TFS did have an LT1 head 5 years ago,it was a TWISTED WEDGE head,it did not stay in production long(about 20+sets) due to geometry problems.

My friend Rick Abare has been running these for the past 3-4 years(on his 383) and liked them pretty well,he has since replaced them with Ai stock casting heads and is going even faster with Ai s heads!!!

Hopefully I will be able to pick them up for my 396!!!

 

I've got a set of the LT1 TW heads and love them. The heads are thick and heavy for aluminum castings and have some serious potential... the intake ports have a solid 0.600" of material above them to about .25" past the intake valve guide! Plenty of room to work them out to a Lt4 race gasket and then some.

Downsides: they require more attention to detail than your average 23* head and there are a few bugs to be worked out in getting them set up. Have the aluminum "crowns" around the exhaust valve spring pads machined down - this will drop the oil level around the intake and exhaust valves significantly, preventing oil from going down the guides if the valve stem seals start to wear out. Also, pay attention to valve train geometry and clearances - make sure the pushrod length is spot on, valve to piston clearance, and the guide clearances are right, and you're golden.

 

Exactly. You couldn't have said it any better.

I thought about doing a Gen I swap. I even put thought towards a Gen III swap. But in the end, I've got an LT1, and am staying with an LT1. Will I make the 600 HP mark?? Who knows?? But I'm going to try to do the best I can. I think most everyone would be in agreeance here when I say that with our current technology, it's easily attainable even with the 23* heads, with the properly mapped out combination.

 

Ditto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I wouldn't say it is "easy". It is doable, but trust me you are going to spend quite a bit of money to do it N/A, whether you use 23 deg heads or 18 deg stuff. So, yeah everything is "easy" if you have unlimited funds but I think that people that read the boards with the idea of building a 500+ rwhp LT1 slowly learn it is harder than made out to be. I'd say 1 of 20 people who have posted stating this intention in their build have actually done it. Now, forced induction, that is "easy" to hit 500rwhp on a build.

 

Well, I may not have unlimited funds, but I've got patience, and patience enough to hopefully properly research the right parts and talk to the right people to get there. Like I said, it's only a goal (and one that would be nice to see met) but it's not the end of the world if I don't make it.

My planned course of action is going to be get the heads done and flowed, then the valvetrain/cam matched accordingly (knowing of course that I'm building a 383) and then am going to build the bottom end around the top end providing for proper clearances. Anyone see any faults with that way?

 

Sounds like a good plan. Mine has taken nearly 3 years to get where I'm at now and I'm still a little bit shy. I agree totally in that it is also just a number, and we often get caught up in the "numbers game" where in all honesty it doesn't matter except for bragging rights.

 

Good points....

The guide clearance can be a little tight depending on the valves, the valve spacing isin't too bad, but if you put a big exhaust valve in them it can cause a issue. Also the ISKY adjustable guideplates are a good idea here as well. Overall they are a pretty dam nice head with a better water passage than the AFR's

Bret

 

I'd send Cantonracer a PM. He used to have a 383 and recently went to a 396. I think he's expecting more than 600hp and could probably give you some pointers on what problems he's run into and what not.

-Dustin-

 

Two questions Rich....

1) When are you going to grow a pair of huevos?

2) What's the fascination with Fidel? Or is it just the fine Cuban cigars??

(#1 was rhetorical and a joke )

-Mindgame

 

I'll bet Rich knows someone in the "profession" who does augmentation or transplants. After all there are prosthetic huevos for show dogs, but I guess that makes them all "show" and no "go".

 

 

Yeah they are called Neuticals.... and they won a ignoble award. Fake dog nuts.... I never thought dogs missed them.

Bret

 

I am not a fan of Mr. Castro's politics, but I have been fascinated with him and with Che Guevarra for a long time. Both are extremely charismatic. I remember when Fidel first came to New York to visit the UN. He stayed in Harlem, which was such a masterful PR move that it made our own politicians quite red-faced. Again, he has done some nasty things and I am quite aware of those, but he has a certain something that is very compelling.

Che even more so. He was a physician, though I don't believe he ever practiced medicine. Take a look at the recent movie "The Motorcycle Diaries" for some insight into his life. Quite entertaining and moving as well as educational.

And I like the cigars even more!

Rich

 

FWIW: Che is the icon you see on T-shirts and flags on everything from college campuses to TV news casts....

http://shots.oxo.li/hot/OXO-World/Er...e_Guevarra.jpg

Pretty odd since he was the leader of firing squad executions that killed thousands.

During the Cuban missile crisis, Che was in favor of a nuclear war with the U.S. because he believed that a better world could be built from the ashes, regardless of the cost in millions of lives. Thank god Kennedy and him didn't get to go thru with their who got the bigger dick exercise in the early 60's... goes to show reguardless of background and ethnicity ego can always overpower sense.

Gotta say he was interesting, a crazy SOB, but interesting.

Bret