I have a chance to get a set with 1500 miles for $500. They have 2.02/1.6 valves and are not ported. I know these use to be great heads back in the day but are they worth the money? Thanks.

i have a set on my old hot rod pickup and they make good power. the only thing i don't like about them is their angle plug. so that may be a issue with your headers.180 cc, 64 cc chambers as cast. they do have screw in studs and guide plates as well .mine are ported some and powered my friends camaro to mid 11's on a hyd cammed 406. it was a big tire car that hooked good, but not shabby for a 20 year old set of heads. my truck is a full size chevy 355, th 350 373 rear . gtech pro meter read a 13.7's for my truck. i might be a little bias, but i paid 500.00 for mine as well and like them .

I have a chance to get a set with 1500 miles for $500. They have 2.02/1.6 valves and are not ported. I know these use to be great heads back in the day but are they worth the money? Thanks.

They happen to still be excellent heads. Probably better than SOME of the aftermarket "iron" that's on the playing field today. It was hard to beat G.M. performance products at the time. When we did build units using these and the earlier "492's" we were able to produce 550/600 HP regularly. It wasn't hard to do, and this was on the 350" high compression platform. There wasn't many strokers around back then. Thanks, Gary in N.Y.
P.S. One nice add'l feature also was the fact that, being it was an original G.M. part, it usually "fit" correctly!

Vortecs will blow them away -- if everything is unported.

Vortecs will blow them away -- if everything is unported.


What he said. You could get a pair of new Vortecs for $500 or thereabouts and have much better flow, and much better burning.

The single downside to the Vortecs as a street head is that the casting is on the thin side.

Keep in mind that the 292 casting was just another production-based head, with some special machining for the plugs, and different cores for the ports.

i currently run a heavily ported pair on my 67 chevelle. Great heads

292 turbos were a over the counter performance head.i have my doubts that a vortec would BLOW THEM AWAY. would be a interesting flow test or even a dyno test old tech against new tech. go fast states 550 -600hp builds with them . i never saw a vortec headed build that made that much power. never had any vortecs myself. seems kinda not worth it when you have to buy the rockers, new valve covers, pushrods, better springs, screw in studs, and new intake for them. see i told you i was bias.

The '62 Vette on the cover of the mag on the right side below has a 355" SB, LT-1 pistons (11:1), solid lifter cam, a set of "in-house" ported 492's on top, a Holley "Strip-Dominator" and single 850 Holley 4 brl. Car runs consistent 10.20's on "muscle" and NO additives! As I stated above, both the 492's AND the 292's were and still are excellent castings used to build some powerful units. Thanks, Gary in N.Y.
P.S. It's been in almost all the most popular magazines through the years. It still drives the streets up here on Long Island, same owner, although it's been changed slightly over the years. But retains the original 492's.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/GOSFAST/In%20The%20Magazines/th_P1010568.jpg (http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/GOSFAST/In%20The%20Magazines/P1010568.jpg)

Thanks for the replies guys. I know the vortecs outflow the 292`s and the current "Bowtie" heads. I`ve seen the flow chart numbers. I`m just not sold on the vortecs due to the fact tht I`ll have to change my intake and get valve cover adaptors and plus machine the vortecs for bigger springs and all. Besides, I can`t stand how the face of all of the late model heads look. i know it`s a stupid reason but I just can`t. I know of a few people who used the heads on 383`s that were happy with them. I was just thinking that they are better than what on my motor now and I could install the Isky 280 mega cam I have and they could get me by untill I could afford some good heads, and a good shortblock to go with them. They already have hardened seats but have stock guides and 1.25" springs but they are cut for 1.55" I think., I can`t remember how big he said they were cut for. Anyway, thanks again for the replies. I think I`m going to try to deal with him to get the heads.

I have also seen examples of great performance using the 292 castings (when ported).

However I am wondering, since these seem to be stock, if he'd be better off spending a little more and getting something like Sportsman II's (?). I would be curious to see a real world comparison of the 292's and bowties that came a little later versus current small block offerings.

Still for the price it sounds decent and they aren't likely to have had a lot of road miles as they didn't come installed on a passenger car. You can always have them ported later.

I remember reading about that '62 Corvette in fact I have that issue! I also miss the old Cars Illustrated of that era which covered that area well.

Btw Anthony car looks great and I love the look with the rallys.

