I will respectfully disagree. The best head, dollar for dollar, is my ported version of the Dart Platinumn 230, as far as standard port 23 degree heads go. On a stout 414 drag motor, they would make more power.
Hammertime, here is some food for thought. YOu have got decent work, from locals, paying around $500, and as you describe awesome work, by sending them off, and paying $1200. Have you ever talked to the local guy, about his awesome work? Its possible, they don;t fully understand all the dynamics, and do just the basics, and charge $500, knowing, that minor work will improve it. Its funny to me, that local guys to me, are willing to spend that $500-$750 amount for porting, but, when I mention what I can actualy do to the heads, obviously for more money, they won;t do it. But, they will send them off, because in their mind, that guy has a big name, or has solicited himself to death on internet forumns, and has a "name", so he must be better. But, when its all said and done, my customers are beating them at the track .Then, do to the beauty of the internet, I get guys that find me, and send me their heads, and let me have creative freedom with them, and, low and behold, they are described as awesome. I do have my fair share of local guys, that do let me get creative, and, the comments on their engines, and how their cars runs is usualy, "What heads are those?" no way, they can;t run that good, they are just old Track1's, or some old Pro-1's, or even some old Edelbrock Performer Rpm's. Its stamped right in the front. Or some old AFR 190's, as thats on the front too. I can tell you more storied than I count, how guys get SO mad, when they get beat, by someone that has some heads that aren;t supposed to run fast, especially as fast as them, because of what heads they have, compared to some "old" Performer rpm's. But, they do, and beat them. I get great personal satisfaction from that. Depending on what a guy is trying to do, its cost effective in many many cases, to midify your existing heads, if they are half way decent to start. If your trying to win a all out heads up class, well, then, a set of heavily worked Perf. Rpm's wouldn;t be the best bet, and I would know that, and then stear him in the right dircetion to the correct head, that would give him a chance, I am not going to BS the guy, to make the money, for him to be mad, and bad mouth me. I want the guy to be fast, if I work on it.
My point is, most heads, with the right work, can make killer power. I prove that to guys all the time. You have a set of this or thats, they can be improved, I gaurentee you. Welding, sleeving, epoxy, bigger valves, etc, can do some amazing things, and, it usualy costs less than new heads. And even if it is a bit more, when its all done, I gaurenttee, the totaly modified head, will trounce a generic cnc out of the box head. I personaly, and am not the only one, don;t care much for the AFR heads. their port designs, work alright, but, definately respond to work. On another sight, I seen where tony mamo, was telling a guy, that a much smaller head, would be better for his already under-headed engine, a stout 406, that it would be more streetable? Can anyone define streetable? More part throttle, off idle tq perhaps, at 1500? Who fricken cares!!. Again, that guy, has pre platinumn Pro-1 215's, un-ported, and he describes the thing as an absolute tq monster. Would putting a head thats 20cc smaller, be a good move, when he wants more hp up top? No. He would be VERY disapointed, when the car ran no faster, or slower likely. $500 dollars worth of work on the heads he has, I gaurentee, would make more power, without loosing any tq, than the 195cc head. Anyhow
For ima400, you already have a good canvas to start with, you would be smart to work what you already have. Again, with creative porting, and modifications, you would be amazed. Its possible to make 750+hp, with what you already have. If you bought the Eliminator 227's, how much power do you think you would gain? You would be very disapointed with the gain. It would be very small, for the money you spent. However, spending half that amount, on the heads you have, would make a MUCh bigger difference. To the tune of 50-75 or more hp.
Frank
Advanced Performance
www.get-ap.com