Edelbrock performer heads?
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Nebraska
I wouldnt even call it slowly, its more like deliberately and quickly at this point, and I dont see anything wrong with it. Aside from the Trickflows having more meat for porting, there is almost no quality aftermarket LT1 specific part that I can think of. MSD coils are junk (although I like my MSD opti), everything Edelbrock puts out for this platform does NOTHING, there is no aftermarket block, we share the same rotating assembly and valvetrain with the rest of the 1pc rms smallblock world (lifters with LS), we use Ford injectors, cut to fit plug wires, and generic NGK plugs.
We are left with a bastard intake, a bastard set of heads, and a bastard block. I guess thats whats still great about the LT platform and sets us apart, you can go pretty damn fast on ported stock head and intake castings on a stock block.
People look under the hood of an old ford and say "holy crap a Flathead! I remember those!" Thats what the LT is going to be, nothing but a "dare to be different" engine come 10 years from now, the redheaded stepchild for GM that only us wierdos could love.
We are left with a bastard intake, a bastard set of heads, and a bastard block. I guess thats whats still great about the LT platform and sets us apart, you can go pretty damn fast on ported stock head and intake castings on a stock block.
People look under the hood of an old ford and say "holy crap a Flathead! I remember those!" Thats what the LT is going to be, nothing but a "dare to be different" engine come 10 years from now, the redheaded stepchild for GM that only us wierdos could love.
so far from the truth its not even funny........an experienced engine builder/cylinder head porter can get PLENTLY out of those "junk castings", and that "bastard" intake on my car two years ago was whopping big cube ls1's asses.......so before you go hating on a platform because there are no cookie cutter proven combos like their are for the ls think again.......with the lt's it take a bit more knowledge than looking on ls1 tech and buying one of those fancy name camshafts.........
To rephrase what quick said about the LS1s is the big advantage they have is a factory head that flows like altered angle aftermarket gen 1 stuff has for decades. Being OEM makes them cheaper which makes them popular.
I think it would be pretty damned cool if someone put up the cash to do a good NA 15degree LT1 build.
Far as the LT1 aftermarket I think part of the reason there are so few head and intake options is because it is so easy to adapt gen 1 stuff. It cost what $400 to adapt a gen 1 head to LT1 cooling. When it is that cheap why should aftermarket companies tool up for a new casting cast with those coolant ports.
I know the false prophet and a few other have long pushed gen 1 intakes but in the real world relatively few builds are aggressive enough to see any substantial gain from such a thing.
While there may not be a lot of new parts available we are seeing performance increases, a decade ago the fastest Impala SS was basically an unlimited budget car shop built by a lawyer who's slow car was a Viper. 391ci with AFRs, FAST Hogan intake, solid roller cam etc. on a 300 shot it ran 9.98 at 140. Today we have a guy who is just a HVAC tech with a car with ported factory intake and heads, factory computer, hydraulic cam 175 shot same tranny and gear less stall running 9.92 at 134mph.
Now I know the first car was up 6mph but to me that is poor for heavily ported AFRs(one time quoted as saying $2500 additional work), Hogan intake, solid roller, aftermarket pcm and another 125 worth of spray.
So the parts are better today that what we had a few years ago but most of the community wont recognize it. Once they wont recognize what really works that leaves them choosing something else, not performing all that well and dragging the reputation of the platform through the mud.
I think it would be pretty damned cool if someone put up the cash to do a good NA 15degree LT1 build.
Far as the LT1 aftermarket I think part of the reason there are so few head and intake options is because it is so easy to adapt gen 1 stuff. It cost what $400 to adapt a gen 1 head to LT1 cooling. When it is that cheap why should aftermarket companies tool up for a new casting cast with those coolant ports.
I know the false prophet and a few other have long pushed gen 1 intakes but in the real world relatively few builds are aggressive enough to see any substantial gain from such a thing.
While there may not be a lot of new parts available we are seeing performance increases, a decade ago the fastest Impala SS was basically an unlimited budget car shop built by a lawyer who's slow car was a Viper. 391ci with AFRs, FAST Hogan intake, solid roller cam etc. on a 300 shot it ran 9.98 at 140. Today we have a guy who is just a HVAC tech with a car with ported factory intake and heads, factory computer, hydraulic cam 175 shot same tranny and gear less stall running 9.92 at 134mph.
Now I know the first car was up 6mph but to me that is poor for heavily ported AFRs(one time quoted as saying $2500 additional work), Hogan intake, solid roller, aftermarket pcm and another 125 worth of spray.
So the parts are better today that what we had a few years ago but most of the community wont recognize it. Once they wont recognize what really works that leaves them choosing something else, not performing all that well and dragging the reputation of the platform through the mud.
http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...n/viewall.html I think this link will work LoL For a Starting point theres many good aftermarket heads IF your gonna port em The name of the game is to get the most flow out of the smallest port possible Like the 396 build on CHP http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...396_crank.html
Last edited by warriorcustoms; Sep 12, 2012 at 02:26 PM.
10 Second Club
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 28
How much of a deal can you get the heads for? Everyone loves to bash those heads. They are much better than a stock piece. The "flaw" with them, is that they are priced right in line with other offerings that have better performance so people tend to ignore them and say they are junk. If you can get them for cheap, then the decision is easy.
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Verdad Gallardo How much of a deal can you get the heads for? Everyone loves to bash those heads. They are much better than a stock piece. The "flaw" with them, is that they are priced right in line with other offerings that have better performance so people tend to ignore them and say they are junk. If you can get them for cheap, then the decision is easy.
Because you can bolt them on and run a few tenths quicker. Success!1111 I mean anything is better than nothing, right? It's so cliche' to spend money on proven performance parts...
Last edited by SS RRR; Sep 13, 2012 at 07:48 AM.
watch tachometer
the 15* part ive thought of many times.........class rules say i cant though
......no to mention id have to sell my heads rockers intake and change the pistons to do it........basically build a new motor One of the magazines did a Edelbrock buildup on a Caprice friggin SAD. With heads/cam/intake on Nittos it went a blistering 13.9 at 96mph. Then on the jug it went 12.8 at 101.
My old ZZ4 cam setup went 13.2 at 101.
My old 190cc heads/cam setup went 12.7 at 108 on street tires with slicks and tools in the trunk.
You begin comparing the few Edelbrock LT1 results we have seen to other results and their heads/intake can really only be considered stock replacement and the cam I don't know what to say about other than given how bad the total package is it can't be any good either.
I just reread this article because I remembered Ray Bohacz saying something good about the Edelbrock LT1 heads, but all they made was 283 rwhp with heads and cam swap. Those are some bad numbers.
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/eng...e/viewall.html
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/eng...e/viewall.html
Lt1s are the automotive enforcer's of Darwinism, you just can't be a dumbass to build one.
You'll go as fast as you want to spend and your build will be as good as your research. LS just has a larger margin of error due to the better stock foundation to build upon.
You'll go as fast as you want to spend and your build will be as good as your research. LS just has a larger margin of error due to the better stock foundation to build upon.
Not taking anything away from mike's car but he's 35th on this list and behind 9 h/r cars.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-raci...-n-any-cu.html
I would be interested in hearing 1 thing an ltx does as good as an lsx.
I was amazed when I got a ride in my tuners h/c Z06 that is likely making over 600rwhp. It had 0 cam surge and no bucking... it drove just like stock but with an insane amount of power, and there's no way in hell an ltx would come even close to doing that.