Speed master LA heads

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roadrunninMark

roadrunninMark

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I am getting ready for the "hopeful" black Friday sale this year for a set of speedmaster aluminum heads. Just look at the current prices and for a set of hyd. flat tappet heads are 1180ish for the 65cc chambers. The roller heads are 1820! I already have a set of springs from my cam kit; is that the only difference between the roller vs. flat tappet heads?

This is going on a 318 with the KB piston upgrade. Would I be better off buying the 62cc bare head and ordering valves (since I already have the springs, retainers, etc.)? I like the idea of the lower cc head. What would it cost normally to CNC the ports. Is it something a novice could do or let a pro do it?
 
Just buy the as cast head. The cnc ports are way too big for a 318 on the street. They will kill the bottom end off. Kim
 
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Unless you are building a killer teen, The out of the box heads should work fine. Buy them, have someone check them out and rock on. I would check the springs that come with them and use them if they're close. You can always sell off extra parts that aren't needed.

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The parts used are pretty much crap....cheap Chinese pieces.

You will likely have to hone the guides to size. And grind the seats.

Buy some quality valves, springs etc. if you plan on driving the car.
 
I'm watching for the bare castings, non cnc'd, but they are out of stock at speedmaster now. I'm thinking it's doubtful they will have a bunch of castings to blow out on black friday. I hope I'm wrong though!!
 
I just got an email from Speed Master today stating their assembled heads are assembled in the USA for what that's worth.

I'm with the others in buying them assembled and remove what you need as you stuff may not work and if you need to toss it all you can sell it.
 
dano said:
I just got an email from Speed Master today stating their assembled heads are assembled in the USA for what that's worth.

I'm with the others in buying them assembled and remove what you need as you stuff may not work and if you need to toss it all you can sell it.
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For a few more bucks Trick flow 190's can be bought. They are made in the U.S. and assembled in the U.S.
A quality head assembled with quality parts ready to bolt on.
 
fishmens67 said:
For a few more bucks Trick flow 190's can be bought. They are made in the U.S. and assembled in the U.S.
A quality head assembled with quality parts ready to bolt on.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with TrickFlows. Had a set on my 5.0. Where do they cast their heads?

"Assembled" and "Made in the USA" means nothing. It the last know location of substantial transformation. All the parts could be off shore or out side the continental USA including the big red, white, and blue "Made in the USA" sticker and box.
 
Ok, I should go with the MPN: PCE281.2146 which is the
SB 318 360 170cc 65cc Hydraulic Flat Assembled Cylinder Heads; put my roller spring setup in and sell the other springs? List on those right now is 1165. I would love to go with the trick flows but it is like twice the price and it is a 318 street motor, hopped up like "junkyard jewel" from hot rod mag.
Black Friday is 2 months away about, maybe I will get lucky but who knows the way things are going right now. They might be 4k by then.....
 
roadrunninMark said:
I am getting ready for the "hopeful" black Friday sale this year for a set of speedmaster aluminum heads. Just look at the current prices and for a set of hyd. flat tappet heads are 1180ish for the 65cc chambers. The roller heads are 1820! I already have a set of springs from my cam kit; is that the only difference between the roller vs. flat tappet heads?

This is going on a 318 with the KB piston upgrade. Would I be better off buying the 62cc bare head and ordering valves (since I already have the springs, retainers, etc.)? I like the idea of the lower cc head. What would it cost normally to CNC the ports. Is it something a novice could do or let a pro do it?
Click to expand...
What heads do you have now?
 
Two years ago, I got a really great deal at speedmasters black Friday sale. (By definition, day after Thanksgiving). I think it was such a great deal they hoped I would cancel the order. I got several different reasons the shipment was late, primarily "we sold so many, we are out of stock". May have been true. They sure managed to charge my credit card right away.
So, prior to any covid distribution problems, I finally got my parts in late February. I would certainly expect delivery problems this year. I believe there is probably a lot of castings sitting in container ships off shore that can't land.
 
I was just thinking about the Black Friday sale today. I would be shocked if it happens this year. Speedmaster heads out of stock, Edelbrock heads out of stock, TrickFlow heads out of stock. And it appears those Edelbrock heads are climbing in price
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dano said:
Nothing wrong with TrickFlows. Had a set on my 5.0. Where do they cast their heads?

"Assembled" and "Made in the USA" means nothing. It the last know location of substantial transformation. All the parts could be off shore or out side the continental USA including the big red, white, and blue "Made in the USA" sticker and box.
Click to expand...
Trick flows are cast in Akron, Ohio as are all their parts.
 
512Stroker said:
If this is going to be a budget street build you have an option to work with the heads you have. Do some porting on your iron heads and port match the intake.
A good valve job and down the road you go.
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The old heads are lead heads I believe, I want the wait reduction too. They aren't worth dumping any money into so I wanted something more modern with the benefits of aluminum. It is a little more than a budget build too, but not radical. That is what the roadrunner is for. This is going to be a nicely powered street machine.
 
Then don’t waste your time with a 318. Get the 360 now. It costs pretty much the same to build. Then u will get the benefit with alum heads instead of waisting them on a 318. Kim
 
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