I've got a carbed 350 with 4 bolt mains and a 5 speed. I'd like to know some effective setups (intake, heads, carb, etc) that could get me into the 13's without NOS or a S/C. It's a daily driver and makes frequent trips over 1000 miles so it has to be streetable. Thanks

 

85, I'm running low 13's (possibly 12.90's by now) with a very simple setup. Vortec heads with 59cc chambers (slightly smaller for more CR) with an extremely mild port job (we're talking like a 1 hour job here) 4 bolt 350 short block, fel pro ultra thin steel shim .015 head gaskets (again for more CR), silvo lite .030 over pistons, Performer RPM intake, a Competition Cams Extreme Energy 268, 1inch carb spacer, 650 double pumper holley, vacuum advance HEI, 1 5/8inch headers, full 3inch hooker catback, 3.73 gears and posi, and a 5 speed manual. With this setup the idle is really lumpy but still pulls enough vacuum to run the accessories, and its got more than enough torque to easily smoke the tires from 1st or 2nd. When I'm at the track I shift at 6,200, and yes it really does pull all the way up to that. The car drives awesome around town, and compared to my Grand Prix, its an economy car gas mileage wise. Somewhere around 15 city driving. Basically the three most important ingredients here are the cam, the heads, and the gearing.
Chris

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Nice car: 1988 Formula 355, mildly ported/polished Vortec heads, RPM intake, Comp Cams Extreme 268 cam, 650 Holley double pumper, 5-speed/3.73 Richmond gears, and N02 on the way
Old 1/4mile: 13.5@105mph

Evil Car: 78 Pontiac Grand Prix, 500inch caddy motor, edlebrock intake,HP Holley 750 DP race prepped carb, B@M TH350 tranny, 16inch Iroc-Z rims, blacked out chrome, soon to run 10's...

There's no replacement for displacement!

 

how do your gears react to the highway?? i drive a 500 mile trip (each way) every month or so. BTW NICE SETUP. sounds like my future 400 setup. bored...maybe stroked. performer rpm, 850 dp carb, 1.6 rockers, hooker supercomp headers..still cant decide 1 3/4 or 1 5/8....do yours feel restrictive?? random tech hi flow cat, 3" flowmaster...or maybe aerochamber..i hear it flows better, wild cam, and heads. still deciding on heads/cam. later

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Rick
90 Camaro RS 305 TBI
400 on the way!!

 

Chris, I have the "exact" setup as you, except only 3.45 gears - I was a little surprised at the "lumpiness" of the idle with this setup. What vacuum are you pulling at idle, I need to check mine soon and want to compare. I've only got a few hundred miles on mine so have not really got on it - however, in first gear at around 15-20 miles an hour, there is not problem breaking new 255 sz50s loose, I'm excited to get it above 4500rpm one of these days. later.

 

I also have a very similar setup. I like the lumpiness even with a stock converter, My times were had with the car shifting at 5000 RPM and it pulls hard up to 6000+

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91 RS W/carbed 350, Vortec heads, performer rpm, Comp cams Xtreme energy 280 grind. BFG Drag radials. 3.42 posi,Corvette servoed 700r4, ****ty stock converter
13.24@104

 

Depends on how much you are willing to spend. Vortecs are good heads, AFR190s are even better. A milder cam (high lift/short duration) will cut down on the lumpiness at idle. CompCams262 is a good choice IMO. New intake like a Performer (RPM if you don't care about EGR stuff). You will want a carb that flows above 700cfms (I use a stock computer controlled q-jet).

You may want to go with 3.73s with your 5-speed. I don't know what highway miles will be. I have a 700R4 with 3.27s and a high stall (3000) convertor. With my combo, I run very low 13s, pass a very thurough e-check, and still get 25mpg on the highway.

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1984 z28 w/ a 357 cu in. monster engine which is looking like the posterchild for Edelbrock... all the suspension stuff... 9-bolt posi disk is in... K&N filter... 93 octane...

-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

Thanks guys, its been really helpfull. Will the new performer RPM airgap intake fit under a stock hood? Is this a good intake or should I go with another? I don't need EGR or other emissions stuff. I was looking at AFR 190's, Edelbrock Performer RPM airgap intake, SLP 1 5/8" headers, off road pipe, 3" cat back (not sure which one), and a cam (also not sure yet). This should be good for 13's without a radical cam I'm guessing. I realy didn't want to put in different gears now, but I probably will eventually. Also how can I tell what rear end I got. Can it be determined by the VIN or are there numbers somewhere to check. Thanks guys it's been really helpfull.