Need ya'lls advice pretty bad
 

Ok here goes, I'm building that 1969 350 that I originally thought was a 302 for my '88 S10. It's gonna be my everyday driver in the Spring, Summer and Fall and probably alot of the Winter unless we get some snow. I have got the bottom end together, mic'ed everything after cleaning, polishing the crank, honing, thrust play, plasti-gauge the main and rods etc etc and everything checked good. I knocked the cam bearings out before cleaning and really gave the gallies some extra attention, installed new bearings and brass plugs. It's standard bore with 4 valve relief flat tops that were in it and I will be measureing the quench tomorrow if I can make this decision to know what head gasket to go with.
My delima is this: I have a stock pair of "186" DH, a stock pair of "062" Vortecs, can get a pair of Dart Iron Eagle SS 007 heads, that were used foe mock up only, for $350.00 that have 72cc chambers, 1.94int. 1.50exh. that need nothing but my springs and a set of plates, can get a pair of "906" Vortecs that have been surfaced .010 with screw studs, plates, guides have been cut for retainer height and PS seals, spring seats cut larger, cut for 2.02/1.60 and come with new Manley 2.02/1.60 valves for $500.00. I have all the tools to cut the guides, seats and stud bosses, tool to pull the studs and tap for the screw studs if I go with the Vortecs I own. I'm going to have to either buy screw studs and plates for the "186" heads and if I go with my "062" I'm gonna have to buy screw studs and self aligning rockers, it's cheaper than buying the studs, plates and non self aligning rockers.
I'm running the Summit K1103 cam, lifters and have the correct springs. I have been practicing on porting on a pair of "882" heads I have and when I feel comfortable enough I will be doing the porting on the heads I use on this motor. I have a couple of dual plane intakes for the old style heads and have one Professional Products dual plane for Vortecs. I'm running a 3.73 gear with an Eaton limited slip, TH350 with a Hughes Tow Master converter, rated at 2000 stall.
I want this truck to be a real sleeper and completely come alive when I call on it. I want to run 93 octane and probably a 3310-4 although I have several, several different carb choices as I have a stock pile of Holleys. I bought a couple of David Vizards books and have been doing alot of reading. I'm going to run long tube headers and am looking at a pair of Walker mufflers that are suppose to flow very good but also be almost OEM quiet. I'm running 235/70/15 all the way around on 15X8 Rallys. Can ya'll give me some advise on the best route to take on the heads? I'm not really concerned about the cheapest way, I want the way that will make the most power for what I want the truck for. It will not see the drag strip most likely, well, maybe once just to see what it will run lol. I know I have probably left some things out so if you need anymore info on this build I will answer asap. Thank ya'll very much.

what camshaft are you using? Can you afford better heads than mentioned above.

214/224,,,442/465,,,112.mild,,,

Summit K1103. Yes I can afford better heads. What heads do you have in mind? I'm thinking 400-425 lbs. of torque will do what I want this motor to do. I know this is a very mild cam but I don't want to give my truck away by it beatin the ground. I can go up on my gear if need be as I don't do alot of highway drivin but don't really want to go much more than a 3.90-4.10. But, I will do what it takes, lol.

I dont see you needing more than 3.55 gears if you dont race. Maybe even 3.36? I would use Dart SHP 180cc Straight Plug Aluminum Heads,small roller hydraulic cam,750 cfm and make over 400/400 all below 5500 rpm. The s-10 will have trouble just not spinning the tires

I like what I'm reading already. So, you don't think I should mess with any of the heads I mentioned? Just put my pairs back with my collection? I gave $125.00 for the stock "062" thinking from what all i've read that I could easily get 400lbs. with em. I'm gonna do some price checkin and see what I come up with. I thought about going roller when I started this for reliabity and aggression but also planned on porting some 305 heads i've got to. The more reading i'm doing the more I leaning away from the small heads.

The best/most money spend in any build is the heads/cam and kit combos.

Left the nonsense of 305 heads behind you.

get a set of caltracs for it.. or build a set..
I had a 85 s-10 with a 42?(iirc) sbc a copy of jeff smiths and john lingerfellers(rip) build way back in the late/early 80/90's and the rear just hopped around... many a rear died in that truck..
we finally built slapperbars that prettymuch made the front half of the springs useless.. but it stopped the hop...
it now just twisted axles..
good luck.. it's a truck you can give up some low end to get moving or build the rear end to take it..
iirc a ranger 8.8. is almost a bolt in..

