Edelbrock Head Question(s)

cobrashoch · #1 (**permalink**) 12-18-2001, 08:35 PM

The new Edelbrock head for the 385 is a bit of a mystery to me. So some questions are in order. Are they a aluminum verson of the super cobrajet head? The police head or a stock port configuation? How much room is cast into them for port work?
Finally what manifold does Edelbrock make (recommend) that fits these heads for a hydraulic lifter motor and say 6000 rpms?
BTW- I am using Blue Thunder heads as the Edelbrock heads were not out there at that time. I do like the price of them compared to the high end heads and their costs. Thankx
Cobrashoch

jdean · #2 (**permalink**) 12-18-2001, 09:27 PM

My understanding is that the Edelbrock heads use stock intake port sizes, not SCJ. Intake port volume is about 10% more than stock type, but I forget exact volume numbers.

They are designed as a performance street head, not a racing head, and are supposedly good for up to 600 HP. A recent Car Craft article featured a pump gas 460 making about 628 HP with Edelbrock heads. This was just a 466, not a 514 or 545.

The real difference in the Edelbrock as opposed to stock heads is in the exhaust port. Flows much better.

Many "stock" 460 heads (non CJ) are decent performance heads if time is spent straightening up the exhaust ports. The main issue with them is that they are very heavy.

Nick Chelenza · #3 (**permalink**) 12-18-2001, 10:48 PM

I just purchased the Edlebrocks for my 429/460 and am having them polished and changing springs per my mechnics recommendations. I'll let you know what I think when I get the whole thing in a car. I did like the price and went with the 75cc rather than the95cc. They sure were a lot lighter than the original armour plating.
Nick C.

cobrashoch · #4 (**permalink**) 12-18-2001, 11:58 PM

It ends up that my Blue Thunder heads weigh in on the heavy side also. I am using the Chevy port slugs that almost weigh the same as iron heads I am told.
jdean- If you are right they sound like they may work on moderate supercharger builds. The supercharger takes care of the intake side, and cam together with exaust port size gets the exaust out. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I saw that Car Craft article too. My experiance with the iron super cobrajet head was they didn't work any better than a set of reworked stock early heads. That was long ago and the Edelbrock heads for the price, look to me to be the right thing to do considering hardened seats, ss valves and so on is standard.
cobrashock

RobMcQuarie · #5 (**permalink**) 12-19-2001, 09:05 PM

Ron,
I'm a little confused as to what you are exploring here. Are you thinking that the Edelbrock heads would be an improvement over the Blue Thunder's? The Edelbrock's are actually a budget oriented street head, positioned between the stock iron heads and a high performance race type head like the Blue Thunder. When we are building a 460, we use the Edelbrock's for mild non-stroked motors or, especially, truck 460's. We use the Blue Thunder's for any high performance or stroked application. The E-bock's flow better than stock, but not as well as the BT's. And the aluminum BT heads don't weight any where near what the iron heads do. The BT's and E-bocks are close in weight. If you have the Chev exhaust port version of the BT's, they will weight a few pounds more, but they have excellent flow.

Nick, your mechanic is correct in having you replace the Edelbrock valve springs-they are ok for a very mild build, but are not the best choice for higher performance as they are an inexpensive part used to keep the assembled heads price down. At the same time, he will need to check (and probably re-do) the valve job.

cobrashoch · #6 (**permalink**) 12-20-2001, 04:50 PM

Rob- I am looking at Ed. heads to put them on 2nd 466 motor I had built by my frendly neighborhood Blue Thunder dealer. You see I just retired just this week and I am am thinking about starting a Factory Five 460 car with air and a top along with all the other toys. As for the BT heads I am using the Chevy port heads that has been gone thru pretty well, again by my friendly
neighborhood Blue Thunder engine builder, on my beast cobra. I haven't posted much about that car but lets just say it is functional, with a wicked demeanor. The new car will be my "nice" car if I choose to build it. How does metalic bronze and a saddle tan interior sound w/a brown stripe sound? Seems I now have some time on my hands.
cobrashock