads on a older bottom end?