487X cylinder heads. . . - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

*racedvl* · 08-25-2003, 12:02 PM

Are 487X heads any good? I have a set, I'm I'm thinking that I would rather have a set of non-906 casting Vortec heads. Does anyone have any input on this for me?

lukecp · 08-25-2003, 01:16 PM

487X heads are a fairly rare find....they came on early '70's LT1 350 engines.....being a "X" casting, the intake ports are 10cc bigger than the standard 487 heads. They might already have 2.02/1.60 valves too. The combustion chambers are 75cc's though, so if you want high compression you would have to run a domed piston.

If they are in good shape, i would use them, especially if they have 2.02/1.60 valves. Pretty much, they are a open-chamber performance head. Vortecs will flow better.....and make more power though.

bpmcgee · 08-25-2003, 03:11 PM

Race,

Regarding your comment on the 906 Vortechs -- Chevy High Performance actually retracted their first comment about 906s not flowing as well as 062s. They now say that both castings are about the same.

Just FYI,

Brian

67_SS396 · 08-25-2003, 07:50 PM

487's are a good head and the 487x's are better, also very rare and "should" have 2.02/1.60 valves. They are a pretty thick casting and only have a single crossover, so they are not as likely to crack like the 882's and such. With a little bit of work, they will flow nicely for a driver/cruiser.

bigjimzlll · 08-25-2003, 08:31 PM

My advice...Sell them to someone who needs them for class racing or a numbers matching restore. What hurts is the 75cc chambers and the soft valve seats. They are nice heads though..for real old school

nate68 · 08-26-2003, 12:19 AM

i used to have a set of 487x's. the x really means that they have hardened seats. the intake ports are the same size. they made them from 71-73 on vette lt1's. 1970 lt1 heads were closed chambers. my 487x's had 1.94 valves.

ChopTop · 08-26-2003, 03:18 AM

Nate I recently traded a set of 487X heads due to the fact every single excaust port needed hardened seats installed. Not to mention guides all-around. I was lucky the machinest had a set of 487's laying around that did'nt need as much work.

milner · 08-27-2003, 10:15 AM

Question about the 487X heads. I bought my 72 custom deluxe with a bad motor(I was told it had a rod out). I put a motor I had lying around in with vortecs on it. Anyway,I came across a deal on a 383 that I couldn't pass up. It is a shortblock only,I want to put it in my 79 K10. It has a THIRSTY 400 that is worn out,also has fulltime which doesn't help matters. I checked the heads on the motor last night and they are 487Xs,I was thinkin about using them on the 383. It is not a race motor,I was thinkin about vortecs again but with 64cc heads the c/r would be 10.3-1,alittle to high. What do you guys think?

nate68 · 08-28-2003, 12:34 AM

the 487x's that i had, had hardened seats. i think they were 1972 casting date

73stepside · 08-29-2003, 02:50 AM

10 on the cr is high but with vortecs you can retard the timing and probably not get any detonation and be happy with the power output. i've heard that vortec'd motors do not reqiure nearly the amount of initial advance than non-vortec'd motors.

08-25-2003, 12:02 PM	#1
racedvl Account Suspended Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 7,020	487X cylinder heads. . . Are 487X heads any good? I have a set, I'm I'm thinking that I would rather have a set of non-906 casting Vortec heads. Does anyone have any input on this for me?

