Thread: my 350 cid daily driver

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Ok have a 1970 Chevelle convertible that I built my very first motor for about 10 years ago. (Of course I made some mistakes.) stock 2 bolt main block, 10/10 crank, stock 4 valve relief cast pistons which I am guessing bring at about 8.5:1. Stock machine shop reconditioned 76 cc heads. Cam I dont have the specs on it..It was referred to as the "econopower cam" as Crane had it listed but the idle is smooth and is mild. My big mistake was the guy at the speed shop sold me a weiand intake...its supposed to be a mild intake but its a single plane. Carb is a vaccum secondary 625 cfm Holley.

Ok I havent driven the car regularly in a few years and plan to use it as my driver soon, and Im not trying to make a road warrior with huge power but a little more would be nice. Im have TH400 with stock converter. Headers, and 2.5 dual exhaust with stock 10 bolt rear end and Im guessing its 3.08 (car orig was a 350 2bbl rated at 250 hp)Car weighs approx 3800 lbs with driver. Motor only has baout 35K miles on it and has never been beat and runs great, but want some more torque out of it. Cant see taking the motor out with such low mileage and it runsflwaless, just lack some bottom end grunt.

I know I gotta get rid of the intake and get a aluminum dual plane. So do you think a cam change or stick with the close to stock cam which I think I can change by removing the radiator and grille. Heads, should Im thinking and I was thinking along the lines of Vortec heads? Keep in mind again Im not looking for a road warrier here, just a solid torque 350 to have fun with. Can barley spin the 225/70 -15 tires on the open rear cause of this intake Im thinking. I think I gave you guys enough infor so anyone wanna make recomendations please.

Take a look at some of the milder 350 combos here....

http://www.ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos1.html

Hey, I am just a bookworm rodder who reads spec sheets and articles so I don't know yet how well my 350 will run with a Crane "street cam", Edelbrock 600 CFM and Edelbrock Performer EPS, BUT communication from Edelbrock tech folks led me to believe that while there are several models of Performer dual plane intakes, the Performer EPS is the latest, most optimum for low rpm torque. So, before you go through a cam change why not just get a Performer EPS dual plane manifold and see if that helps the low rpm torque in terms of wheel spin or something you can feel in the seat of your pants. Check out this site:

http://www.rjays.com/Edelbrock/Performer-01.htm

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

I too would opt for the EPS intake or the RPM AirGap....These make alot of low end grunt...something you will really notice over the single plane unit....Also add a "Phenolic" 4-hole 1 inch spacer and you'll add a little more low-end to the mix....

As for cam....you make the most torque with a stock cam from idle with the heads you have... A bigger cam will make more torque but at higher rpm's....how high depends on how big you go....

I have had real good luck with 214-218 duration @.050 cam with stock spec's