Geezo...my big block/small block/Gen III is better than your big block/small block/Gen III. LOL. They're ALL good depending on your wants and needs.
I wanted a pump gas, drive anywhere 10 second A-body STREET car. That would have required a big block, rowdy small block or forced induction. Neither of which I wanted.
For me, the conversion to the G III platform started with the heads. 300 cfm STOCK? Yea, right. Snagged a pair of stock Eagle heads and rockers for $400. I touched up the VJ and put them on the flow bench. Not quite 300 cfm, but pretty close. Broke out the grinder and added about 6 hours of very cautious labor. Results: 326 cfm @ .600”. 299 cfm @ .500”. Bottom line, with a deal on some 1511 beehive springs, I have (counting a fictitious $50/hour in my labor) $870 in 326/226 cfm aluminum heads.
Then I lucked out and SCORED a 5.7 block, non-eagle heads and misc parts from a guy who was moving and cleaning out the garage. $60. Yes, that is not a typo. Right place at the right time for once! Super lucky in that it turns out to be a MP crate motor block that someone robbed the rotating assembly out of. Interesting to note that the pre 09 non-eagle heads as is, untouched went 266 cfm @ .600 “…
Most stuff is comparatively priced right with traditional big/small block stuff, such as:
Even a custom ground (hyd roller) cam was only $360!
My only pricing complaint is the lack of reasonably priced, 4150, single plane intake manifolds. I'm having to spend $570 and wait three months for it. I guess the real compliant is the just the availability, since I didn't have to spend $700-800 on rockers...or $2500 on heads!
Again, this is NOT a super high dollar 800+ HP race motor. It has been proven that when you get to that space, the cost vs. traditional HP is about the same. However, in my case I’ll have right at $4500 in a manifold to pan motor that should be capable 575+ HP on CA pump swill.
The added bonus to DaveRS23's point. I get to learn about something new, make new contacts and add more metric tools to my box!
A set of stock eagle heads will flow more than 300 CFM on a 4 inch bore. Mine went a tad less that my CNC 230 indy's with the oval ports. They where actually better than the 230 in the mid and upper other than peak.
