Edelbrocks or stocks??

[69coronet318]

I've really been thinking about buyin a set of edelbrock heads for a 360 but the only thing holding me back is the price. Are they worth the $1200 or would I be better off with a set of rebuilt junkyard heads?

[451Mopar]

Depends on how you are going to use them?
If your cam is under 0.500" or you have low compression the stockers may be the way to go. If you have some compression (the aluminum dispatates chamber heat quickly) and a cam over 0.550" get the Edelbrocks.

Remenber that by the time you rebuild the junkyard heads you'll probbably have over $600 into them (new valves, guides, springs, retainers, locks, hardened exhaust seats, machine work, etc.) Add more cost if you plan to port the heads.

[69coronet318]

I am looking for a streetable car, never freeway driven, around 450 horspower + 100 - 150 shot of NOS occasionally with race gas. the only thing I'm for sure on is the motor will be a 360. This will be my first motor build up and I am SO lost on what parts to get and what machining to get done to them. Any suggestions?

[451Mopar]

There is alot of ways to get 450 Hp from a 360.
If you build a 408 cid stroker (the 4" stroker cranks are only about $300) you can build the engine milider, more streetable and make the power you want.
Edelbrock heads would be the easy way to get the airflow needed, but ported stock heads will get the job done, just not as easely. The Edelbrock heads also give you room to make more power in the future. The Performer RPM air gap is a really good intake. Depending on how you build the engine , a hughes hydraulic cam with 230 to 240 duration @ 0.050 should be OK.
Headers and a good dual 2.5" exhaust are required.
You will need around 10:1 compresion.

Machine work you should align hone the main caps, Square deck the block for the correct piston deck height to get the correct compression ratio and quench distance. Bore and hone the block using torque plates. Recondition the rods with new ARP bolts or get new aftermarket rods. The engine will need to be ballanced too.

[Mach Manny]

I would quicky run the nearest newstand and pick up a copy of car craft or equivalent magazine and check out its engine build articles. They list every step of the way from magnafluxing the core to the final dyno run. Although you wont be able to buy the exact part numbers, reading articles like these will inform you of what it really takes to rebuild an engine... correctly.

[George G. Leverette]

Why junk yard heads, the Mopar performance catalog have 360 and 340 heads for your application and with the advertised discounts a new set of bare heads and hardware can save about $300-$400 off the Edelbrock aluminum heads. Hughes or one of the other engine builders can also provide a set of worked heads for much less than the eddys. Just make a good comparsion then purchase what meets you needs (wants).