I may have asked this question a few times, here goes again. I have a 77 camaro with a stock 350 it has a edlebrock proformer intake and carb, manifolds with duel flowmasters. I want a good street engine and I want to start braket racing. I think low 14s would be a good place to start. Whats the best and the cheapest way for me to go. With what I have been reading I have a plan, tell me what you think. I would start with a good comprestion check, The way the motor runs now is strong, good oil presure ,no knocks, no smoking so I would leave the bottom end alone. Next replace the heads, I was thinking vortecs, jegs has new ones 250 a piece. Maybe there is something else out there I like crusing the junk yards. If i went to votecs i would need a new intake and valvecovers. Since I have a good intake it would save me money to go with an older style head so I would rather do that if possible. What heads are good and what casting numbers. After I got the heads I would add a cam to match. Then add header to go with the flowmasters. Install a electric fan and some other small stuff.
To recap: Leave the bottom end alone
Add heads (vortecs or other good ones) Good cam
Use proformer intake and carb
Headers
What do you think this plan will get me?

I think Vortec heads and a mild well matched cam would get you into the mid to low 14's as long as you do something with the way the car hooks up off the line and had a decently sticky tire.

This is providing the motor and tranny are sound and the rear end is not a 1 wheel wonder with moon gears like 2.73:1.

headers is the first thing i would do above all. how big is your carb? personally if i were you i would go for a set of performer plus heads so your intake would match up. i would put in a performer plus cam in aswell. this combo would put you at about 310hp with 8.5:1 compression(i think your motor will have that). what kind of tranny is in your car? im asking because you must gear your car if you want it to be fast. with a turbo 350 id say 342 rear gear. most people would say go with 373 but if you want to drive your car on the highway and not having it rev like a bastard you wont want 373's unless you get tall tires. if you have a 4 speed i would say 373's in a second. that will probrably put you into the 13 second range.

what makes things easier on tuning/drivability when getting to a bigger cam is getting some compression and a higher stall converter in there. the vortecs would give you that. and a little gear as mentioned.

even if you re-ringed it with some cast flat top pistons (to get to a situation where you have a quench area) and a quick hone to clean up the cylinders,, and ran a thinner steel shim head gasket to create .040-.050 piston to head clearance,, it would give you some cylinder pressure to work well enough with the stock heads and a 268he comp cam,, or 270 comp cam,, or something like that. cheaper pricewise than heads in some cases when going that route. should get you 14's no problem.

you're gonna get the more,more,more bug when you feel the new found power anyway,, so,, maybe plan a little bit farther and save for the bigger heads and get the bottom set up with quench first. you'll need the quench shortly after anyway. you'll want more power. it's inevitable.

the 487x and 993 open chamber heads are fair for open chamber heads. they had factory hardened exhaust seats. you'll need the 1970 LT-1 dome piston to get 9.6-9.7 compression or so with these open chamber heads.

some 041's or 186's for closed chambers of old weren't bad. they'll need hardened seats installed in the exhaust. they'll get you about 9.8 compression with flat tops.

but vs going that route of buying and fixing up old ones,, the vortecs would be better cost wise. intake manifold required with them though. better head and flow. can be ordered with the springs you need,, and already machined for screw in studs and guide plates. they'll give you about 10.0:1 compression with flat tops. with some gears in it,, you might get some 13's with good traction. compression with quench is power. cylinder pressure is your friend when controlled.

stall converter and free flowing exhaust like you're saying. it's not just building an engine only,, it's building a car combonation that will have good drivability. all the parts should work to compliment each other. hope it helps. andy