You're exactly right and yes, after the "882" I will be practicing on the 305 heads i've got. David Vizard speaks highly on the Vortecs. The reason I thought about the 305 heads is just a very budget, budget build but after doin a little readin I found out real quick not to go that route.

Then your not reading all the right info.....I had a free set of 416 heads, had new guides already installed, I had some time, so i read, watched some video, and read some more....then bought a porting kit with assorted bits and went to town....my machine shop guy has been building motors for 35years, he thinks vortec's are amazing for what they are, but really likes working the 305 heads, says he makes big power for no money....loved what I did to mine, says it was an excellent port job, I needed to unshroud the chambers a bit more was it, so he did this, and cut them for 194 Intake valves free of charge, I went with those, a shim stye head gasket, and a small lunati cam similar or maybe even the same as you listed. A shtty performer intake, a stock Qjet Carb, Shorty headrs to side pipes, and 411 gears....it would destroy the tires at a 20k roll all day, it was an absolute blast....and other then the loud obnoxious side pipes looked stock....I'm not a moron with an RV cammed, 882 headed 350 that thinks I'm fast, the car was more then quick....everyone hates on the 305 heads, but most haven't bothered to try, or they bolt them on stock and expect the world....get mediocre results, and jump on the interweb to tell everyone how smart they are and how its a piss poor idea.....no, they are not for everyone, and if you have the cash to do a set of vortec's right, or like Vinnie said, the SHP180....Although at low and mid lift your better with vortec's or even shp200's....but regardless, yes there are better options, but I like cheap, and effective, and proving people wrong is an added bonus........ rant over.....thanks for listening....assuming you actually read it all....its 230am....and I'm bored....what can i say....

The vortecs have the most potential. They always work really good.
Get some 4.10's (or a short tire) and a 3500 stall.
Even that moderate cam will really like that, if you want it to get up and go when you rug it.
with sticky back tires and traction bars- caltracs.

ported 305 heads: I have done quite a few of these for 350's and they always work very very well.

The 186's are another good one.

The key to getting the stock 7.5" rear axle to live is correct ring and pinion install and replaceing the stock differential with a Eaton or Auburn and eliminating wheel hop.

X2 on Caltracs

Which 305 head has the real thin casting? I've read somewhere that one or maybe two have thin casting and its hard to achieve a good porting. If ya'll think I can build what I'm wanting with 305 heads I will go that route and continue saving for my next build. I'm looking at close to 2K going with the aftermarket heads and roller cam. I chose the Summit cam I have to go with the 305 head I had originally planned to do and started reading what David V. had to say about Vortecs. Out of the heads I have listed and the info on them and a pair of 376450 added to them, which do you think will get what I'm a wantin done with a little elbow grease put to em?

The 450 castings are not the 305 head you want to start with.
They are not all the same. The 4416 is the best of the 305 heads to start with.

Best with generous porting and 1.94x 1.60 valves added, on a 350.

You already have the best head for the job.

If you have 062 vortecs use them.
The 062's need no mods to run that .442" .465" lift camshaft

check retainer to seal clearance at .465" lift. may need minor "ghetto grind" on the bottom of the stock vortec retainer.

use stock GM vortec rockers.

Stay away from boat anchor 305 heads. Sure, they can work. After $800 worth of porting. Why bother? Your Vortecs will do more than those 305 heads could ever do. You said you learned to walk away from 305 heads, do yourself a favor and keep walking.

Dart, Brodix IK, Bowtie Vortec (small intake) are all good choices if you don't want to use the Vortecs you have.

my buddy and me put a 383 in his s10. got the 9" with slicks.the 700r4 went to crap rite off. its a tight fit but not to bad. he used dart pro 1 230's.a bit too much head but its what he had layin around. .its tough to take off with street tires.it dont weigh much.your gona like it.even a stock 350 will push the heck out of your s10.hes gettin bout 460 hp and close to same tq. only ben desk top dynoed though. its a dang hoot to drive.rite now it has a built pg in it and 4-56 rear gears. it is a bit radical but a dang hoot!