229 v6 heads

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I heard that the intake and heads on a 4.3 vortec will fit the carbureted Chevy 229 v6 is this true? I am just double checking

2

I thought you were installing an LS

3

I was but they are very expensive and I was thinking since I already have a race truck I could put 4.3 heads and intake on this car then when I blow the 229 I can get a 4.3 block also the 229 only has 56000 miles on it

4

Same engine family with the same bore spacing, so it’s likely the heads would swap. I’m not 100% sure though. But, I mean, if you’re looking to get some speed out of this thing, it’s going to just go from “really slow” to “tolerable” in a best case scenario. The “Vortec” branded 4.3L was always fuel injected, early iterations had TBI, then in the early 90’s there they did some kind of weird, poor-mans multi-port setup with with individual lines with poppet valves coming from a central manifold-sort-of-thing where the fuel injectors actually were. Then finally in the mid 90’s you could get a conventional multi-port injection arrangement. The early models of the 4.3L had a 4 bbl, but were not considered “Vortec” engines. So, even with the 4.3L heads and intake and a 4bbl carb, you’re still only making maybe 130-ish HP. And to me that doesn’t warrant the costs and labor involved. I’d just save my pennies for a junkyard LS or just do the ubiquitous 350/350 combo that everyone and their brother has done for the last three decades.

5

I was planning on if I did this getting headers and putting a turbo on if I can

6

Stop watching Mighty Car Mods… a proper turbo install is more expensive than an LS swap which is more expensive than a Gen 1 350 swap.

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7

I cannot answer your question but might make this suggestion.
Check a parts store website and compare the part numbers of the head gaskets and intake gaskets. I think you will find they are all different and that means that things will not mesh right.

As mentioned, a turbo will open up another can of worms and since you mention a carburetor this means that carb will have to be a blow through type or you will have to adapt it so the turbo will suck air through it and then force feed the intake.
And the ensuing plumbing nightmare…

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