I have a short article from the Feb '98 Car Craft about street sleepers. One of the cars was Ron Mroz's '65 chevelle which had stock hood, Corvette rallys, bench seat, column shifter etc. Engine was a 406 with 492's ported by FastTimes Motorworks. No mention of nitrous and car had mechanical fuel pump. Small slicks. 10.20's on slicks 11.30's on hard st street radials. Will try to scan article if you want. I mainly posted it because of the relevance car and the heads.

there's a set of sportsman 2's for sale on another board i hang out on, but there in pa and your in ca. 450.00 bolt on. good price, but shipping would eat you up. good luck which ever way you go.

Btw Anthony car looks great and I love the look with the rallys.

I have a short article from the Feb '98 Car Craft about street sleepers. One of the cars was Ron Mroz's '65 chevelle which had stock hood, Corvette rallys, bench seat, column shifter etc. Engine was a 406 with 492's ported by FastTimes Motorworks. No mention of nitrous and car had mechanical fuel pump. Small slicks. 10.20's on slicks 11.30's on hard st street radials. Will try to scan article if you want. I mainly posted it because of the relevance car and the heads.

Thanks. I would be interested in reading the article. You can email me at chopperhead2@sbcglobal.net.

grovey, do you have a link to the ad? thanks.

CHP did an article about the new at that time Vortec, truck motor heads against an untouched pair of 292's, (or maybe Phase III or -6 Bowtie??), whatever, AND they said, stock, the Vortec's are a schosh better, but after porting, the older heads were WAY better!

I have the mag. somewhere in my boxes.....

pdq67

I remember a similar artical but they used the 034 casting bowtie head. the vortecs outflowed them stock for stock but they did`nt say anything about porting either head

heads are on www. maliburacing.com

Thanks for the link. I found his ad and they sound good but your right, shipping would be a killer. I think I`m just going to go with the 292 heads. I sent the guy a email today so hopefull we can make a deal and I can pick them up next weekend. I still have a few parts to round up before putting them on my motor but it should wake it up over the open chamber heads that are on it now. Plus I`m going to swap cams to. Anyone know what the 292 heads flow stock? Thanks guys.

Intake flow numbers

lift ____292_____Vortec
.100___68.5______70
.200___115.5_____139
.300___167.5_____190
.400___194.0_____227
.500___213.1_____239

That's just the intake flow data. The Vortec combustion chamber is much better and worth some power too.

Looks like the Vortec "blows away" the 292 to me.

the way things seem to be going (200 dollar exhaust manifolds and people disguising them) ...youll probably never lose money on them, personally i wont buy another head that isn't aluminum just for the weight savings and higher compression with pump gas

Thanks for the replies guys. The seller started to get a attitude and I decided not to buy them. I don`t need hassles over a pair of heads. Thanks again.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SB-Chevy-492-Ported-Heads-GM-Angle-Plug-Like-LT-1-Z28_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33617QQitemZ8042122 409QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Nice set of 492 heads you might be interested in. Does anyone know the flow numbers for the 492's? Do the Vortec heads "Blow" these out of the water as well?

-JP-

They flow pretty much the same as the 292's.

Don't get me wrong guys, the old double hump heads were good in their day -- its just they are a 40 year old design. We know a lot more about combustion chambers and port design then we did back in the 60's.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SB-Chevy-492-Ported-Heads-GM-Angle-Plug-Like-LT-1-Z28_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33617QQitemZ8042122 409QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Nice set of 492 heads you might be interested in. Does anyone know the flow numbers for the 492's? Do the Vortec heads "Blow" these out of the water as well?

-JP-

Thanks for the link. They look like decent heads for the money. I was looking for a cheap heads a closed chamber heads to throw on my motor along with a cam swap to get a little more performance untill I could afford some nice heads and shortblock. I believe the 492 heads had the same runner size as the double humps but the 292 heads had a 180cc runner. They are basicaly like the current bowtie head casting number 034. I`ll watch the 492`s and I can also get a set of 461`s but I really wanted the 292`s for the bigger runner so I could have them ported later. oh well.

PLEASE keep in mind that the 292 "Turbo" heads are based on STOCK PRODUCTION castings. They are quite thin in spots. If you come across an older copy of "Chevrolet Power Catalog" on eBay or whereever, you can read all about 'em, and even get hints for porting them.

