ZL-1 & L-88 head design clarification

[markjohnson]

The #077 over-the-counter aluminum cylinder head is much superior to the factory installed #074 production head. That giant round exhaust port makes for a poor intake-to-exhaust port ratio. The #077 head has a beautiful D-shaped exhaust port with a cast in vane on the port floor. It also has a little bit smaller intake port to try to compensate for the big blocks' infamous 4 good/4 bad intake ports. Both heads do tend to suffer from valve guides that like to move around unless they are pinned at the valve spring seat. People like to pay more money for the #074 head because it is considered more correct for an aluminum head L-88.

[nuch_ss396]

Hi Mark,

Well, thats goes with what I have often heard about the
'074 heads. Only question I have about them is this:
If there were so few L-88's and even fewer ZL-1's, why are
so many of these heads on ebay all the time. I see 3 - 4
sets per month on average. There aren't that many real
cars, so where did all the heads come from? Over the
counter race stuff? More to the point, are they over the
counter race stuff that really didn't work and have been
collecting dust forever?

Steve