LS1Formulation

iTrader: (13)

I've already got the basic mods done to my car (headers, exhaust, lid, gears) but I want to get a little more oomph out of it. I can't afford to buy top of the line heads, so I was thinking of getting a pair of 243 castings - they're only about $400 new. Then setting it up with a good cam for my combo (M6 w/ 4.10's) and getting a tune. I figure with a cam kit, the heads and tune I can do everything for under $2000. What kind of power could I see with this combo (figure a 224-226 cam with a 112 lobe separation)? Is it worth the expense to swap heads? I heard the 1998 model year are the worst castings of all LS1 heads.

jmm98LS1

iTrader: (28)

Definitely worth the swap from 806 heads to 243 castings. Probably pick up 30rwhp from the heads alone after the cam is in there. I'd imagine you'd easily be over 410rwhp with that cam and ported 243's.

FH212

iTrader: (4)

Im looking at this option myself!

staringback05

iTrader: (8)

for budget you can get some ported ls6 heads from tsp, and a cheatr cam or zo6 cam....see about a good 50-65 rwhp with all that....and that would be less then two grand

BOWTIE

I am in a similar situation... I hurt my stock heads and need to get my car going again, but am not crazy about spending a ton of money on heads now because I want to eventually go with a bigger motor (402-454). Whatever heads I get now will most likely not be want I want later, so I am torn between going with the budget heads and leaving a few HP at the table, or not. If I decide the budget route, I will be going with the previously mentioned TSP ported LS6 heads ($899.00 - $1249.00 with options), but then again those Terminator heads are looking sweet for not a lot more, and the TEA/TFS heads are looking good to but quite a bit more $$$.