Stock Eliminator Cylinder Heads

[Alan Nyhus]

Originally Posted by Andy Friar

What STK combo(s) are the heads and manifold $5500? I am assuming at that cost they are built up and installed, correct?

A very well done set of SBC Stock Eliminator heads that perform and pass tech are easily $4,500. An intake done to match can be $1000-1500. -Al

[Frank Castros]

Originally Posted by Alan Nyhus

A very well done set of SBC Stock Eliminator heads that perform and pass tech are easily $4,500. An intake done to match can be $1000-1500. -Al

Think about the core issues of this discussion. Stock? What?

[Alan Nyhus]

Originally Posted by Frank Castros

Thing above the core issues of this discussion. Stock? What?

Well, the title of the thread is: Stock Eliminator Cylinder Heads

And the question was asked by Andy:

Originally Posted by Andy Friar

What STK combo(s) are the heads and manifold $5500? I am assuming at that cost they are built up and installed, correct?

[Greg Reimer 7376]

One of the reasons for the cost, besides its for the price that horsepower comes with, is that it is very labor intensive work. You almost can't charge for what its worth because of the expense of doing it. A set of heads is as much work as doing the rest of the bottom half of the engine. If a bottom end failure does in the short block, cam, pan and related items, that's pretty seriously bad enough. When one or both heads gets hurt, that adds to it or doubles the equation, in both dollar value of pieces, but in time spent above and beyond that. Also, like everything else that is cast iron, variations in castings from the foundry onward, will result in a part being just OK, a Better part or a Good part. One out of every 10 or 20 might be an Excellent casting, which means its better to start with. Before all the incredible head work and intake work came into being, racers used to flow bench test sometimes 20 heads, and kept track of the variables. Out of the 20, enough variations were obvious in that two heads were over and above the rest of them, those became the best performing pair of the bunch, justifying the further money that was going to be spent on them. The rest probably wound up in the ads somewhere. The newest technology applied to heads tends to result in more heads being acceptable,since the necessary work will tend to equalize them with the top of the line head a little more. Variations in castings can even be traced to foundry data and date codes and that sort of thing. Lots of builders know what further numbers on a given set of heads to look for, all 041's or 462's or 290's aren't always equal. Cylinder heads are a whole art form in engine building that takes this sport to an unforeseen level.

[Nmbr1GMfan]

Originally Posted by kansas stocker

Cheatin' is cheatin'. Don't matter if everyone is doing it, it is still cheatin'. I really don't know how you hold your head up after you beat someone in a "heads up" or for "class" when you are illegal. If it makes you feel proud then go circle track racing where it is a badge of honor.
Just $.02 from a cranky old man.

If they're going to allow the heads to be taken to a certain level, I think the rulebook should reflect that, if not, the rules should be enforced.

[Larry Hill]

That's why I have 70 to 80 mopar 906 heads with different casting dates. Some are just better than others. Also have several sets of 346's and 452's.
I have spilled enough alcohol to float a boat pouring runners.
And then try to figure out what works best. Its a scavenger hunt with a rubik's cube all in one. It's fun, but sometimes I wonder when the fun will start.

Chevy truck heads we got'em !

[Ed Wright]

For ten years I ran a dirt track Sprint car. Cheaters, when caught, were looked down on as well. When they started to P&G the top five cars every week, we lost some out of town cars. :-)

[Ed Wright]

After I built my flow bench (could not just buy a SuperFlow) back then) I was shocked at the variation of air flow between different castings, same casting numbers.

[Andy Friar]

Originally Posted by Alan Nyhus

A very well done set of SBC Stock Eliminator heads that perform and pass tech are easily $4,500. An intake done to match can be $1000-1500. -Al

WOWSER!!! STK Racers are truly a rare breed then. I can go low 11's for maybe that much on a whole SBC Chevy bracket engine in my Dad's 69 Chevelle, or I can spend that much on just the heads and intake to go maybe a little faster, but NHRA STK legal. I know it's not about the ET ROI in STK, but doing it within a tight window of specs that is the fun. I would like to run the Chevelle in I/S someday, bucket list...



The level of competition being what it is today, and guys that want to win Class at Indy, for example; Does having to pay other people to do a lot of the rollcage, suspension build and tuning, trans build and tuning, engine build, tweaking, massaging etc, does it still feel the same when you go fast? I am NOT trying to start a fight either or offend. I just can't relate as I don't have that kind of checkbook and I am a weirdo in my own right. I would personally rather be near the bottom of a qual list, after a few or more DNQ's, but made the field doing as much as physically possible on my own, then win class buying speed parts/services or a known fast car. (if I somehow magically won the lottery or something, and I do try regularly!!)

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

After I built my flow bench (could not just buy a SuperFlow) back then) I was shocked at the variation of air flow between different castings, same casting numbers.

Yes.