Arao heads

cmcsns · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 4:06 am Post subject: Arao heads

New to this forum so hello to all. Hopefully someone has had some experience with Arao heads. I'm waiting on word back from them to see if they make an Lt1 compatible head, I believe they do. They'll be going into a '95 TA Lt1, mods to date are Ram Air, Hooker LT's w/custom Y pipe (no cats), Corsa exhaust. Had been thinking h/c package w/supercharger but would really rather keep the car NA; in view of that, Arao heads seem like a good alternative since I should be able to put up the numbers I'm looking for. Car will see little if any track time and is my daily driver; I live overseas and when I'm back in the States the milage is mainly around town and some long road trips (I keep the car in Florida, so no emmision probs, and have friends and family on both coasts). My thinking is that with these heads, I can keep the cam fairly "mild" as far as duration etc. I guess I'm looking for some feedback so I can get a "firm" plan in my head and get started. Any and all comments, advice, pros/cons are appreciated. Thanks for the help guys.

SMOKEmUP · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 9:47 am Post subject:

I have no experience with these heads. I've read the magazine articles and seen their website. It looks interesting. My concerns are how truely bolt on is it? Since your car is an LT1 do these heads support the reverse cooling of an LT1? I didn't see LT1 versions on their website.

Let us know how they work out.

clay · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 6:27 pm Post subject:

The only negative thing I saw (and it's not really a negative) is the rpm capability of the heads with even a mild cam. If you were going to use the full potential of the heads you would need a stout bottom end. They do make some serious horsepower though, I'm very curious to hear of a real world test if you do get them. Clay

96capriceMGR · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 11:15 pm Post subject:

Arao offers a 32 valve LT1 head that would basically be a waste of a WHOLE LOT of money. Been discussed several times on the Impala SS forum, even guys that tried them got rid of them these things are $4700 or so as cast! Then end up being a nighmare to actually try to set the car up around.
Stock LT1 heads are very good to start, if you insist on swapping them either go with ported LT1 heads or LT4 heads/intake. For ported LT1 or the Lt4 heads talk to [url]combinatiomotorsports.com[/url], they are the guys to talk to about LT1s.

What are your goals for the car? I am VERY familiar with the LT1 and think I can help you save a whole lot of money and still be happy with the performance.

I can tell you the combos guys are using to get full weight Impalas into the 10s and even one full weight car in the 9s, with more SOON to follow, NONE of them are using those heads.
The stock LT1 bottom end is amazingly stout and a great foundation.
My daily driver is a 96 Caprice with a mildly cammed stock heads(iron) LT1, I have spare heads for porting and am looking at bigger cams, right now it drives so mellow the wife wouldn't know I had been in the motor if she hadn't seen my with it appart.

SMOKEmUP · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 1:38 am Post subject:

96capriceMGR · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2004 4:09 pm Post subject:

There have been zero successful buildups to my knowledge, I heard of one guy using them and then getting rid of them, I guess ported they can flow 367cfm way more than a 350 could use especially when the LT1 pcm can't control ignition above 7200rpms. Ported stock LT1 heads even a basic pair still stock valves can flow 250cfm plus, imagine fully ported with good valves, here http://www.malcams.com/legacy/misc/headflow.htm is a list of LT1 compatable head flow numbers obviously not a complete list but food for thought. Huge heads mean bad velocity which means crappy on the street.

Here is our top E.T. list for the 90s b-bodies http://dan.esteban.com/impalass/ReturnTopET.asp not a single pair of those heads on the list and it isn't because these guys won't spend the money. Part of it is that I hear those heads want a 2inch primary header so on top of the cost of them throw in the cost and nightmare of TRYING to fit custom built headers that big in, won't happen in a Impala without total nose reconstruction so an f-body is about out of the question.
Every time someone new finds these and asks about them we hear "good conversation piece but that is about it". They look and sound very impressive but just are not practical or worth the effort.

Here is the resonce he got on the Camaro forum http://web.camaross.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=230173&highlight=arao

hotrodhawk1 · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:06 pm Post subject:

over on camaroz28.com in the advanced forum there's a fella with a set of these heads on a LT1. He's been years try'n to finish the project up. He go's by "unstablebob" over there.

96capriceMGR · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:11 pm Post subject:

The wrestler Bobby Simpson was working on putting together a motor with these too and been working on that for years as well.

These days LT1 castings are being ported to well over 270cfm and several shops are getting good at delivering 400+rwhp with ported stock castings on a stock shortblock and being streetable. They can go 9s na in a well setup stroker. Want more than that get a set of 18 degree Brodix or the like converted for the reverse flow cooling.

The Arao heads are and I believe always will be nothing but a novelty that those with too much money will try too play with.

af2 · Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject:

96capriceMGR · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:16 pm Post subject:

These days guys are making the SB2.2 heads work on LT1s, want to go hog wild and sky is the limit on budget there is where it is at.

clay · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject:

Can you run the LT-1 manifold on the early style heads and if so what has to be done? Clay

nwcc · Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:33 pm Post subject:

96capriceMGR · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:15 am Post subject:

I am a believer in the LT1 heads so I have not paid much attention too the details of converting gen 1 heads to fit but my understanding is a little welding and drilling is all, need to drill the holes in the ends for the "steam pipe". Common enough that there are vendors on some of the LT1 boards who have actually published prices for the conversion, think $4-500 for the cooling and intake bolt pattern work.

JAKEJR · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:18 am Post subject:

I just, finally posted the correct link to a site that shows their newly released 32 valve heads for the LSx.

A guy on another forum says he lives across the street from their shop and has seen one of their test vehicles, with the 32 valve heads, going up and down the street.

Said that sucka revs quicker than a motorcycle engine.

I don't know anything else about their products though.

Jake