One thing that never changes, there is certainly more than one way to get the job done, and being that it's a hobby, no RULE BOOK telling us how we have to do it!.......Cliff Amen Cliff! My exact thoughts, fast Ponchos.
"Regardless of the methods one chooses to propell his/her car down the track, it ALWAYS takes considerable time/efforts to get everything "dialed in"....and typically quite a bit of expense as well" --My other thoughts even when using "less expensive" factory parts as a starting point, you still spend the bucks. Kind of like that free puppy or horse- the expenses are just starting.
Cliff your new KRE heads are some of those "big high rpm "heads others talk about.
But the biggest thing I've tried to bring up is many of the "big head" combination ARE NOT!!! any higher rpm motors than the smaller ports. From Pontiac engineers HO heads, to your KRE heads, to many others E heads. So to blanketly say using a bigger head will make your motor a high rpm motor unfit for the street because there is no low end is no where near correct as it is the whole combination. Steve's solid roller 220+cc E head motor is barely over 5600 rpm peak, still tractor motor range.
So scaring some enthusiasts with the threat of no bottom end from using larger KRE or E heads they could lose the opportunity to go maybe a little faster as your car did switching to "BIG HIGH RPM" heads from smaller "tractor motor iron heads". Why not start there for the detailed tuning?
Showing that the same sized heads can also have as varied power ranges also shows it's just not as simplified as head size.
Larry good selection of alot of different combos and ways to get there, yours is another also. get that tranny fixed and let's go racing !
That PSN we all had a hard time getting in the 11s Floyd too, good old Texas heat! My 455 improved alot with an intake, 3" X exhaust, but the biggest was the convertor,tranny change from that one. The year we made those changes at the 1/8 mile PSN were were 7.08s and David saw my tail lights.
Here's another iron head 400 combo for you that was knocking on the 11s
So the little guys can get pretty close too, even with "big iron heads".
http://www.pontiacstreetperformance....uild400SF.html