Dove vs. Dooer heads

I dont have any heads yet. I'm trying to figure out which heads to buy. I know dove heads are good enough because there is a guy running them that does pretty well and actually won a couple pulls last year. but it seems like these guys raise the bar a little every year, just a few years ago guys where winning with 400 small block chevys. It sounds like i should go with the CJ heads so I can keep up with the big block chevys, they will probably be pushing 800 hp soon if they aren't already.

I wouldn't expect any typical factory iron headed 480" BBC to be making quite that much.

If you want 800hp, ported factory iron heads will not be the best choice. You will spend more money trying to make them work than you would on a decent set of aluminum aftermarket heads.

Outlaw5.0 wrote:If you want 800hp, ported factory iron heads will not be the best choice. You will spend more money trying to make them work than you would on a decent set of aluminum aftermarket heads.

The class rules require an OEM iron head.

dfree383 wrote:I wouldn't expect any typical factory iron headed 480" BBC to be making quite that much.

yea I hope not, but they are damn tough to beat

If you're hoping for anywhere close to 800 hp, DOOR-e all the way....

mitch wrote:

Outlaw5.0 wrote:If you want 800hp, ported factory iron heads will not be the best choice. You will spend more money trying to make them work than you would on a decent set of aluminum aftermarket heads.

The class rules require an OEM iron head.

Got to love those spend more money iron head rules.

Anybody can buy a big time set of aftermarket heads and go fast, its the ones that take parts that everyone says can't do it and make them fly, they are the HeRo's IMO

dfree383 wrote:Anybody can buy a big time set of aftermarket heads and go fast, its the ones that take parts that everyone says can't do it and make them fly, they are the HeRo's IMO

I'm not one to brag, just stating what can be done with them. 3069 lb with me in the car 557 Dooe-r's ported ran 5.80 in my mustang last year at the NMRA race at Bowling green Ky. With my ported TFS Streets it ran 5.70 @ 2965 lb. That engine dyno' ed at 861 hp.

So the Dooe-r's are worth a good bit more than 800 hp, and mine were not a max effort deal. It only had 8 degress of split in the cam and lobe sep was to narrow for those heads. The exhaust only flowed 204 cfm.

I would like to build a big inch stroker optimise it for those heads, and see what the cast SCJ's can realy do.

Colin's 429 CJ engine, (actually 441"), is in the high 800's HP with those iron heads on his NHRA Super Stock engine with a 780 cfm carb so, it certainly CAN be done.

dfree383 wrote:Anybody can buy a big time set of aftermarket heads and go fast, its the ones that take parts that everyone says can't do it and make them fly, they are the HeRo's IMO

If you can do most of the work yourself, sure go for it. But paying a person to fully port them, and etc is not going to be cheap. Its not smart either unless you handicapped by rules.

I run a superstock mud truck with a 495 cid motor (dyno'ed at 760+ horsepower) and a real good set of iron cj's my build is in the proven build section the last two weekend i have run a 100 foot pit in 2.2 to 2.3 seconds in a 4500 pound truck. I only have the iron heads because they are a requiremnet for this class. I plan when I can afford it to build a larger engine and these heds will go on the new build. It can be done with the old stuff just takes time, planning and listening to the guys have been there to make it work.

Outlaw5.0 wrote:

dfree383 wrote:Anybody can buy a big time set of aftermarket heads and go fast, its the ones that take parts that everyone says can't do it and make them fly, they are the HeRo's IMO

If you can do most of the work yourself, sure go for it. But paying a person to fully port them, and etc is not going to be cheap. Its not smart either unless you handicapped by rules.

just happen this guy is bound by the class rules.

I'd rather be challenged...... Making something from nothing is much more satifying to me. But then again I don't play with this stuff to make money.....

dfree383 wrote:I'd rather be challenged...... Making something from nothing is much more satifying to me. But then again I don't play with this stuff to make money.....

I can attest to this, money isn't the issue, good liquid corn however is a must!

The information provided in this thread is very good...

Common sense dictates that an iron cj head is going to be best in a no holes barred situation.
In a restricted class ei vac rule or small carb the difference is nill.

Each has their place and will make a bunch of HP if done right.

Max effort iron cjs will approach 400 cfm at 850 lift and will go 200 plus exhaust without weld etx
Max effort cj or victor match Doves or D3's can approach 360 cfm and about the same on the exhaust. Intake port cross section is smaller so port velocity is better as are the mid lift numbers but not by a bunch if the iron cjs are done right.

It still amazes me that such a maligned cylinder head can support so much power when loved properly... In the end it is the exhaust port that is the limiting factor unless one reworks the iron cj exhaust port with weld and a bunch of time...