i got a 78 4 bolt main 350 that is getting rebuilt now and i am looking at getting some heads for it ive heard the camel back heads are really good for performance i was wondering how they would compare to a now day aluminum performance head and if i used camel back heads if i would be able to get a little bit over 400 horsepower with the right cam?

The Camel Back/Double Hump heads are decent. There old technology tho' haven't been used in almost 40yrs. The Vortecs are much better around 30HP better and the best stock iron head Chevy made. Between Double Humps and good aftermarket aluminum heads there's even more HP to be gained than with the Vortecs.

Camel back heads may have been the s%@t in the 60's and 70's, along with a 3/4 cam and tunnel ram. To compare them with say an AFR or other modern aftermarket head would be like comparing a today's NASCAR engine with one from then, or even a production vehicle like the Corvette. They are old school heads with limits. Severe limits. If you find a good set and pay someone to get them in order and maybe even do some port work you they will do you just fine. However, IMO, you would be far better starting with something that was better to begin with... out of the box.

my next question is are any of the dart heads any good?? i see there quite affordable or if i dont want to spend that much are vortecs my best bet but then do i need to switch intakes?? i kinda need to have a performer intake to fit my shaker on my trans am thats why i am wondering

Dart heads are very good also. It depends on how much performance your looking for as to which head you'de want. If you get the Vortecs get them allready machined for higher lift cams, Screw in studs, guide plates & upgraded springs. They're supposed to be good up to 500HP. Like these in the link>http://www.competitionproducts.com/...s.asp?dept=1262

A friend of mine has Vortecs on a 383 in a 81TransAm with a VictorJr. and has NO room for a decent air cleaner, 9" diameter max. He also wants another Intake because he wants to use the shaker. By the way it runs very good with the Vortecs. He bought them when they were about $420 a pair from Burt Greenwald Chevy I think.

Summit SUM-151124 is the summit vortec head that says its good up to .520 lift and they are 320$ each i was thinking about those or the ones you said are up to 600 lift and only 20 dollars more, but would darts outflow those?? and on darts am i able to use my performer intake?? i have a 12 bolt 4.56 rear end in my car so i will probabaly need a big lumpy cam to work best right? so for sure i would need the heads to except more lift, and i know the performer intake will be cutting into my performance but i want the shaker on there so i can put the functional shaker kit on it

Compare dyno tested combinations here. These were tests generated by automotive performance magazines and there are over 100 of them with various combinations. For a street motor build, concentrate on the highest torque at the lowest rpm's.
http://www.ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos1.html


Then, look at this chart to compare different heads. It can all be very confusing, but if you'll compare the intake and exhaust flow at 0.400" lift head to head, you'll be able to make sense out of it.
http://www.purplesagetradingpost.co...nfo/heads1.html