# which heads to pic for my 400



## bobby326 (Dec 13, 2009)

i am biulding a 400 for my 67 lemans. i already have a stock rebiult roatating accembly so now i need heads. i have a pair of 6x heads that i was gona get done. to get cast heads done will be about 1500 from butler, kauffman or tin indian. aluminun heads will run between 1950-2295. tin indian has kauffman aluninum heads 260-270 cfm /85cc $1950. butler has edelbrock aluminum 87cc/290-300 cfm $2295 kauffman has 85cc/260cfm $1950.. there all pritty much the same price. just wondering if its worth getting cast heads done or just spending the extra 500 for aluminum. i cant make a decision on my own. if anybody has any advice or has gone through this before, any help would be appriciated. :confused


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## bobthewelder (Jun 26, 2010)

I'm going through the same process. I found Rock and Roll Engineering and may go that route with their Edelbrock heads prepped by RRE.

Serious Pontiac Horespower - Rock and Roll Engineering


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

If you're not worried about originality and you got the change, pop for the aluminum ones. Not only are they half the weight, but they will flow and cool better .


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## even steven (Feb 27, 2009)

ames perf. is making or already has made repro.ram air IV round ports.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Aluminum heads will allow 1 compression point on pump gas, 9.5:1 compared to 10.5 to 1. So, the performance advantage goes to aluminum. Just don't go to big of runners and make it an RPM motor, unless that is what you after. What can they do to 6X heads to justify $1500?


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

bobthewelder said:


> I'm going through the same process. I found Rock and Roll Engineering and may go that route with their Edelbrock heads prepped by RRE.
> 
> Serious Pontiac Horespower - Rock and Roll Engineering


They dont exactly have the greatest reputation in the Pontiac community... They havent for some time now. My experience with them wasnt pleasant. I havent met or found anyone who is happy with Fulper. Im not intending to badmouth him, just letting you know ahead of time, do a bit of research and decide for yourself.

If you want to go racing and dont care about originality, get the aluminum heads. If you are on a budget and have your own iron heads already, just send them out for some work. I've had Butlers do some heads for me, and KRE, SD, Spotts, and Ken Keefer in Florida do good work too. 

I have one set of aluminum heads out of the 15 Pontiacs I own. The rest of them have iron heads, and I am planning on getting a set of 48 heads ported and rebuilt this winter. Havent decided if I will send them to Butler or SD yet, both of them do quality work and make lots of power. 

KRE D ports dont require a new set of round port headers, they flow good and are relatively inexpensive. If you go Edelbrock or any of the other heads with round ports, you have a $500 set of headers to buy along with the heads. You have to figure that in when you decide. D port headers are much cheaper, so you could end up spending quite a bit less for D port heads.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Lots of ways to go, lots of good advice posted. Check out the py forums online "street" section if you really want to soak up the info. Went through this recently with a 389, and again with another 389 that we're putting together for a friend's GTO. Here's my take on it: The aluminum heads that seem to work the best on the Pontiacs are the KRE's. That's what I would get. With aluminum heads, you CAN run 10.5 compression on the street and run pump gas. BUT, aluminum heads are NOT as thremally efficient as cast iron heads, so you NEED to have more compression to make the SAME power. Iron heads are heavy, can be a PITA to have done "right" (I know all about this one!) and don't flow as well stock as some of the aluminum ones. That said, with the 389's, we opted to run the STOCK cast iron heads, and go with Rock and Roll Engineering's dished CP pistons. The result was a strong running engine (really strong!!) that runs on 89 ovtane fuel. I spoke with several Techs about the aluminum head thing, and one, who has been working on GM cars since 1969, had a good point. His opinion was that if you took an iron block (that wasn't designed for aluminum heads), put aluminum heads on it, put iron exhaust manifolds on it, and an iron intake, that yu would be inviting leaks of all kinds do to uneven expansion rates of aluminum and cast iron. I did more research, and found that those using the heavy, 3-bolt HO exhaust manifolds were having to repair stripped threads in the aluminum heads. I notice when I go to Bakersfield for the March meet, that all the Pontiacs seem to be running KRE heads, though!! And they are fast!! Depends on what you want to use the car for and your wallet. 2 years ago, I spent about $1700 redoing a set of 87cc #15 heads (stock pontiac) for my '67 GTO. If I had known it was going to cost me that (original quote was $400), I would have bought ALUMINUM heads right then, because, like you, I have a stock rotating assembly (no dished pistons!) Good luck, and have FUN!!


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## bobby326 (Dec 13, 2009)

thanx 4 the advice guys. i have a little money to play with so ill prob go with the alinimum heads. leaning towards kre than edelbrock rite now. i dont plan on raceing the car at all just want a little rumble under the hood. and since im rebuilding the car from the frame up, mite as well go all the way:willy:


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## bobby326 (Dec 13, 2009)

ok im going with aluminum heads. just want to know if anybody has aluminum heads and what kind they have edelbrock or kauffman. why u chose that head and any feed back on them. want a little info and prefrences befor i choose. thanx guys:seeya:


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## bobby326 (Dec 13, 2009)

thumpin455 if u dont mind me asking what was your bad experiance with rock n roll


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