Here's one thing that everyone should appreciate about me: I'm not brand loyal.
As for how the new [BBM] heads perform, I'm good with not knowing.
Umm, surely you can see the flaw in those 2 statements? Being an engine builder, you're good with not knowing?
As far as the "proof", every major engine builder readily admits that dyno numbers are for bragging rights, and running on a dyno is for tuning and verifying that everything is okay with a build. The only "proof" is on a track. On the street, it doesn't really matter much. 500hp will kill you just as quick as 550hp. In fact, on the street, the more HP you're pushing, the faster you will get yourself into bad trouble if you don't handle it correctly, which means you'll never be using the full potential of 550hp, especially on street tires.
So for "proof", here's your chance, Brent. List up those class wins with your FE engines. Any EMC? Drag Week? SS and/or S class wins? I mean, besides your 15th place in the camshaft challenge? Don't be shy.
As for the OP, my stock stroke 427 uses untouched MR heads, has more HP than I can put down on the street (497) and runs me right at 11.50 on the strip, with a less than optimized set-up. That's right at the limit of requiring a rollbar. Pretty much any modern FE head will make a very nice hot street/strip combo right out of the box. I wouldn't overthink it too much, unless you want the numbers for bragging rights, or you don't mind making your car more "strip" than "street", to take advantage of that power. There's a big tradeoff when you do that.
This is the most relevant post in this thread.
TFS heads are good. Breathed on they're better
BBM heads are good. Even the early ones.
Patricked they're better.
Folks seem to rarely ask what do I need to run a ballpark ET. Kind of a shame.
Folks like the 600hp number. It's impressive. I like it too.
Just to put things into perspective, not science, I've run low 11's with a 454FE, very mildly worked Edelbrock heads, and a .590 lift 294 advertised duration single pattern camshaft, in a mini tubbed '67 Mustang fastback.
I'm sure with 600hp it would have been faster but I was already the fastest kid on the block with a car that could actually drive a good distance.
Big power and fancy parts are really nice. Venture to say an 11 second ET would be very scary for the majority here.
