What manufacturer would you suggest for both big and small block heads? Aluminium as well as iron. Assuming any complex part will need at least a little tweaking, who makes the best, closest to bolt-on-and-go heads? Keeping streetabilty and cost in mind.
Jon,
I'm not trying to dodge your question, but it's more that manufacturers and part numbers to get the right parts sometimes.
Starting with cast iron heads for Mopar most performance engines, I think once you are at a performance level whereas a mildly worked over stock head is not enough, you are going to make the jump right to an aluminum head. With the chamber, port and valve sizes available, you can buy pretty close to what you need.
It never made much sense to me to buy a street head and have to do $1000 worth of port work, when there may be another choice in the aftermarket that gets you closer to what you need with minimal modifications. It makes sense in both performance and retained value.
As far as aluminum heads, personally, we buy them bare and do all our own seat, guide, and port work as required. This way, we have ultimate control over the quality of the parts we use, seat angles, and ensure that the guide clearance and valve/seat runout is held to precision tolerances. Most performance shops can do this, and I mean, actual shops that machine and build engines.
The final amount you spend will generally be close to the same as than buying a factory assembled "ready to run" head, and paying to have them reworked to be perfect. In addition, you will have quality valves, springs and parts from a known manufacturer, not a "low bid" supplier that most factories use. Believe me, if "Brand E" used Manley or REV valves, they would have it in their ad. It would be a substantial selling point.
I think Edelbrock, Indy, Stage V and other USA made manufactures make excellent cylinder head castings. Coupled with the right parts and quality machine work, you can buy a true "bolt-on" performance head.
Sometimes it takes knocking on a few doors, asking the right questions and shaking a few hands to get good results. If you can stand in a man's shop and he can show you how he does his work, what his tolerance limits are, and if he can sell you exactly what you need, you can't lose.
On the internet, you are limited to words, pictures and advertising. I would wager to guess that most sellers don't have a single piece of machinery.
I see too many sets of heads that I wish here never touched to begin with. Excessive seat runout that needs correcting will sink the valves that much more. Guides that are poorly sized, and heads assembles without the proper spring seat hardware and wrong retainers is way too common.
Worst case, even if there is not a shop right in your town, with forums like this, and their networking, it should be easy enough to find where to go to get what you need.
