Should I change heads?

[Tom]

Camel humps are old as hell, outdated and honestly don't flow that well stock.
For the purchase price and the need to likely do work to them, you could buy some cheap aftermarket heads for barely anything more.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Leave the heads unless or untill you plan to upgrade the whole engine.

You'll loose mpg due to lower compression. Along with part throttle or tip in hp/tq.

If you replace the heads you will likely gain less then 25hp unless. Your cam already flows enough to tax the heads, or you plan the upgrade at the same time.

Last time I check Vortec heads were $700 delivered new. So You'll need a manifold, rockers, and a possibility of push rods. So depending on how you get the parts, and rebuilding. You could be $700 to $1200 deep into less then 25 hp.

Well of your buying or rebuilding heads make sure you get them upgraded for high lift cams with Bee hive springs, seat mods or both.

Me personally. I would build a either a 95+ Vortec or 92+ Gen 2 LT1 for ease of conversion with distributors, and carbs. My LT1 tows 5000 pounds easily, hauls 1500 pounds like it's not there, and runs 87 octane easily with 10-1 compression.