which champion head is best

[we2man]

OUT of the box which champion head is best the aluminum or the iron? Also which one works better fully ported?

 

[Grumpy]

street car ??? how fast ya looking to go.. I like steel ones for all around use.

 

[we2man]

Id, like to bust low 10 s is this possible with the right set up like ta52 turbo 55lb inj, thdp?

 

[Paul69camaro]

I run the aluminums on the street. When I was building my motor I asked the same question and everyone told me I didn't need them. I got them because they weigh less, dissipate heat much better, have bigger valves, etc. My reasoning was that they allowed me to make more power with less boost therefore increasing reliability (my opinion anyways). The aluminum heads got a bad reputation with the earlier designs but these newer GN1 heads are a lot stronger than the old design. If you can spare the extra few hundred bucks for the aluminums, I'd say go for it.

 

[kidglok]

irons have been 9's

 

[bison]

The aluminum heads show a great advantage at low lift with the correct combo. A mildly cleaned up set of gN1's makes about 550whp@23psi on a 8.3:1 stock shortblock with a 60-1.. On a 9:1 engine with race ported gn1's I made 592whp with the 60-1. With ported iron heads 525-550whp was typical on a stock or nearly stock shortblock(pistons replaced) with an 8.5:1 engine and a 6262@25psi. There is definite potential advantage to the aluminum heads especially with a little cleanup but the cost involved may not be worth it though. I prefer the versions that have the rocker stands milled off.

 

[turbofabricator]

Just my opinion........Stay away from aluminum for a car that runs 10.0's or slower. No need for them. Irons have gone in the 8's. Irons are far better at crack avoidance. The aluminums are crack prone. The weight savings is only good on your back. (OK..... in MY case....that's a BIG deal ) It seriously doubt it will make any measurable gain at the track. I know, I know.........the best way to save a pound is to find 16 places to save an ounce. The cost is much higher, too. A well ported set of irons will break a stock block. For me..........I suggest iron for street cars and aluminum for race cars, especially Stage blocks. The stock block doesn't need the higher flow. I would love to see a back to back test between a well ported iron head vs. a aluminum head. Completely un biased. Probably find very little gain on a street driven combination. Of course to really benefit with the higher flowing heads, you'll need a different cam to optimize the gain. Pretty hard to caompare back to back.
Again, just my opinion.

 

[johnplogii]

Who went 8's with iron heads?

 

[johnplogii]

You got me curious Ken, do you know of somebody that has been 8's with stock ported irons?

 

[~JM~]

The iron Champion heads are based on the factory head & limited to the modifications that can be performed within this casting.

The aluminum heads are not limited to the original architecture as much as the irons. Almost a clean slate to design around.

Supposedly the irons are all that a street car would ever need & they seem to have a reliability edge. The aluminums are super trick & will easily out-flow the irons. What are you looking to achieve or afford?

~JM~

 

[johnplogii]

Who went 8's with iron heads?

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[whitehot1]

I can't answer which Champion heads are the best out of the box,but.

I bought my Champion GN1 aluminum heads in 2001 and they have worked great ever since taking them out of the box. The only things i've changed on them is the valve guides and added beehive springs for use with a roller cam,it's only a street car so i don't have any performance data to share.