Speedmaster/Procomp Heads - New combo kit???

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Thanatos340

Thanatos340

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I did a lot of searches here and see this subject has been beat to death and opinions are widely varied on the Speedmaster/Procomp Aluminum heads.

I was about to pull the trigger on some Eddy RPM`s after hearing all the mixed reviews on the procomps and there was only about a $400 difference between the two (Eddys @ about $1450 and Procomps at $1,050 for complete heads).

Now Speedmaster/procomp came out with this Package deal -
http://store.speedmaster79.com/p-4219-mopar-chrysler-sb-318-340-360-hyd-ft-cnc-cylinder-head-top-end-engine-combo-kit.aspx

Carb, Intake, Aluminum heads and Rockers all for $1,125.00 (CNC heads in the same combo for $1,394.00).

Not sure I would trust the Rockers and have never seen anything about that carb.

Has anyone bought this Kit? Anyone running these heads now that can offer some first hand insight on the quality or lack thereof? Same for the rest of that combo, is it all junk or is there some poorman power to be made there?
 
Edit: I realized my post added nothing so I removed it. Deals like this usually just make me run the other direction.

The post below by "moper" makes a lot of good points.
 
At first I say - cool. After really thinking about it - I'm a skeptic. I wouldn't want to be first in line, and I would definately pay a good shop to go every inch of that stuff. It might be a good way to get stuff a shop can work with - but the cost to get them on and running and doing what you expect may be higher than you think...
Why would the valve and/or seat material prevent use with a roller cam? Why does it say the rockers will be aluminum but steel is pictured? I can't imagine the valve springs, retainers, and locks are good enough. If the valves are crap or seats poor - that's a boatload to fix.
 
I just took the plunge. Ordered the CNC Combo.
http://store.speedmaster79.com/p-42...c-cylinder-head-top-end-engine-combo-kit.aspx

Complete Aluminum CNC Heads, Intake, Rockers and Carb all for $1,399 including Shipping. Paid through Paypal and with a Credit Card that is very consumer friendly when it comes to charge backs.

During the online checkout, they offered free ground shipping or $5 for UPS next day. I took the next day option although I am positive that was a mistake. Overnight shipping from CA to me (GA) for heads, Intake and Carb would cost about what I just paid for everything.

I will post up reviews soon as they come in.

Already thinking about selling the Rockers, Intake and Carb on ebay to cover the costs of having a good machine shop rework the heads if needed and still end up with a descent set of Alum heads for under $1,400.

Anyone suggest a good machine shop near Atlanta or North GA I can take these to once they come it for a more professional opinion?
 
Thanatos340 said:
I just took the plunge. Ordered the CNC Combo.
http://store.speedmaster79.com/p-42...c-cylinder-head-top-end-engine-combo-kit.aspx

Complete Aluminum CNC Heads, Intake, Rockers and Carb all for $1,399 including Shipping. Paid through Paypal and with a Credit Card that is very consumer friendly when it comes to charge backs.

During the online checkout, they offered free ground shipping or $5 for UPS next day. I took the next day option although I am positive that was a mistake. Overnight shipping from CA to me (GA) for heads, Intake and Carb would cost about what I just paid for everything.

I will post up reviews soon as they come in.

Already thinking about selling the Rockers, Intake and Carb on ebay to cover the costs of having a good machine shop rework the heads if needed and still end up with a descent set of Alum heads for under $1,400.

Anyone suggest a good machine shop near Atlanta or North GA I can take these to once they come it for a more professional opinion?
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I like that approach. I'm also curious what your head guy says about them. Dan Costello is a good guy in FL - but I got nobody in GA.
 
There are no Flow numbers on the website. I hope to find a local shop that can check them out for me once they come in. I will pay to get them put on a flow bench and also have them checked over completely before they get put on (Still hoping someone can point me towards a good local machine shop that does performance head work). I will post all the results.

I believe that these are the exact same Procomp heads that are discussed here: http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=253289

I am expecting to have to put some more money in these heads before they get bolted on but I am thinking that selling off some of the parts from this kit that I dont want like the carb (950cfm is a little much for my motor) will go a long way towards paying that off.
 
This didn't make sense when Edelbrock's stuff was of a higher quality but it seems like almost anything you buy these days has to be gone over and possibly re-worked by a competent machinist. It just might be smarter to start with a lower cost piece like this to begin with. Subscribed.
 
Did you get the goods? How do they look?

IMO, Eddy's will still need to be checked out and more than likely will need some work to make them correct as Edelbrocks quality has gone down the crapper. So, if your going to need to do machine work anyways, why not start off with a lower cost before machining. This makes sense and is probably the way i'll go with my next build.

Some have stated that the springs and retainers can't be any good, but the same can be said about Eddy heads. On multiple occasions I have seen the springs on the Eddy's need replacing after just a year from fatigue, and also have seen the retainers snap in half on brand new heads. It's all a crap shoot!

