who does reverse cooling conversion to sbc heads to work with an lt1 block

pondering a change to the top end, wondering who did a conversion to the heads for reverse cooling?

also what tweaks are required to the block with respect to the cooling passages and oiling holes...if any?

thanks and happy holidays!

Taner, I had mine done in Indiana but have discovered other places that can it as well. The company I work for has the capability but we have not done any yet. I might be able to help you. e-mail me at n20dave@hotmail.com and we can talk about it.

Later
Dave

Yeah I know of a few places as well...

$400 or so SHOULD do it but some castings are better than others.

Bret

Yeah I know of a few places as well...

$400 or so SHOULD do it but some castings are better than others.

Bret

Bret,

what do you mean by "some castings are better than others"? do you mean by brand? are some company's castings better than others?

lol! dave i thought about dropping you a line as i wrote this topic up to post.

Porosity of the casting would affect the cost. Some castings are easier to weld than others. A HIPped casting would be less labor intensive than a non- hot isostatic pressed casting. More welding = more $. GM's "x-ray" heads are HIPped and are easier to weld than other brands. After welding and porting, if your head guy does it right, the head should be re heat treated.

Well a heat treated casting like a Edelbrock, GM or Dart are usually the best to do. If you are carefull you don't need to re heat treat them just stress relieve them.

Bret

Check with Air Flow Research.

I know Trick Flow (Summit) sells an after market revers flow head.

Check with Air Flow Research.

I know Trick Flow (Summit) sells an after market revers flow head.

I am pretty sure Taner knows this already.

The guys who want to make BIG power consider alternatives that those companies do not offer. I.E. 230+ CC runner and shorter valve angles(canted valve, 18* etc)


Taner, West Coast Cylinder head did ours....but he made the comment, that our heads were the first last and only set he would do.... But Richard can be sweet talked I am sure.


David

david,

yeah i knew that, but those heads are no better than the AFR227's i am running now, and for AFR's customer service, ha ha! well that is another story.

you are on the right track,18 deg or even 15 deg, if it can be done on our motors without negating the benefits of running a headlike that on a big bore small block, ie dart iron eagle :)

Taner, if I had to do it over again I would probably use a heavily ported 18* head. I think it could have been done considerably cheaper and quicker than the sb2s but with similar results.

What about the AFR 215RR head?

Call Dennis At airflowdevelopment.. He's doing my all pro's.. W/ 18* heads wouldn't you need to put a diff set of piston's?

18* heads require 18* specific pistons.

Dave, how would an 18* set up be cheaper than an SB2? I'm not disagreeing with someone who's actually done an SB2 swap, I'm just curious where the cost difference would come in since you have to go with new pistons, offset lifters, shaftmounts, custom headers, and convert a manifold either way you go....

Thanks!

david,

yeah i knew that, but those heads are no better than the AFR227's i am running now, and for AFR's customer service, ha ha! well that is another story.

you are on the right track,18 deg or even 15 deg, if it can be done on our motors without negating the benefits of running a headlike that on a big bore small block, ie dart iron eagle :)


This statement confuses me......why would you reverse flow cool a standard small block head to go on a Dart block? It wont work. You can reverse cool a standard small block by putting fittings in the 4 corners of the intake yada yada. A bigger bore will help ANY head flow..why would it "negate" it? Or did I comprehend wrong?


David

18* heads require 18* specific pistons.

Dave, how would an 18* set up be cheaper than an SB2? I'm not disagreeing with someone who's actually done an SB2 swap, I'm just curious where the cost difference would come in since you have to go with new pistons, offset lifters, shaftmounts, custom headers, and convert a manifold either way you go....

Thanks!

The parts that go in a SB2 are going to be much more expensive most times. The new pistons are going to be custom rather than a easy shelf set, the shaftmounts are usually more expensive, and my feeling is you can get something that fits the combination with a 18° setup much better for the money and not have to fix the old NASCAR SB2.2 heads to run them.

I agree that a good 18° setup would be cheaper to run and still make the power you are looking for.

Bret

Thanks Bret, that's my feeling as well.

This statement confuses me......why would you reverse flow cool a standard small block head to go on a Dart block? It wont work. You can reverse cool a standard small block by putting fittings in the 4 corners of the intake yada yada. A bigger bore will help ANY head flow..why would it "negate" it? Or did I comprehend wrong?


David

i didn't explain myself very well, lol!!!! only reverse flow for my motor, not the dart block, not that i am getting one, lol! smaller bore shrouds the valve.

Taner, I had a set of converted ProAction heads that were done by CFM in Indianapolis. They have done quite a few reverse flow conversions. I believe the price was $250.

Jason

JASON,

thanks again, nice to know there are a number of places doing them, funny thing is i called all pro last year, and they would not even entertain doing them, lol!!!!! nice to see other shops takin' care of the hardcore lt1 racers :)

JASON,

thanks again, nice to know there are a number of places doing them, funny thing is i called all pro last year, and they would not even entertain doing them, lol!!!!! nice to see other shops takin' care of the hardcore lt1 racers :) Well they are a very small company from what i understand.. So i don't think they have the man power let alone the demand to do such a job. Have you asked dart to convert a set of pro 1's? I'm glad guy's are out therel ike you said =, helping us take it to then next level..

Taner,
The small bore comp-elim stuff works real nice with a 4" bore motor. 15 degree stuff is pretty standard, and a easy conversion on nice castings (gm, dart, edel). I have contemplated doing a positive 2 degree roll like current comp programs, this picks the DC up about 6%. Wanna be a guinnea pig:D

Biggest question is what are you doing for an intake?

Dennis

dennis,

i will have to look up your # and give you a call.