I've done my research (thanks you OSO members) and have decided to do the vortec head upgrade to my 1986 chevy 350.

I'm now wondering where the best place to purchase the required parts and speak with someone to make sure they will bolt on.

my shopping list:

1. heads (cast iron)
2. intake
3. valve/rocker covers
4. gasket set (head, intake, and valve cover gaskets)
5. head bolts
6. intake bolts
7. center mount valve covers

I know i will be kicking myself for not putting in a cam, but i'll save that for another day...

Any preferred place to purchase?

I see jegs offers an interesting set: (but is it worth it)
http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet+Perf...060K1/10002/-1

summit has all the parts to:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12558060
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-2504

most of all I want reliability in the parts. Its going in my '86 F206 Spider, and I just want to have a reliable motor. A couple extra HP's will be nice.

Thanks!

Start kicking yourself now.

The heads can be had for almost free on craigslist pretty regularly now that LS stuff is so popular. Just make sure you have a good machine shop go through them, and install a set of beehives for when you do the cam. You'll actually thank yourself later.

You have to do the cam swap to get the full effect of the Vortex upgrade. Look at the Summit Brand cam kits. They are mode by crane for summit. Talk to the guys on here to see if you can find something that will work for you. Can be had for around $100.00

Double post whoops

I was debating doing the same Vortec head upgrade to my old 1978 260 that has a cam and headers on it and some old stock heads that had a little work done to them.

By the time you buy the new thicker castings and have the heads machined so you can run a higher lift cam and than have to figure in for a new style Vortec intake manifold I was almost better off buying Dart Iron eagle heads.

Now if you are not going with a high lift cam and just going for a low buck slap it on approach than you get what you pay for. I guess.

I did this swap on a 93 350 mag.

Do the cam now, you won't regret it. Otherwise I wouldn't even bother opening the engine hatch.

You should have asked me. LOL. I know, that was an armchair quarter back response. DOh.

I did do the cam with mine. I went with a comp 270 marine roller. Where I cut a corner was not degreeing it in and reusing the original timing set. It still goes WAY better than the stock motor did, but it is not up to full potential and I know that, but this was to get me by until I pull the motor and stroke it, and I did this on a budget. I think I had about a grand wrapped up in the whole thing, but that involved a whole bunch of horse trading parts and ebay purchasing. I also did the swap in the boat in late March, while the winter structure was still over it (hence the reason why the pictures have a blueish tinge).

Here is the thread for anybody interested in looking:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...head-swap.html

Thanks for the feedback. I'll shop for a cam as long as I don't have to get into modifying the heads for the extra lift. I'm pretty sure the motor has a bad exhaust valve on #8, so the heads have to come off.