Edelbrock Victor 440 Cylinder-Head Test

With a cylinder-head change and a carburetor upgrade, we gained 93 hp from our baseline pull without any porting. The torque curve looked more like a table top than a curve. Over 600 lb-ft of torque was available from 4,100 rpm to 6,100 rpm; that's a 2,000-rpm sweep.

In box-stock form, these heads can be bolted on your mildly built 440, and you won't kill the low-rpm performance, but there's plenty of material to play with if you want to step it up. The best part is that all this was done with only a very slight increase in cost over the Performer RPM head.

The "cast in" spacers increase the manifold height to the point that standard valley tray gaskets won't work. Edelbrock solved this problem by offering its own pans specially adapted to work with the new Victor heads. They are available for both 413/426/440 (RB)- and 361/383/400 (B)-based engines.

The fit and finish of the T&D Machine Products rocker arms puts them on the level of art pieces rather than engine parts. Along with hold downs, the kit comes complete with rocker arms, shafts, and spacers already assembled. We stayed with a 1.6:1 ratio to give continuity to the test.

Lightweight Super 7-degree SCD steel retainers from Manley were used along with high-quality Manley 0.080-inch-wall, 31/48 pushrods. When pushrod lengths get this long, (9.850 inches) and spring pressures get this high (more than 600 pounds over the nose), don't try to skimp. Only use first-rate stuff or it will come back to haunt you.