78pacer

I'm going to tear apart my motor soon. I plan on replacing the heads, cam, carb and intake.The engine will be a non-emission staurday night special.........

The basic qustions are...

(1) Do aftermarket intakes have provisions for kickdown linkage, etc...If not, what have you used?

(2) Which cam to provide a noticiable thumpy idle without sacrificing vacuum and loading up. What's the largest?...specs?

(3) Which intake is advisable to gain HP and still have stock '78 hood clearance?

(4) At what point do you change the torgue converter for a higher stall speed?

(5) I'd like to stay with cast iron heads. Perhaps Dart Irons or Vortec. Any preference?

Any thoughts\advice is surely appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

Roughrider

I can answer some of your questions...

Vortec heads are excellent but you'll need to buy centerbolt valve covers. Not a big deal but be aware of it.

About the only inake manifold that will fit with the stock hood is the Edelbrock Performer or Performer EPS. Linkages MAY fit, but you might have to buy linkage adapter kits...again, not a big deal. They're very available. There is a Performer made for the Vortec heads.

For a cam, I would contact the techs at Summit or Jeg's. They'll give you good advice.

C3 4ME

I just put an Edelbrock performer on my 79 L-82 and all the stock linkage, fuel line, etc. hooked up just fine.

78pacer

ttt

Star79

I have the Performer RPM and all that stuff lines up fine. For the most part all the linkage/brackets etc attach with the intake manifold bolts, so as long as you stick with a standard style intake/heads you won't have to change anything. Be advised the Vortecs have the bolt holes in different places so you may have to change a lot more, same if you swap the carb, you'll need different parts for linkage/kickdown/etc.

78pacer

I heard that the vortecs have dual bolt patterns for the valvecovers. If that is true, Is there any advantage of using the vortec intake manifold over an edelbrock or other street high performance intake?
Which intakes are drilled for the linkages for a TH350?
Which will allow the clearance for my stock hood?
Mike

78pacer

ttt

grayhook

The Holley SysteMAX Engine Kit did me good. With a holley 750 dp and holley's aircleaner it has clearance for my stock hood, and cam has a noticiable thumpy idle.

78pacer

Thanks...Is that Holleys manifold and aluminum heads? I'm unfamiliar with the SysteMax setups.
Mike

grayhook

Yes all Holley, Street Dominator Intake, 20º Aluminum Cylinder Heads (Straight Plug). Allso has a Lunati cam, Lifters, and Timing Set and head bolts
Nice kit for the money.
I had a few say the cam will be to big or no good for street, or no good at low rpm..
BS! verry good from idle to wot for me. verry streetable, but does run out at about 6000 rpm.
Here ya go a link.
http://www.holley.com/300-503-1.asp

78pacer

Fantastic!....How's the vacuum, enuff to operate the headlights etc?
What's the retail price on the kit? I didn't see a price sheet on Holley's website.
Thanks,
Mike

grayhook

I'm get'n around 9 on the vacuum gauge and headlights work fine.
Try Summit part # HLY-300-503-1 (it's up about $400 from a few years ago when i got mine)

idle vid
http://media.putfile.com/Movie-0002-47-82

two burnout vid, old L82 and after Holley kit
http://media.putfile.com/better-before-after

HighHeat303

I checked the holley web site, and i couldnt find the cam specs. Do you know them?? thanks

grayhook

Holley site says...
Lunati Cam spec's
intake lift .488°
Exhaust lift .510°
intake duration @.050: 234°
exhaust duration @.050: 244°
intake valve lobe centerline 107°
lobe seperation 112°

At summit thay say
Lunati cam with 235°/240° duration at .050, .490/.490 in. lift, and 112° lobe separation.