Vortex GM type "after market heads". We use them on all the boats a towing type rigs. Several companies make them. They work great for large heavy vehicles and RVs also. The only other head I could recommend for your build would be Dart 190cc (or smaller) intake runners closed combustion chamber. They make several different sizes. You should be in the 52 to 64 cc range for the head combustion chamber. Works well with the dished piston in that motor. This brings static compression ratios in around 9.4-10.3 to 1. This is figuring in a stock block deck height and a 0.060 quench on the head. You may need to run thin head gaskets ie: 0.020-0.028 to get the squish down. Most gaskets are around 0.040-0.045. Buy the heads complete and assembled. 1.94 intakes and 1.6 exhaust should be very good for low end to mid range grunt. You will need to know what cam is going to be used before ordering the heads.
We need to back up here. We have jumped too far ahead already. "QUOTE"
Get a full leak down test done on the engine before taking it apart! "QUOTE" That was damn good advice! If the rings are gone you need to address that first. The pistons are junk IMHO. Your call, your motor. They will work if you keep the max RPM below 5,600. Anything higher and you might break a skirt.
Scrap the stock TBI nobody likes them when it comes to flow and if they say they do they don't know **** about SBC motors! The only other way to keep the stock computer is to install after market "Edelbroke rail injucktion". You will need to get a Jet chip for the tuneup setup. The only lose by scraping the TBI is cold starts and warm ups.
Dual plane intake is a must with fully independent runners. No plates, no hi rise BS and nothing but maybe, just maybe a dual plane phenolic spacer plate of 1" height, max!!! Not really needed in a well cooled engine. Plug the exhaust crossovers or get an Air-Gap intake.
Keep the carb small say 650 CFM or less promotes good drive-ability. Vacuum secondaries are a MUST for the auto trans. I'd recommended a Demon but, I dought that is in your budget.
GM type HEI ignition distributor. Excel coil and a MSD module will do well in it. The curve needs to be set via: fly weights and springs. A good starting point is 1,200 to 1,300 rpm start and be in at full-advance near 2,200 rpm. 8mm plug wires will do, carbon cores NO solid cores!
Weigh the truck before you take it apart. Something say around 5,000lb should do well with a dual pattern cam with intake duration around 276*-282* exhaust 288*-292*. The lift might run up to say a 0.475-0.484 before you get coil bind or spring stack up. I went and looked a stick up at Summit. This is about what you need Crower 00904 from Summit. You need to go with a 1.6-1 rocker on the exhaust side to make up the lift if you like a heavy breather, I do. Keeping the lift down under 0.500 the valve guides and such will last a lot longer. Less stress on all the moving parts. Definitely a trade off there. Be wise and check the valve to piston clearance and you may not have a problem. Oh BTW this is for a flat tappet hydro stick. I dought you want to make the move to a roller setup based on budget. If so go get a roller type block to start with. Remember these are "advertized numbers" and most are checked at 0.050 tappet lift. If your lost then you have a LOT of reading to do! This will give you a nice starting point for the cam duration. The exhaust duration matters more than the intake side. Keep the valve overlap low. A cam with 112* lobe separation angle or more should be good for 14-16 lbs of vacuum. Too much overlap defeats the whole purpose. Anything less with kill the power brakes, part throttle pulling power and economy.
The trans is or should be a 700R4. You can do the trans yourself if you have the time and a lot of patients. You will need to have the drum springs done at a local shop. They have the right spring compressor tool. You will need a few special tools. It will need a mild shift assist or shift kit. It should be rebuilt with a heavy duty spragg and 10 vane pump. Waffle clutches are another major improvement. A heavy duty sheet metal type extra-deep cooling pan with threw tubes and a nice 12,000-16,000lb external trans cooler should be used to cool the fluid. DO NOT by-pass the radiator cooler! Synthetic fluid is a major upgrade. The torque converter can be 11"or 12" your choice on that. Size is what sets the price there. Don't buy cheap saturday night special junk! Most of them do not have a lock up feature so, if you want to get decent economy... The stall speed should be right around 2,200-2,400 rpm. If the engine combo and carb is "right" the converter will work right, nuf said there.
The rear end is last so do it or don't. 3.42-3.73 gear with tall tires ( 315-375/75/R? ) and a *limited slip* differential should do the trick. Avoid a posi-traction center section, they are hell to drive in the rain and snow under an empty PU truck! You will need a WELL educated foot to drive one!!!
You should see between 14-16 MPG under "normal" overall driving conditions. Normal defined as: No secondaries (open four barrels), 55-60 hwy speeds and no smoky burnouts.
If you understand half of what I said then your well on your way to a nice build. You need to understand and absorb the rest before you buy ****. Screw up one part like the trans or the cam shaft and you F***ed the whole build.
This is the BASE LINE for your build. The hard part is getting all the DETAILS right.
"THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS!"
Get it right and it will run like a DEMON
OH BTW When you get it all done and running "right" it will NEVER hook-up :hmm3grin2orange:
That'sa whole nutha class...
Now who's got a better idea???
Bring the rep you know you want to...
