Pro Topline 200cc sbc heads. Anyone had experience?

[HQM383]

Anyone had experience with these heads?

200cc, 64cc, angle plug.

I know they are old technology but for less than half the price of new modern heads like AFR or Brodix are they worth investing in with the goal a low 11 sec street strip 383 sbc in 3350lbs car?

What is the potential?

[BOOT]

Don't know nothing bout those head but here's my 2 cents. Teflon valve seals aren't in favor anymore and old used heads that I've seen often are worn out. If they are, by the time you get them fixed they still may not be as good HP as they were new. And for about the same cost could of bought a new set of newer design heads, unless you can do the work yourself or know a guy.

[HQM383]

Don't know nothing bout those head but here's my 2 cents. Teflon valve seals aren't in favor anymore and old used heads that I've seen often are worn out. If they are, by the time you get them fixed they still may not be as good HP as they were new. And for about the same cost could of bought a new set of newer design heads, unless you can do the work yourself or know a guy.

Opinion noted.

I am seeing them as a blank slate to work with, a foundation for something I can get my teeth into. Need different seals thats fine, need bigger valves, that's fine too. Porting will be done, by who I don't know yet. These will be a project as I enjoy the journey of having something like this developed to its potential and learning along the way. If in the end they cost me the same as a new afr 210 then that's OK even if ultimately less power. If that's the cost of experience I'll take it.

To rephrase my question "are they a good solid foundation to develop into a 550hp 383 sbc?".

[travis]

I had a set on the first stroker sbc I built many years ago. It was a 10.3:1 compression 388 with the 200cc iron lightnings in a 3400 pound nova. Mine needed a lot of work right out of the box...a lot of core shift, and nearly every pushrod needed clearancing work. I ported mine out to about 209cc just to straighten up the core shift in the ports, but no idea what they flowed. They ran extremely well once the issues was straightened out. In the milder iteration I used...comp 294s, Holley 300-36, 3400 stall, and 3.73's...it ran 12.40's and had more in it, but life happened and I sold the car before getting it optimized

[GARY C]

They are basically the same casting as RHS and EQ so not to out dated I guess, the only dyno I did with them was a 9.1ish 327 with the 180 head, a standard performer intake and a flat tappet cam in the low 240's at .050.

[1980RS]

I had a pair of Pro Topline 220's on a 406 at one time worked very well and they were the 72cc chambers. All they needed was a little cleaning up.

[HQM383]

Found info on the p/n stamped in the end. They are 72cc chambers.

This is from an old catalog of theirs I found on ST. Interesting to note they recommend 200cc for 327 - 350ci turning to 6500. 220cc for 383. If I am looking at turning a 383 to 6500 and I’m only really chasing 550hp would I really need something 220cc+?

[KnightEngines]

Found info on the p/n stamped in the end. They are 72cc chambers.

This is from an old catalog of theirs I found on ST. Interesting to note they recommend 200cc for 327 - 350ci turning to 6500. 220cc for 383. If I am looking at turning a 383 to 6500 and I’m only really chasing 550hp would I really need something 220cc+?

They'll be real nice on a 383 with a little work, you don't need a 220cc head for 550hp.
User name suggests you're in Oz, whereabouts? I'm in Adelaide.

[HQM383]

Found info on the p/n stamped in the end. They are 72cc chambers.

This is from an old catalog of theirs I found on ST. Interesting to note they recommend 200cc for 327 - 350ci turning to 6500. 220cc for 383. If I am looking at turning a 383 to 6500 and I’m only really chasing 550hp would I really need something 220cc+?

They'll be real nice on a 383 with a little work, you don't need a 220cc head for 550hp.
User name suggests you're in Oz, whereabouts? I'm in Adelaide.

Geelong.

Guy is selling them for 1.4k with Edelbrock carb and an ancient GM dual plane aluminum polished manifold. Figure I can sell them off for a quick return for a net cost of around $1000 for the heads. Worth it you think?

[Biteme]

If the castings check out I’d run them over AFR any day.

They were originally developed and made here in NZ by some very good minds.
All got a bit blurred when people realised how good they were and I understand quality slipped.

Check for casting hardness and core shift. Anything else should be fixable.

[KnightEngines]

Found info on the p/n stamped in the end. They are 72cc chambers.

This is from an old catalog of theirs I found on ST. Interesting to note they recommend 200cc for 327 - 350ci turning to 6500. 220cc for 383. If I am looking at turning a 383 to 6500 and I’m only really chasing 550hp would I really need something 220cc+?

They'll be real nice on a 383 with a little work, you don't need a 220cc head for 550hp.
User name suggests you're in Oz, whereabouts? I'm in Adelaide.

Geelong.

Guy is selling them for 1.4k with Edelbrock carb and an ancient GM dual plane aluminum polished manifold. Figure I can sell them off for a quick return for a net cost of around $1000 for the heads. Worth it you think?

Yep, good deal.

[HQM383]

They'll be real nice on a 383 with a little work, you don't need a 220cc head for 550hp.
User name suggests you're in Oz, whereabouts? I'm in Adelaide.

Geelong.

Guy is selling them for 1.4k with Edelbrock carb and an ancient GM dual plane aluminum polished manifold. Figure I can sell them off for a quick return for a net cost of around $1000 for the heads. Worth it you think?

Yep, good deal.

Thanks.

Would there be any issue getting the combustion chamber down to 64cc or less?

[KnightEngines]

Geelong.

Guy is selling them for 1.4k with Edelbrock carb and an ancient GM dual plane aluminum polished manifold. Figure I can sell them off for a quick return for a net cost of around $1000 for the heads. Worth it you think?

Yep, good deal.

Thanks.

Would there be any issue getting the combustion chamber down to 64cc or less?

Nope, no problem.

[1980RS]

Don't know nothing bout those head but here's my 2 cents. Teflon valve seals aren't in favor anymore and old used heads that I've seen often are worn out. If they are, by the time you get them fixed they still may not be as good HP as they were new. And for about the same cost could of bought a new set of newer design heads, unless you can do the work yourself or know a guy.

I have a lot of old cast iron heads that will kick the crap out of the china heads that you like at the track. So far I have not seen one set of those cheap Dart knock offs perform well at all, the best set around here a guy was running low 12's with them. Most of those china heads come with worn out guides to begin with, lol.

[BOOT]

I have a lot of old cast iron heads that will kick the crap out of the china heads that you like at the track. So far I have not seen one set of those cheap Dart knock offs perform well at all, the best set around here a guy was running low 12's with them. Most of those china heads come with worn out guides to begin with, lol.

The ebay head is a good budget design whether you like them, dislike me or not LOL

In the wrong hands even the best ported heads can finish last!