2manytoyz

OK,a 85 has the forged pistons so i read.It also is a non roller engine so it will need a bronze cam gear correct?
Also the intake will be pre centerbolt type correct?Is this the only year tpi intake to do this?
If i use later alum heads will it still work,i know the v/c wont
What kind of power will a midly ported stock 85 iron head make?
I plan on spraying the car with a 150 shot.

I know i would be better off with a afr head but im doing all this for the lowest possible $$$.

cumbercr

The stock 85 has 230Hp, 9.0:1 compression ratio with 76cc iron heads. It has a flat tappet cam. Mildly porting the TPI will have a little effect but not much. You can't flow any more than the heads and exhaust can handle. The exhaust is restrictive and the cam is pretty weak. AFR heads would be of little value unless combined with free flowing exhaust, more aggressive cam and a decent intake. Hp costs $.

CORKVETTE1

Like said above the whole thing is a bottle neck!!! leave the shortblock alone throw in a mild cam put on new heads and whole new intake system and long tube headers and call it a day!!!!!!
My current setup is bone stock 85 corvette shortblock with a mild mild flat tappet hyd cam, 9.5 comp, a old set of AFR heads a converted sinle plane intake and some long tube headers last years best was a 11.75 et

hbarclay

I keep reading that on forums as well, but my 85 Factory Service Manual says the crank and pistons are cast, only the rods are forged.

black85vette

When we took my 85' apart 3 years ago. it infact had forged pistons.
We found numbers on them they were made by TRW for chevrolet.

coupeguy2001

rods are plain ol' cast, and the crank is as well. the pistons are forged because the fuel wasn't the best then (worse now) and the heads were opened up to take advantage of unshrouding the valves.
The heads were changed to the lightweight configuration, and the ports were improved.
This was a few (3) years before the dished piston craze was in full force.
You can take advantage of qwench with a 72cc head, and premium fuel.
Or, change the pistons to 2 valve reliefs, and factory aluminum heads with a 12 cc D dish.
and still use premium fuel.

2manytoyz

What is i just put bigger valves in them?Or would i be better off doing that to a later casting?
Just looking for about 300 rwhp as cheap as possible

how bad are the stock heads?Valve sizes and any other info?
p/n?

cv67

Those heads arent worth sticking a dime into, seriously. Look at an afteramrket

427c4vette

The 624 iron cylinder heads that came on the 85 are a lightweight design that are prone to cracking. Unless you require a stock look it is not a good investment to put a lot of money into these heads.
On a stock block the pistons sit about .025 down in the hole so unless thin head gaskets are used quench will not be optimal, not that it really matters on a mild build.
My 85 did not come with a bronze gear on the distributor (at least when I got it) and a bronze gear is not needed with a cast camshaft which most non-rollers are.

redrose

bronze dizzy driven gear is 'yesterdays medicine' for roller cams, no use for flat (non-roller) cams, longevity of bronze gear never reached to minimal street mileage reqmnts (we wore 'em out in under 1k mi)...get a roller cam with dizzy-gear compatible drive gear 'add-on'... or stay with flat tappet cam/oem steel dizzy gear and add zn oil supplement, keep oil temp under control with oil cooler and/or 180* water t-stat (back/day, before 'emissions' took water/oil temps up to 195*+, cam wear was insignificant)

all sbc1 connecting rods are forged steel (forging marks are easily seen on both sides of rod, above bolts)...oem rods DO differ in strength due to steel alloy selection and part profile.

fwiw, circle track 'pure stock' racers, limited by rulebook 'oem iron' rule, used camaro 305 HO heads (60cc) on 350 chev engines to increase output substantially...now that most racing bodies no longer req 'oem', the camo heads can be found for cheap $ (premium fuel mandatory)

WW7

From what I have read a bronze gear is only needed on a billet cam..A cast iron cam uses a iron gear. Also some cams have pressed on cam gears made of another material.. On my Erson cast cam I called them just to make sure what to get.Of course you can always get the composite dizzy gear that works with anything and has almost no wear involved, but there about $100.00..WW