Sooo.... doing a top end rebuild....
 

Going to finish tearing the engine out of my 87 lx this weekend. Planning at least rebuilding the top end. The rest of the car is purely setup for drags, ET slicks, spool, gutted, control arms, springs, etc........

Engine is basically stock, going to change it to carb while its out. Figured I would start with the heads and work my way through the intake, carb, and cam to match.

My head is spinning a bit with head choices, too many to look through. Figure my budget for this build is about $2k total. I can pickup a carb, intake a cam, for prob $700 of that. What do you think my best combination is?

Edlebrock performer?
Used Twisted Wedge?
Ford Floo Tech?
GT40?

On a side note, talked to a local engine builder today about what he would recommend. He guaranteed 400hp using the stock heads, he would do a complete rebuild as well, said the forged pistons in that year range are crap. Would do it all for $2500. I find that hard to believe given what I have heard about the stock heads.

your builder is full of POO..............go with the tfs tw's

^ +1 TFS TW
But if he can guarantee 400hp with stock heads and a total rebuild for $2500, get it in writing and make him dyno the engine!!!

hes got a dyno there and volunteered for me to be there for the pulls. tempting but very very skeptical. also have to question the ability to take the build further with the stock heads. at least a 100 shot is in the plans.\


is what he said about the pistons true? junk in the late 80's models?

I don't doubt it on 400 hp w/stock heads. It will probably dyno around 200rwhp and then he'll use a respectable 90% drivetrain loss to come up with 400hp. :p

^engine dyno, not a chasis dyno smartass

the more I think about it the more I like this option. not sure i can get even close to that # within my budget. even if he were a little shy of 400 it would still be worth it.

Chill out man! No need to get offensive noob :) There's no way you will make 400hp with E7 heads. They do not flow well enough even when extensively ported. And you will not even come close to that number! When it comes to making power, you have to pay to play ;)

just get the trickflow top end kit, tune it and be done with it all. its in ur price range

okay, assuming it cant be done with the stock heads. has anyone ever heard what he was talking about with the pistons. claims basically when making any kind of power the stock late 80s forged pistons should be replaced.

All he is prolly talking about doing is putting in domed pistons to raise the compression or something. There isn't anything wrong with the 87-92 pistons. 93's where the hyper crap just FYI.