L71 Aftermarket Aluminum Head Recommendation

[Chris H.]

I've been considering installing some aftermarket aluminum heads on the stock motor and was wondering if anyone has experience and / or recommendations? The motor is a completely stock '69 L71. I'm looking for a true bolt-on swap using the same intake and exhaust manifolds, etc. Ideally of course I'd love to use L89 heads but I'm looking for a lower cost alternative. (and the car wont be getting judged.) Thanks, Chris

[Patrick B.]

Re: L71 Aftermarket Aluminum Head Recommendation

Chris -- How much do you want to spend? I have a set of new never used 14011076 ( casting number 077) GM Aluminum heads with Winters Snowflakes ported by Diamond Elkins years ago for a project I never completed. They include new valves. You can have them for $1500 which is much less than I have in them. They fit the standard Mark IV intake and exhaust manifolds unlike a lot of the GM performance heads.

[Gene M.]

Re: L71 Aftermarket Aluminum Head Recommendation

Edelbrock offers BB chevy heads in oval and rectangle ports and also many valve size offerings and different levels of completeness. Check out Summit and other vendors. Port intake match ups may require a bit of rework. Or there are manifold offerings too. Caution I see the raised ports may cause some exhaust manifolds sitting slightly higher.

Other suppliers offerings too but I have no experience with them.

[Joe L.]

Re: L71 Aftermarket Aluminum Head Recommendation

I've been considering installing some aftermarket aluminum heads on the stock motor and was wondering if anyone has experience and / or recommendations? The motor is a completely stock '69 L71. I'm looking for a true bolt-on swap using the same intake and exhaust manifolds, etc. Ideally of course I'd love to use L89 heads but I'm looking for a lower cost alternative. (and the car wont be getting judged.) Thanks, Chris

Chris------

One of the problems for you is that, as far as I know, there are no rectangular port, aluminum heads on the market which have open heat cross over passages (even though some like the GMPP and Edelbrock APPEAR to have them). However, it's possible that these could be opened up. Without the cross-over your auto choke will not work as-designed (although it might work well enough to function adequately).

The heads that Patrick mentioned should work well for you PROVIDING that the porting has not enlarged the intake runners too much. The 14011076 heads were actually the L-88 and L-89 SERVICE heads. I do not recommend using any cylinder head for a street big block application which has an intake runner volume exceeding 325 cc and even smaller is better. The 14011076 originally had an intake runner volume of 290 cc which is ideal. Also, sometimes when 14011076 cylinder heads are ported, the "vanes" in the exhaust ports are removed. I don't cotton to that modification, at all.

In addition, there's no way that you're going to come up with any complete, new aluminum heads for a big block for less than $1,500.

[Scott P.]

Re: L71 Aftermarket Aluminum Head Recommendation

Patrick, you have a PM. Scott

[Michael H.]

Re: L71 Aftermarket Aluminum Head Recommendation

Chris -- How much do you want to spend? I have a set of new never used 14011076 ( casting number 077) GM Aluminum heads with Winters Snowflakes ported by Diamond Elkins years ago for a project I never completed. They include new valves. You can have them for $1500 which is much less than I have in them. They fit the standard Mark IV intake and exhaust manifolds unlike a lot of the GM performance heads.

Patrick you have another PM.

Mike

[Chris H.]

Re: L71 Aftermarket Aluminum Head Recommendation

Thanks everyone for your responses. For now I think I'm going to stick to rebuilding the original iron heads. The car is pretty fast with those and the 4.11s. Maybe some day in the future I'll go to aluminum. Chris