32valve LT1 Progress...
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From: That Southern Fried Space City
Originally Posted by METALBEAST
How in the hell did you get those heads to work on an LT1 block? Kudos and more Kudos! What are those heads from?
Thanks for all the well wishes guys. Let's see if this thing lives up to the hype....
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From: Anna, OH
Originally Posted by The Big Show
A few years ago the company made a few sets for LT1's so it's actually a reversed cooled head and not something that was converted.
I can't imagine running these things without either an old school distributor or a crank triggered ignition setup. I suspect they'd hit the rev limiter before you could get back off the pedal...
At what point is it not an LT1 anymore?
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From: That Southern Fried Space City
Originally Posted by LTSpeed
Yeah, they quoted me a set a few years ago for $5,000 IIRC, but that was just for the heads. As I'm sure you know, it takes a lot more $$ and sweat before they're ready to run.
I can't imagine running these things without either an old school distributor or a crank triggered ignition setup. I suspect they'd hit the rev limiter before you could get back off the pedal...
At what point is it not an LT1 anymore?
I can't imagine running these things without either an old school distributor or a crank triggered ignition setup. I suspect they'd hit the rev limiter before you could get back off the pedal...
At what point is it not an LT1 anymore?
Your exactly right tho on the distributor. I wanted to turn 7K rpm and I knew the opti's reliability up there is non-exsistent so it was a no brainer for me.
I'm with Shon on your last question. As far as I'm concerned, the reverse cooling makes the LT1 what it is. Since you can cover the opti hole and run a regular distrubutor an ignition setup shouldn't decide the designation but no other block cools the heads first from the factory besides the LT1.
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Looks great Bobby. I can't see those pictures enough times. It is gonna be wicked. 700+ will be no problem.
Some advice though...When it's dyno'ed, take some valium with you. When it hits 8000 you'd swear the rods are gonna come flying out. Ask me how I know. They took mine to 8800. I had to turn and walk away before it was over.
Some advice though...When it's dyno'ed, take some valium with you. When it hits 8000 you'd swear the rods are gonna come flying out. Ask me how I know. They took mine to 8800. I had to turn and walk away before it was over.
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From: LT1 land...the "409" of the 90s!
About damn time!
UB better start warming his up!
SB2.2 baby
power to ten if it holds 
UB better start warming his up!
Originally Posted by N20Dave
Looks great Bobby. I can't see those pictures enough times. It is gonna be wicked. 700+ will be no problem.
Some advice though...When it's dyno'ed, take some valium with you. When it hits 8000 you'd swear the rods are gonna come flying out. Ask me how I know. They took mine to 8800. I had to turn and walk away before it was over.
Some advice though...When it's dyno'ed, take some valium with you. When it hits 8000 you'd swear the rods are gonna come flying out. Ask me how I know. They took mine to 8800. I had to turn and walk away before it was over.
SB2.2 baby
power to ten if it holds 
"The unique valve gear arrangement made possible by Arao Performance's patented head design (US Patent #5,007,387) allows rev's to over 9000 RPM without use of exotic valve train parts or freakish valve spring loadings."
Thats nuts!!! when i first saw the pics i thought they were LT5 heads. Guess i was wrong.
Now you have to have someone make some clear valve covers to show those badass heads off.
Thats nuts!!! when i first saw the pics i thought they were LT5 heads. Guess i was wrong.
Now you have to have someone make some clear valve covers to show those badass heads off.
Originally Posted by TwoFast4Lv
UB better start warming his up!
I wish he could, and so does he!
OldSStroker is still working on the design for the rocker arms on UB set. WE have to make some guides and do some work to these heads to get some bad *** flow numbers like Bobbys. He'll end up with a 396 like Bobbys setup when we are all done, except his LT1 is going in a '71 AMC!
I'm still interested in the results Bobby. Keep us informed!
Bret
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From: That Southern Fried Space City
Originally Posted by SmokeShow99SS
"The unique valve gear arrangement made possible by Arao Performance's patented head design (US Patent #5,007,387) allows rev's to over 9000 RPM without use of exotic valve train parts or freakish valve spring loadings."
Thats nuts!!! when i first saw the pics i thought they were LT5 heads. Guess i was wrong.
Now you have to have someone make some clear valve covers to show those badass heads off.
Thats nuts!!! when i first saw the pics i thought they were LT5 heads. Guess i was wrong.
Now you have to have someone make some clear valve covers to show those badass heads off.
Just waiting on lifters boyz....
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From: That Southern Fried Space City
Originally Posted by N20Dave
Looks great Bobby. I can't see those pictures enough times. It is gonna be wicked. 700+ will be no problem.
Some advice though...When it's dyno'ed, take some valium with you. When it hits 8000 you'd swear the rods are gonna come flying out. Ask me how I know. They took mine to 8800. I had to turn and walk away before it was over.
Some advice though...When it's dyno'ed, take some valium with you. When it hits 8000 you'd swear the rods are gonna come flying out. Ask me how I know. They took mine to 8800. I had to turn and walk away before it was over.
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From: Upstate NY
Originally Posted by The Big Show
LOL...I asked my engine builder how hard we were going to turn it on the dyno and he looks at me and says, "Until it stops making power"....man did the cheeks ever get so tight. I'm so scared this thing is gonna blow up. LOL...
The 9000 rpm claims don't seem justified after examining the hardware closely. Of course, I'm a conservative kinda guy when it comes to things mechanical. I'm impressed with 10,000 rpm Cup valvetrain parts. A few ideas might translate well to the Arao heads.
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From: That Southern Fried Space City
Originally Posted by Old SStroker
Two 94 gm intake valves and two 90 gm exhaust valves and the associated springs and retainers make me think high rpm is going to be a significant challenge especially for the pushrods and the rockers. I'd really like to keep the revs well below 7K if it were my engine. The potential flow/curtain area should allow a very fat area under the hp & torque curves throughout the usable rpm range.
The 9000 rpm claims don't seem justified after examining the hardware closely. Of course, I'm a conservative kinda guy when it comes to things mechanical. I'm impressed with 10,000 rpm Cup valvetrain parts. A few ideas might translate well to the Arao heads.
The 9000 rpm claims don't seem justified after examining the hardware closely. Of course, I'm a conservative kinda guy when it comes to things mechanical. I'm impressed with 10,000 rpm Cup valvetrain parts. A few ideas might translate well to the Arao heads.
At least UB's heads had GM parts in it. My heads were a frankenstein with parts from different things like Volkswagen springs (supposebly high performance
) and some type of retainer I'm not sure of. Valves look okay but I ditched the springs and retainers and put on some 941's with titanium retainers to try and get as much weight off this thing as I can. Pushrod angles are pretty screwy as well as I'm sure you are aware of and that doesn't sit so well with me which was one of the main reasons I decided to stay hydraulic instead of solid. We were going to have to resign the entire lifter area in order to get a solid to work and that wasn't cool. Tell me about frankenstien..... I'm using Ferrea valves made for Nissan motors. New valve guides and a good amount of port work, and probably throwing some beehives. Oh and OldSStrokers new shaft mounts.
I think we're going solid on them.
Bret
I think we're going solid on them.
Bret