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.

[Alan Nyhus]

Originally Posted by Frank Castros

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

Hi Frank.

Thanks for editing your original post to clarify. Makes more sense to me, now. -Al

[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!!)

[Alan Nyhus]

Originally Posted by Andy Friar

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!!)

Andy, here's the thing....just because you can spend a lot of money, that doesn't mean you have to. Or that you should. Each racer should race the way they want to race, period.

And if that means you're not the killer azz kicker in your class, so be it. You can be a player by watching the qualifying sheets and being careful. And if you get a heads-up at some point...hey, the fast guy still has to run the race and turn on the win light first. Lots of things can, and do, happen.

Don't let not wanting to spend a fortune deter you from getting into Stock or Super Stock. It's a lot of fun, believe me! -Al

[Andy Friar]

Originally Posted by Alan Nyhus

Andy, here's the thing....just because you can spend a lot of money, that doesn't mean you have to. Or that you should. Each racer should race the way they want to race, period.

And if that means you're not the killer azz kicker in your class, so be it. You can be a player by watching the qualifying sheets and being careful. And if you get a heads-up at some point...hey, the fast guy still has to run the race and turn on the win light first. Lots of things can, and do, happen.

Don't let not wanting to spend a fortune deter you from getting into Stock or Super Stock. It's a lot of fun, believe me! -Al

Completely agree Alan, I don't think someone has to be the fastest or 'coolest' or have the best paint or bazillion $$ tow rig to have a blast racing. There is a lot more to it than that for me.

I am determined to build a 14-15 Camaro to run SS/FA or SS/GA. I would like to run pts meets, GLSSSA or similar races, No-Box stuff and 1/4 mile racket races too. I plan to do as much of the work myself as possible. I can TIG weld, fabricate, CAD design, do FEA and CNC machine too. I will learn CFD as well so I can design, machine and flow my own heads and intakes. I want to build my own motor and trans as well. I will paint the car, if I have to. Never done it, but I am willing to learn and try. I want to be able to say this is MY race car, I paid for it, I designed it, I built it, I drive it and I am very proud of it. (good or bad)
We'll see if put my nickels were my mouth is....

I can't wait to get back to the track, I hope everyone is staying safe, and sane through all of this.

[Mike Taylor 3601]

I have a completely different result going through castings and flowing them...
my brother and I went through dozens and dozens of 882's and 450's for our cars...
you could have threw them all in a pile closed your eyes and grabbed a pair and they would have been as good as any other dozens of heads in that pile...maybe every 882 and 450 just suck...
that being said though I still try to pick a set that look like they have the least shift and least flaws.... not for performance but for reliability...

[Paradigm Shift]

Sounds like a path well thought Andy..