08-25-2003, 01:16 PM	#2
lukecp Formerly yellow72custom Join Date: May 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 7,531	487X heads are a fairly rare find....they came on early '70's LT1 350 engines.....being a "X" casting, the intake ports are 10cc bigger than the standard 487 heads. They might already have 2.02/1.60 valves too. The combustion chambers are 75cc's though, so if you want high compression you would have to run a domed piston. If they are in good shape, i would use them, especially if they have 2.02/1.60 valves. Pretty much, they are a open-chamber performance head. Vortecs will flow better.....and make more power though. __________________ '72 Chevy C10 Mild 350/TH350/3.07. Ochre/White. Old high school ride. '70 GMC C2500 '62 327 4bbl/SM465/4.56-geared Dana 60. White/White. Project or parts truck. '97 Saturn SL DD. 1.9/5-speed. 40+ highway mpg

08-25-2003, 07:50 PM	#4
67_SS396 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Blue Ridge, Tx Posts: 1,172	487's are a good head and the 487x's are better, also very rare and "should" have 2.02/1.60 valves. They are a pretty thick casting and only have a single crossover, so they are not as likely to crack like the 882's and such. With a little bit of work, they will flow nicely for a driver/cruiser. __________________ Fawker Fab three seater rock crawler buggy 498 BBC/SM465/203/205 doubler, propane, 5.13's, 42" PB Rockers '66 C10 - The new hot rod '77 3+3 Dually - 12 valve 4wd conversion tow rig project '28 Ford 2 door sedan street rod RevLimit Offroad "Hang on beer, we can do this."

08-25-2003, 08:31 PM	#5
bigjimzlll Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Redding,CA...USA Posts: 4,736	My advice...Sell them to someone who needs them for class racing or a numbers matching restore. What hurts is the 75cc chambers and the soft valve seats. They are nice heads though..for real old school __________________ It's called "drag racing" if they called it "tic..tic..WHAM!..BANG! F*&K!!!", they'd have to keep the magazines under the counter with the other men's publications click the clicky to join the site.... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/payments.php 67 lwb..first hotrod in 25 years..540 best ET is 9.45 @ 141.44 Anderson,CA

08-26-2003, 12:19 AM	#6
nate68 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: ca Posts: 1,110	i used to have a set of 487x's. the x really means that they have hardened seats. the intake ports are the same size. they made them from 71-73 on vette lt1's. 1970 lt1 heads were closed chambers. my 487x's had 1.94 valves. __________________ 68 short step, 406/700r4, 9" w/discs.

08-25-2003, 03:11 PM	#3
bpmcgee Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 2,181	Race, Regarding your comment on the 906 Vortechs -- Chevy High Performance actually retracted their first comment about 906s not flowing as well as 062s. They now say that both castings are about the same. Just FYI, Brian

08-26-2003, 03:18 AM	#7
ChopTop Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: KINGWOOD TEXAS Posts: 515	Nate I recently traded a set of 487X heads due to the fact every single excaust port needed hardened seats installed. Not to mention guides all-around. I was lucky the machinest had a set of 487's laying around that did'nt need as much work. __________________ Member of the "Old Farts Club"

08-27-2003, 10:15 AM	#8
milner Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Mandan,ND Posts: 268	Question about the 487X heads. I bought my 72 custom deluxe with a bad motor(I was told it had a rod out). I put a motor I had lying around in with vortecs on it. Anyway,I came across a deal on a 383 that I couldn't pass up. It is a shortblock only,I want to put it in my 79 K10. It has a THIRSTY 400 that is worn out,also has fulltime which doesn't help matters. I checked the heads on the motor last night and they are 487Xs,I was thinkin about using them on the 383. It is not a race motor,I was thinkin about vortecs again but with 64cc heads the c/r would be 10.3-1,alittle to high. What do you guys think?

08-28-2003, 12:34 AM	#9
nate68 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: ca Posts: 1,110	the 487x's that i had, had hardened seats. i think they were 1972 casting date __________________ 68 short step, 406/700r4, 9" w/discs.

08-29-2003, 02:50 AM	#10
73stepside Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Moore OK 73160 Posts: 974	10 on the cr is high but with vortecs you can retard the timing and probably not get any detonation and be happy with the power output. i've heard that vortec'd motors do not reqiure nearly the amount of initial advance than non-vortec'd motors. __________________ 04 GMC Sierra RCSS 70 CST LWB 04 HD Sportster 1200 Custom



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