So my 99 ss has bonestock internals with 853 heads. I'm debating on two setups. One with ported 853 heads with a cam (trex,ms3,ms4) or just getting some heads from TSP with one of those cams. I'm just kinda on a budget.

 

Depends.

If your 853's have the "notch" you can only use stock gaskets. Which limits what you can do with your compression ratio.

If not, unless your going with an aftermarket casting, the heads you get from tsp will be the same as what you can do with your heads.

 

Personally, I would go with the PRC stage 1 ls6 heads with their cam kit. They will flow better than ported 853's and it will all be new. If you're really tight on a budget, grab some 243's and just get them touched up. I figured the money I saved would be going toward the rear end, which is just a time bomb now.

 

I'm a fan of porting stock heads, but in this case your most cost effective option is probably to buy ported 706's or 243's from TSP. If you had a casting like a 799,243 or even a 706 I'd say send it to one of the porters, but I'm not a fan of the older castings like the 806 or 853. I would stick towards the smaller of the cams you discussed for mainly a street car, I think you'll be happier with the bottom end, those are all large cams. You may save a little coin buying it as a head/cam package deal from TSP.

 

don't do budget with a hi-rpm race cam.you will need comp cam trunnion bearings for your rockers.you will need good springs ,harden push rods ,and a new timing chain.valve train geomentry is important with a hi-rpm cam.you will need a hi-rpm stall ,or a good clutch.get a cam that works with your whole combo.ported heads with a big cam will need bigger injectors .you will need a new tune .