UPDATE--Dave Smith Performance Heads for 3.8!!!

[Magnus]

Nobody is dissing dave... we're just showing SSM pride. [img]smile.gif[/img] Tom has gone out of his way several times to help the GM 3800 community. I know I have his back. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Have you talked to Tom drew?

[pgriffith]

I agree Tom is great. It is definatly worth giving him a call.

[navyblue2000]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Magnus:
Nobody is dissing dave... we're just showing SSM pride. [img]smile.gif[/img] Tom has gone out of his way several times to help the GM 3800 community. I know I have his back. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Have you talked to Tom drew?<hr></blockquote>


I've worked with Dave...and I'm pretty sure Dave can do just as good if not better work. Dave hasn't done a whole lot with the 3800 community, but he's said he'd be happy to get involved. Why be skeptic as to letting another player on the field?
The man has his credentials...Mid 10's, 580+ hp 396 LT1...his own shop, ASE certified I believe (and he's not even a mechanic...)

[Magnus]

You should at least talk to Tom.

For Dave to do better work than Tom, he will need to spend the time and $$$ in R&D that Tom did.. You can't just port 1 set of heads and expect them to flow.. you have to figure out what works. Tom knows what works well. [img]smile.gif[/img] Tom HAS the experience with teh 3800.

The 3800 community is small. There isn't a lot of business out there, especially expensive head porting. Can't expect a guy who may only get 5 sets of heads a year to work magic, even if he knows what works on a set of LT1 heads.

[navyblue2000]

i know of somoene who would be a guinea pig...i'd be a guinea pig too...
what if we got before/after dyno numbers? then would that help out some?
i'm sure dave does more than 5 sets of heads per year too ;)

[MrCoffee]

this is all good because it draws competition! which in turn lowers prices [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Magnus]

I'm talking about 3.8 heads. You don't use LT1 technique on a set of 3800 heads.

if you want to be guinea pigs thats fine.. you may get a P&P job that works well.. you may get one that works decently. It's up to you.

Give him enough heads though and eventually he will come up with something that works well.. that's what they do. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[SLOWBRAEATER]

wait didnt tom do like 3 maybe 4 sets of 3800 series 2 heads and stuff?

[Magnus]

Tom has done quite a few sets of 3800 heads. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[SLOWBRAEATER]

I agree tom does good work, i wont bash his workmanship the only complaint i would have is he could use better techniques in shipment, when i got my upper intake it had a 1/2" chunk broken off where the tb attaches and the plastic tube for the coolant was snapped off on the lower intake, and on the upper intake where its ported/polished there are lines in every port that look like semi cracks, there were a few other minor details but they were easy fixes, tom was gonna let me use the insurance that he provided but assured me its best to fix the upper intake with jb weld because of how long it takes those pesky people to actually get your problem solved, tom is a helpfull guy though like i said i am not bashing his work, i just wish he would have used extra padding during shipping :(

[WickEdSix9838]

do any of yall happen to know the flow figures on a set of ported 3800 heads? just curious...

[ January 17, 2003: Message edited by: WickEdSix9838 ]</p>

[DEE97GTP]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:
do any of yall happen to know the flow figures on a set of ported 3800 heads? just curious...

[ January 17, 2003: Message edited by: WickEdSix9838 ]<hr></blockquote>

I think SSM has them on their website as does Thrasher. But you can't really compare different heads unless they are flowed on the same bench. Also, don't get caught up in the numbers. They are important but not the end all factor in making HP.


I am working on getting a custom flowbench together so I can do some more porting(TB, heads, intake). My heads turned out pretty well.

I gained 9% on the intake side, and 15% on the exhaust side. I had a noticeable gain in power as well. I should gain even more once I have headers. Look at gain in percent and not just numbers.

DEE

[WickEdSix9838]

my dad has been porting heads for 30+ years so i know about racing flowbenchs, its about the same thing as racing dynos, i just wanted a ball park figure, im just curious, if im gonna port my heads i will do them myself...