11 Degree Big Chief II Heads

[xracerx]

I recently purchased a set of the new Big Chief II's.
What a piece of art!

I'm now ready to purchase a block.
I know I should buy a Dart block w/60MM cam tunnel and .937 keyed lifter bores indexed to the heads.

Due to tight cashflow -I'm wondering if a Dart Big M block with a BBC standard cam diameter and .904 tie-bar lifters with the normal Big Chief lifter offsets will work with these heads?

Thanks

[Awesome Bill]

Even the .842 will work just fine. We use them all the time and have had no failures. Those heads are killer. Were doing a 632 with those and a CFE sheet metal with a Merlin Aluminum block right now. (not my choice, customer already had it). Any way, the standard iron cap Big M will work fine.

[xracerx]

Thanks for the response. I placed these heads on a new 10.2 Merlin III block and looked down the pushrod holes cut in the heads The relationship to the lifter bores look so far out of whack it's hard to belive they will work. Have you used these heads on a Merlin III block? did you have alot of grinding to do on the block?

[Awesome Bill]

welcome to our world. Nothing fits and it will hit everywhere. Your choice of rockers is critical and you will need offset lifters. The Merlin III block with its lifter bore spacing and position is the exact same as a GM or even dart block. If you have a raised cam version, this will make it even more work. Have fun, it will work.