sbc head question

[dondb]

I bought a 69 camaro about a year ago with a bad 327 in it. I found a 69 350 4 bolt main engine for sale at a good price. Specs are: Engine is bored .004 over, decked .005,stock crank and rods, KB pistons. The heads are a set of 881 heads, screw in studs with guides, 3 way angeled valve job. 194/160 intake exhaust machined to 69cc, comp cam magnum 280 cam with their full kit. After doing the math the engine has a 10.2 : 1 static compression and a 7.98 dynamic compression if i did the math correctly? Engine builder says the engine should be about 400HP? Oh...did I mention i'm a old rookie trying to learn ( my disclaimer for stupid questions) . My question is....i took off a set of world product S/R Torqer heads from the 327 in good condition. Would it be worth my time and money to have these heads gone through and put them on? Keep the 881's on there and run the engine? Use them both as boat anchors and buy new ones? I do plan on eventually building a new engine north of 500hp after a few yrs. of tweaking the car. This spring i have the following parts amassed for installation: Hotchkis lower and upper a arms, Hotchkis TVS system and Bilstein shocks, Dynatech headers and 2.5 Magnaflow system headers back. All new interior including white hounds tooth seats. Here's a picture of the project:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/02/home015-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/02/home010-1.jpg

[DRs 69]

The world heads should out perform the stock ones, especially if you have someone work them over a little. They should be a little stronger casting than the stock castings as well. With that much compression I imagine your running premium fuel correct? Do you have any problems with detonation? I ask cause if your looking for more power with around the same or a little more comp. then you currently have with much less chance of detonation Aluminum is the way to go IMHO.

If it were me I would be tempted to get a good set of heads now and put them on your motor and once your ready for the new motor freshen them up a little and put them on the new one. However there is one more thing to consider if your going to be hard on the current motor and have any fear of it coming apart it would really suck to have your nice new heads taken out by broken internals flying into them.

[dondb]

The world heads should out perform the stock ones, especially if you have someone work them over a little. They should be a little stronger casting than the stock castings as well. With that much compression I imagine your running premium fuel correct? Do you have any problems with detonation? I ask cause if your looking for more power with around the same or a little more comp. then you currently have with much less chance of detonation Aluminum is the way to go IMHO.

If it were me I would be tempted to get a good set of heads now and put them on your motor and once your ready for the new motor freshen them up a little and put them on the new one. However there is one more thing to consider if your going to be hard on the current motor and have any fear of it coming apart it would really suck to have your nice new heads taken out by broken internals flying into them.

I'm not sure on that much of a performance pick up to verify a head change??? I was thinking of getting a set of profilers....good point on breaking them from engine failure though.

[DRs 69]

I'm not sure on that much of a performance pick up to verify a head change??? I was thinking of getting a set of profilers....good point on breaking them from engine failure though.

I haven't heard of the profilers until know I checked out there website. They have some impressive flow numbers and a good price. Wish I knew someone who had them to compare.

Personally I'm an AFR guy but I know there are allot of good heads out there. From what I have seen swapping a set of good aluminum heads for heads similar to your stock ones you should see at least a 50hp increase probably more. Not to mention an increase in power all through the RPM range.

To give you an idea I had a 388 sbc w/AFR 220's solid lifter cam 10.5 comp. in my 69 camaro compared to my dad's 406 sbc w/highly ported camel backs similar solid lift cam and 11.8 comp. in a 1965 chevelle. According to track times and MPH numbers my motor made an easy 75 hp more than the 406.

[dondb]

Spoke to a well known engine builder and he told me my little 355 with current setup really doesn't have the umph to get the full use out of good set of heads. Would i feel a difference...yes but not worth the expense...just drive what i have and think what i want to get out of my car. I really respect that advice and will beat the crap out of what i have, and look at putting in a new motor over the next year. Already looking at a Dart 400 pro block...and then start with parts over time.
Thanks to the people who posted a reply!!