I plan on buying either a set of heads or a rotating assembly at the Indy swap meet in march. This motor may not go together for a few years or sooner, who knows. So since the parts will be sitting, would you buy a set of heads or the rotating assembly?

if it was me on a budget i'd buy heads. then as i could afford it i'd send them off to be cnc'd. by the time i had everything together all my parts would match for 1 hot combo. none of this ootb halfassd build.

HEADS.....YOU WIN

Probably the heads .....

I would buy the parts that I could afford now and buy the rest later If your talking Hemiroids parts you probally get two rotating assembly for the price of one set of new heads

rotataing assembly as advertised in mancini racing and mcg for someone else is right at 2000, mopar heads 2400 or indy heads are 2600, yes were talking hemroid parts. I am planning on putting this in a A body. Still debating on how many cubes to build. I will go either 426 or 472.

If your talking the car in your sig and I will
guess its not a race car, I would do it from the
bottom up, put in the rotating aasm, then you can
change heads on the car at some later time. Unless
you just plan on the car sitting a few years.
Also you buy whats on sale now

Neither. Take the money and save it until you can afford to do the car complete.I have a buddy that bought parts for his project and this has been going on for the last few years and all he has to show for it is a bunch of out dated parts that are new. Sad part is that he could buy complete done heads now for what he paid for bare new heads 3 years ago.

keep saving your money if its going to be a few years down the road options on heads and rotating assembly may change or you may decide to go a different route down the road I spent a few bucks on custom 360 pistons and about 9 months later several companies had a shelf piston for less or the 6.125 chevy rods I got only to have 6.123 eagle rods suddenly go into production from my experience wait till you ready to build your project before you buy parts things tend to change

This is for a spare motor. It isnt going into the road runner. I am gathering parts to build another hemi, that will go into a A body when I find the right one. I may have the car later this year, who knows. The parts are stored in my house so I am not worried about moisture. When I was gathering parts for the hemi in the road runner, I bought the crank straight from eagle for $549 delivered to my house, before I bought my heads. I am not really on a budget. I kind of set a goal for the next part I want to buy and save for it, when I have it saved I buy. I figure to spend about $3000 at the swap meet for either the heads or the rotating assembly. The money will cover either with a little left over for what ever odds or ends I may see.

put the money in the bank till you have it all. nothing worse than having parts laying around getting old and dated.

I'd buy the crank first, especially if you buy something like an eagle. That way that .010" steel on all of the journals that is out of round, will work like a protective barrier...



Sorry I couldn't help myself!

In all honesty there are a ton of rotating assy options right now, I can't see that getting a whole lot better. There isn't as many low cost head options out there. I'd buy the bottom end stuff first.

I mean, come on, some one eventually's gonna make affordable hemi rocker gear right?!?!

My 2-cents

Go stroker, at least 472... you won't be sorry.

If you might work on the heads in the interim year(s), get them first so you can have porting, fitting valve train parts, etc. Otherwise buy the reciprocating assembly first as the head cost may come down in the future.

I'd say the shortblock/ rotating assembly. it sets the tone for the rest of the build and if you have a motor on the stand it'll motivate you to keep the chains moving.

Heads are generally easier to procure "on demand" and sad to say with the economy the way it is you might find a bargain on some really good stuff the longer you wait. Of course you can buy a rotating assembly already done but to be honest I'd find the right block and gfet it machined with the first ~1500-2000, that way you know what you got and where your going. Guys buy heads and they sit inthe closet or worse the garage where anything can happen to them in 1-2 yrs.

For the $3000, I could get the rotating assembly and maybe the cam and lifters. I am looking for a roller cam for it. I already have the roller rockers. From what I have seen, mechanical roller is the only way to go.