It was a MAJOR upgrade when Chevy came out with the first of the "Bowtie" heads in '79. Aside from the runner shape/sizes, the whole head was a beefier casting. The Bowtie runners have a higher roof and floor, and more port volume. Chevy says "This approach significantly increases the Bow Tie head's airflow potential over earlier "line of sight" intake port designs."

Contrast that with what Chevy said about the "292" head: "Several compromises were required to include this port. The deck thickness beneath the inlet runners was reduced locally 0.060 (from .26 to .20) to maintain adequate core strength in the lower water jacket core..." As sold by Chevy, there was LESS than 1/4" of deck thickness there! Now, knock that down even more by folks who planed them to raise compression, or just to make 'em flat so the gaskets would seal!

The first through fourth editions of Chevrolet Power Catalog have descriptions of the 292 head. My sixth edition dispensed with the 292 in favor of the Bowtie head. I don't have a fifth edition, so I don't know what's covered in it.

At one time, Crane Cams was selling an already-ported version of the 292 casting as the Crane Fireball head. I saw a pair at a speed shop along about '77 or so.

Short story: The 292 is an excellent OLD PRODUCTION-based casting. It is THE BEST "OLD" style head. Even so, it is TOTALLY OUTCLASSED by even the first generation of "Bowtie" head, and it is outclassed by the stock production Vortec heads as well, at least in a normally aspirated engine--the Vortec heads are also on the thin side.

Don't pay much for them, nobody who bought them used 'em gently, so you can about guess what the valve guides are like, and of course the angled plugs can be a bother depending on whos headers you're buying.

PLEASE keep in mind that the 292 "Turbo" heads are based on STOCK PRODUCTION castings. They are quite thin in spots. If you come across an older copy of "Chevrolet Power Catalog" on eBay or whereever, you can read all about 'em, and even get hints for porting them.

It was a MAJOR upgrade when Chevy came out with the first of the "Bowtie" heads in '79. Aside from the runner shape/sizes, the whole head was a beefier casting. The Bowtie runners have a higher roof and floor, and more port volume. Chevy says "This approach significantly increases the Bow Tie head's airflow potential over earlier "line of sight" intake port designs."

Contrast that with what Chevy said about the "292" head: "Several compromises were required to include this port. The deck thickness beneath the inlet runners was reduced locally 0.060 (from .26 to .20) to maintain adequate core strength in the lower water jacket core..." As sold by Chevy, there was LESS than 1/4" of deck thickness there! Now, knock that down even more by folks who planed them to raise compression, or just to make 'em flat so the gaskets would seal!

The first through fourth editions of Chevrolet Power Catalog have descriptions of the 292 head. My sixth edition dispensed with the 292 in favor of the Bowtie head. I don't have a fifth edition, so I don't know what's covered in it.

At one time, Crane Cams was selling an already-ported version of the 292 casting as the Crane Fireball head. I saw a pair at a speed shop along about '77 or so.

Short story: The 292 is an excellent OLD PRODUCTION-based casting. It is THE BEST "OLD" style head. Even so, it is TOTALLY OUTCLASSED by even the first generation of "Bowtie" head, and it is outclassed by the stock production Vortec heads as well, at least in a normally aspirated engine--the Vortec heads are also on the thin side.

Don't pay much for them, nobody who bought them used 'em gently, so you can about guess what the valve guides are like, and of course the angled plugs can be a bother depending on whos headers you're buying.

Thanks. Great info. I knew the 292`s got swapped for the 034 casting bowties but I did`nt know they were thin in places. Maybe it`s a good thing I did`nt get them after all. I know the vortecs are good heads and all, and I`ve even recomended them to others, but I don`t want t go out and buy another intake and have to buy the valve cover adaptor to run my current valve covers and then have to modify the heads for valve lift. If I was starting out with nothing then they would be a consideration but right now I `m just loking for a deal on some decent heads to throw on my motor until I can afford something better. As far as header clearance with plugs, my car had Hooker 1 3/4" super comps on it when I got it so I can run either straight or angled plugs. Thanks again.

It`s kind of a old post but it`s related. I just picked up a different set of 292 turbo heads. They have 2.05/1.6 valves and have been ported and polished by Wes king out of stockton. They also have Isky 1.55" roller springs. I haven`t recieved the ful flow chart yet but he said they flow 283cfm@.650 lift on the intake and 203cfm@.650 lift on the exhaust. I don`t know if these are correct numbers or not, just what I was told. I only paid $600 for them so for the money they should be a good budget head.