Camel Hump Heads

[72armyswbtruck]

OK, so I have a chance to get a set of Camel Hump Heads. How good are these heads over the standard heads that were on our year trucks.
My old heads casting number #3998993
The Camel Hump Heads 3890462
Are these really any good. Are the screamers. or what

[71Dragtruck]

Back in the day they were, but now no. They are good for keeping #'s matching, or period correct motors, circle track guys look for them to be legal. But now days a set of vortec heads are way better.

[Billla]

Modern heads beat these out in every way - flow, intake velocity - everything. As noted, good for restos, not really worth picking up for anything else. Vortecs are the hot heads for the money...

[Stoney]

Vortec is the way to go for nice street performance.

[Imacarguytoo]

Not to snag the post. But what year vortech heads are you talking and off what motors?

[72armyswbtruck]

OK so what year vortech will match up to my stock 350 that has non vortec heads? Do you have ot worry about a computer or anything?

[Billla]

The brand-new Vortec heads are a steal, especially if you don't need over .475 lift. They bolt right up with no issues...but a new intake manifold is required. No computers or wierdness...they just bolt right up. There's a great thread on these heads in the Engines section if you do a quick search.

[Zoomad75]

Vortec heads started in 1996 on the trucks and ran until they stopped using the 350's. 2000 in the 1/2 tons, 2001 in the old style 3/4 and 1 tons and I think 2004 in the full size vans.

There is ton's of info on the web for Vortec heads. One main thing you have to do to run them is get a new vortec specific manifold. The vortec intake has 8 bolts rather than 12 and they are set near vertical rather than perpendicular to the head. You can't adapt an old manifold to fit. Prices on the vortec intakes are coming down, GM's are the most expensive, then Edlebrock and then Power Plus. Lots of choices, dual plane, dual plane air gap, single plane, even dual 4's or 3 2's. gm even has TBI intakes too.

Running large cams (high lift like .495" or higher) require some minor mods to the valve guide boss and opening of the spring pocket for better springs, but otherwise Vortecs are strong heads. They outflow the old Fuelie (camel hump) and even the GM performance Bow Tie heads from the 80's.

Yes Aftermarket heads will outflow vortecs, but at twice the price. You can get new vortecs for $500 for a pair, assembled. do some scrounging and you can get used ones for well under that mark.

[clay68c10]

One other bad thing about double humps is that they don't have any accessory holes.

[Billla]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

Running large cams (high lift like .495" or higher) require some minor mods to the valve guide boss and opening of the spring pocket for better springs

Only comment here is that the stock heads are limited to .475 lift; upgraded heads are available for about $200-$300 more a set, which is a great deal unless you're going to make the changes at home. The valve seal changes can be done at home - there's a thread on this - but it's not for everyone.

[Zoomad75]

I've read that about the limit on the lift. Do about 20 minutes worth of surfing and some say no more than .460 and others say .490-5. Some come in somewhere in the middle. I've got a buddy running a stone stock set on the 350 in his S10 and his lift is .498. I drives that thing like he stole it for 4 years and not one ounce of guide to valve retainer interference.

The main point being is the clearance is going to vary, head to head. If you are planning on running a cam with higher than .475" lift, better check it out. The tool to cut the guide bosses is cheap enough to do it at home. If that isn't your bag, send it to the machine shop. I gave my dad a set of Vortecs (nice son aren't I) for his Nomad and he had his cut by a local shop in denver. Mind you he's only going to run a L79 cam with .448" lift, but he's an engineer and a stickler for details and wants the added marign of clearance. Still the cost to cut both heads with enlarging the spring pockets for z28 springs was under $150 for the pair.