1970 Stage 1 heads on a 1972 Engine?

[Jimsss]

Let's say that I've found a nice set of 1970 Stage 1 heads newly rebuildt for a decent price, Is it any idea to swap them for my stock heads?
I really want to keeps this car as stock as possible, but I also
wan't more power. I was thinking a cam and these heads but to just
swap the heads would be a whole lot easier. I'm also
keeping my stock intake, quadrajet, smog pump etc.
The car fells very strong already, especially on low rpm's. It
could need more midrange and high. Is this going in the right
direction? This is my first Buick so any help would be appreciated.

/Jim

[Smartin]

Heads will help, but if you do that, you'll want a bigger cam. If you go with a bigger cam, then your valve train will need upgrading. Then you'll need a new torque convertor. Then dual exhaust......

The cam is actually what dictates your power band. The stock cam has a power range of 1000-4500 rpm.

The 72 heads will bolt on, but be careful of the coolant passages on the block. Some of the 72 block have a "double scallop" above the cylinder heads that needs to be blocked for the 70 heads. Oh yeah, you'll need another intake manifold.

[73 Centurion]

There is supposed to be some substantial gains that can be made from changing the timing curve. There have been several threads over on the V8 Buick board about it.

The timing was set conservatively by the factory. Our engines are supposed to love having the advance brought in earlier.

The carbs are also set to run a bit rich and performance can be gained by careful adjustment.

From what I've read building performance is not a matter of bolting on parts for our engines. A set of stage 1 heads with a stock intake, exhaust and cam probably won't provide much of an increase.

The key is picking the parts that work together to deliver the power where you want it. Unless you're drag racing you're unlikely to use power built above 4500 rpm. Building power where you won't use it usually means losing it where you really want it.

The experienced voices suggest insuring that everything is working properly first. Then helping your car get the power to the pavement, this means positraction, lower ratio rear gears and wider tires. Perhaps a swaybar and stiffer rear bushings.

If your car is spinning it's tires then you don't need to build power. A stronger engine just spins the tires faster.

Beefing up the transmission to withstand the strain of the added traction is the next logical choice.

Then it's time to begin the engine work.

This is what I've learned from the boards. Before I learned that I made just about every novice level mistake. I chose too much cam, an s-divider aluminum intake and headers. I haven't optimized the timing or the carb. For all the investment I'm probably making less power than stock in the rpm range I actually use. :Dou:

I'm hoping to undo the mistakes and build some useful power this summer.

With the lecture now completed, the stage 1 heads can be a good investment if you choose the rest of the engine components to work with them. The V8 board has the details of several engine builds and their results.

Good luck,

John

[Jimsss]

Thanks for the answers, I'm pretty sure that my car runs at it's best, if not it is very close. The only thing I havent figured out is how to get vacum advance in first and second gear without destroying my idle. (I found out by someno that 1972's wont allow advance in 1st and 2nd)
Beacuse of this i'm running more initial timing, and after weeks of adjusting up and down i think I've got it right. To much timing gave me even better grunt from idle but "starvation" on higher rpms. Now it is perfect, never stumbles, no hesitations, everytime i punch it I get smooth and strong accelertion.
I think I will keep my engine 100% stock, maybe just adding small stuff and getting rid of my points (ignitor?).

Thanks again

[Austrian455]

If you don´t want to do much modifications I would stay stock. Adam and John had some good thoughts. Stage 1 heads will require a intake manifold (I would prefer a Edelbrock B4B or Performer), porting or the exhaust manifolds, dual exhaust, advanced timing curve, stage 1 fuel pump, little bit of a cam, valve train upgrading, converter, maybe a shift kit.....

The Q-Jet would be fine with the stage1´s but needs some modifications and rejeting.
The traction problem.... do you have a posi in?
My opinion is a bit different then Johns.
Sure, if your car smokes the tires without problems you won´t get of the line fast BUT that doesn´t mean that your car also smokes the tires from 30 - 60 or on the highway
;-)
So I think every mod until 350 hp doesn´t require wider tires, just a posi rear and 3.23 or lower gears (depends on cam). Upgrading the tranny is getting interesting when you want to make more than 350 hp. (just my opinion, correct me if I´m wrong)

If you want to uprgrade your ignition I would put in a MSD Blaster or other good coil and the Crane XR electronic ign.

Forgot to say: If you want to keep the stock look you could also go with one of greg gesslers "shootout" intake manifolds. He also has good exhaust manifolds.
If you put on the 70 heads you won´t be able to use the smog pump. 70 heads don´t have smog passages.

[Robroy]

The only thing I havent figured out is how to get vacum advance in first and second gear without destroying my idle. (I found out by someno that 1972's wont allow advance in 1st and 2nd)
Do our cars have the TCS (Transmission Controlled Vacuum Spark Advance System)?
It is described in the 73 Buick Service manual, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have it on my car unless somebody has removed it during the years :confused:.

This system only allows vacuum to the dist when the third gear is in.
It's operated by an oil pressure switch on the transmission controlling a solenoid switch blocking off the vacuum advance unless gear 3 is in….

[Austrian455]

I never heared of that. No vacuum advance in 1st and 2nd??
The only thing that is in the vacuum line between the carb and the distributor is the termo vacuum switch.
What should be the advantage of allowing advanced timing only in 3rd gear??

[Robroy]

I never heared of that. No vacuum advance in 1st and 2nd??
The only thing that is in the vacuum line between the carb and the distributor is the termo vacuum switch.
What should be the advantage of allowing advanced timing only in 3rd gear??
I guess the reason would be emission related
Hope some other member can fill in the gaps for us..:confused:

[Austrian455]

I can only tell you that my car doesn´t have this TCS thing. And I´m sure that it was a unmodified orginal engine bay. But my car is a 72. Maybe only the 73´s have it.
We will see.
But I have no idea why aplying vacuum advance out of the 3rd gear should "destroy" the idle. Maybe you will need a tune if your car was origninally equipped with TCS and you remove it.
Strange topic.