just got a chevy II

[toyotajoe1980]

I just bought 72 nova 4door with a 350ci and a 4bbl stock carb what cheap ways can i make this car fast w/ out sacraficing the luxuries of a 4door family car(i.e. no stripping the interior) i will keep the a/c and the radio will be upgraded. but will just putting a holley carb, and some headers really add much power, also i have a msd that came off my fathers old Malibu and i will of course get a k&n filter for it so how much power will I be seeing


carb i want is a holley 600 and
headers are edalbrock crome finish long pipes

[Frankie]

You might be better off posting this in the American Iron tech. If it's not an LS1 you'll pretty much catch shit for it in this forum. You should ask one of the moderators to move this for you :D

A Holley 600 is too small for a 350 in any decent RPM range, so get at least a 650 for it. Carb and headers won't do much without a cam, plus, exhaust without a cam makes your car sound like a pickup truck. If you're on a budget, buy a nice Comp flat tappet cam/lifter kit. Should run you around $150. Swapping the cam is your best performance gain vs. dollars.

I'd also suggest doing the rear gear, but with a TH350 (I'm assuming it's auto and has one of these) and you wanting to street it, you really can't get too aggressive. Depending on what's already in there, you might want to leave it alone.

You know the lowdown on the 350? What kinda compression? What kinda intake manifold, dual or single plane? What kinda heads are on the thing?

*Edit - Your sig pic is fucking GIGANTIC! Resize that damn thing.

[Pennywise]

ya i have to agree with frank.....the carb and headers are nice to have, but to really get a HP gain you really gotta go all the way.. get a cam,some nice rocker arms (hopefully you got a decent pair of heads to put them on) and nice intake, just do little things here and there and you should do fine... i would also suggest a bigger carb as well

[???]

well frank about covered it all.......



i'd add to buy heads if you can find the money.

[Frankie]

Bah, don't listen to these yahoos talking about heads. If you're going invest that much time and energy, might as well go full on and build a performance motor. In my Camaro I've got a '72 350 out of a pickup. Stock heads, stock rockers, stock bore, stock pistons, stock rods, stock crank. I've got some kinda cam in there, no idea what lift/duration since it came in the 327 that was in the car when I bought it. All I know is the idle is choppy and power surges in at 2500-3000 RPM. I've also got an Edelbrock dual plane performer manifold, Edelbrock 650cfm 4 barrel carburetor, Hooker long tube headers, and a high-flow aircleaner assembly. For ignition I'm running a stock HEI, stock coil, Accel cap and rotor, Xact cheapo wires, and AC Delco stock plugs. My little car is fast enough to smoke most modern, stock muscle cars. Mustang Mach 1/GTs and C5 Corvettes just get left.

[Pennywise]

it really depends on what your budget is i guess

[Pennywise]

Bah, don't listen to these yahoos talking about heads. If you're going invest that much time and energy, might as well go full on and build a performance motor. In my Camaro I've got a '72 350 out of a pickup. Stock heads, stock rockers, stock bore, stock pistons, stock rods, stock crank. I've got some kinda cam in there, no idea what lift/duration since it came in the 327 that was in the car when I bought it. All I know is the idle is choppy and power surges in at 2500-3000 RPM. I've also got an Edelbrock dual plane performer manifold, Edelbrock 650cfm 4 barrel carburetor, Hooker long tube headers, and a high-flow aircleaner assembly. For ignition I'm running a stock HEI, stock coil, Accel cap and rotor, Xact cheapo wires, and AC Delco stock plugs. My little car is fast enough to smoke most modern, stock muscle cars. Mustang Mach 1/GTs and C5 Corvettes just get left.

In my camaro i have pretty much the same set up as frank.....stock 350 block out if a older blazer bored 30 over good set of stock heads, roller rockers, edelbrock duel plane intake, heddman headers and a holly 675 street avenger carb and my car does good so i guess it depends on your budget but you could make a decent car outta what you got

[???]

what would heads have to do with building a bottom end? other than not throwing a rod thru the block or building a stroker I've never seen much hp in buying bottom end parts. stock shit will take more than most think. if you go as far as taking everything apart for a cam install and your going to have the exhaust off why not pull the heads?



cheap aftermarket heads, cam, intake, exhaust and a good carb should make about 425-450 on a 350. if you wanted to spray the thing them yeah get some good rods and pistons but not until you add a power adder would i worry about it.

[???]

have you guys ever had these stocked headed, camed out cars to a track? I'd love to see some number. I've only messed with 2 cars with stock heads that we put cams in. i didn't see much difference to make the all that work worth doing.


they sounded cool thou, hell even felt quicker but all they really did was lost bottom end and didn't really make it up in the top end. well enough to make it worth it to me.

[Frankie]

Nah, I never had this car down to the track. I ate my good engine, the 327, and have been running on this loaner 350 spare for over a year now. Once I get my completely build 383 in the car I'll take it down to the track.

True about the heads, but why stick new heads on an old block? A little .030" bore, some higher compression pistons, and new bearings on the crank and rods could help once you start beating on that thing. A deck on the block wouldn't hurt to have those new heads mate up nice and clean too.

But if you must do heads, roughly $900'll get you a serious set of Trick Flow 23 degree 2.02/1.60 heads. They're the way to go for a street motor on a budget. That's what I plan on sticking on top of the 383 when all is said and done.