Also, From what I've heard from multiple sources is that Eddy's are not all 100% made in the USA. Just enough is made here for them to be able to put the American flag on them :(
 
Perhaps they source some stuff from other places-probably bits and pieces. Last time I checked, Edelbrock still casts their own heads, intakes, valve covers, and water pump housings in house from their own foundry in San Jacinto, California.
 
txstang84 said:
Perhaps they source some stuff from other places-probably bits and pieces. Last time I checked, Edelbrock still casts their own heads, intakes, valve covers, and water pump housings in house from their own foundry in San Jacinto, California.
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That's what I thought, but a few racing buddies have stated that they are not 100% US production anymore.
 
I wouldn't be too sure about the rocker covers.
I have a cast air cleaner in the same style as my rockers, (Elite series) and the sticker on it did not say made in USA.
I've also seen a brand new air gap that isn't anything like fitting without machining. Very disapointingly poor quality.
 
Hmmm...curious. Was it made in China, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, or Indonesia?

I would be interested to know where all the parts are sourced, and spread some truth in advertising. Perhaps they should change it to Assembled in USA...but I'll stop before I go on a tangent...that being said, I'm still more inclined to do business with them than some others.
 
txstang84 said:
Hmmm...curious. Was it made in China, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, or Indonesia?

I would be interested to know where all the parts are sourced, and spread some truth in advertising. Perhaps they should change it to Assembled in USA...but I'll stop before I go on a tangent...that being said, I'm still more inclined to do business with them than some others.
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All procomp China stuff. I will never deal with the idiots EVER again. Ordered some stainless Mopar L/A intake bolts from them and they sent me black ford 289-302 intake studs and would not go good on it. I don't own ant damn Fords.... They wanted to argue that they sent me what I ordered. BS..... packing slip even said 3/8 stainless intake bolts, not 2.5"x 7/16 studs like I received. Even sent the morons a pic of the poor quality wrong **** they sent me. Not a lot of money, only $18, but I won't buy anything from the assholes. Ill give someone else twice the $ that will @ least go good on there mistake 1st.
 
You get what you pay for. The eddy intake probably went on a wraped block, mine fit like a glove, I had my heads checked by shoptook nothing but I installed diffrent springs and new seals.
 
I hear ya, but I was talking about the assertion of Edelbrock's credence. I'm pretty sure most of their stuff is cast at their own facilities in California, but I've read in numerous places they get parts from other countries. I'm just curious where all they source stuff.

swinger340 said:
All procomp China stuff. I will never deal with the idiots EVER again. Ordered some stainless Mopar L/A intake bolts from them and they sent me black ford 289-302 intake studs and would not go good on it. I don't own ant damn Fords.... They wanted to argue that they sent me what I ordered. BS..... packing slip even said 3/8 stainless intake bolts, not 2.5"x 7/16 studs like I received. Even sent the morons a pic of the poor quality wrong **** they sent me. Not a lot of money, only $18, but I won't buy anything from the assholes. Ill give someone else twice the $ that will @ least go good on there mistake 1st.
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Everything came in today. Unfortunately (or Fortunately depending on perspective) I am in Las Vegas this week for Work (And just extended my stay so I can attend Mopars at the Strip this weekend).

I had my brother stop by the house to check everything out. He unboxed everything and thought it all looked great. He was really impressed with the CNC porting and said everything was ported just like he would have one it.

Kit Came with:

  • 2 fully assembled and CNC machine Aluminum Heads

  • Air Gap Intake (My plans are to do some dyno testing on this engine once assembled. We hope to have time to test both this Intake and then swap it out with a Strip Dominator I have on the shelf and see which posts the best numbers)

  • Aluminum Roller Rockers - Having heard some bad things about these rockers in the past, I am a little Leary of them and since I have a set of old Speedpro roller tips on the shelf, I may just put these up for sale)

  • 950 CFM Billet Carb - He said the carb looked great (Lots of Bling Factor) but I will not be using it as 950 CFM is too much for my Motor and I have a new Proform 750 on the car already. The Procomp Billet 950 is going for $575 on ebay so this one will be sold to offset the cost of the Kit.
When I get home on Sunday, I will post pics of everything. Then hopefully next week the Heads are going to the machine shop to be disassembled and thoroughly gone through. Once the Machine shop checks everything I will post their thoughts as well.

Total Costs:
$1395 for the kit total cost including shipping.
$100 Cost for machine shop disassembling and checking out the heads.

I plan on selling:
$150 roller rockers
$125 Airgap Intake or my Strip Dominator (Whichever I do not use)
$500 950 CFM Billet Carb

Total cost - $1,495 - $775 for unneeded stuff = New Aluminum Heads for About $800 providing the valves and springs check out (even less if I decide to sell off the 2.02 J Heads I had on the motor).

I will post more as I know more.
 
China quality built to design specs, F the metallurgy, but intakes dont break. Your prices on the parts looks fair too. Good luck, that sounds like a sweet deal. Only think I have heard with cheap roller bearing rockers is the shafts are not hardened.
 
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