I have a 79 280zx normally aspirated. I was thinking of doing a head swap to a later head, since i heard they flow beter. I was considering a P79 head (is that it?) from a turbo 82-83 car. Would these heads interchange? Are the ports the same so I can bolt up my n/a intake and exhaust manifolds? Oh yeah, would the cam be bigger to allow more flow?


Other than that head, what else can I look for that'll give me the best flow without sacraficing my ability to use 87 octane and that I won't have to buy additional parts? There is surprisingly little reading material on the subject, and I appreciate your insight into this matter.

Thank you,
Brian

 

The later heads from 1981-83 for the non-turbo are the P79 you mentioned. Putting that head on your car will lower your compression. They have larger head chambers, but they are a closed chamber design which is better. Those engine blocks have flat top pistons where your block should have dished pistons. The P90 head is the turbo head. All the cams are the same. If you want a longer duration cam you will need to go aftermarket. Also, here is a page for some good reading on head and block swaps.

http://geocities.com/zgarage2001/

You basically want a P90 head for the absolute best breathing but you will not be able to re-use your exhaust manifold. For the easiest swap, just use the block and head together from a 1981-83 non-turbo. that will give you a better combustion chamber, a stronger block, slightly higher compression, and just a little bit more torque and horsepower without doing any work on the engine. From there you can go about raising the compression by shaving the head and then put in a longer duration cam.