Question about a Low-Buck 318 Build for Chryco (& others)

[Neal_J]

Here's the deal.  I have a '69 with a stock 318 and auto.  I want to keep it stock appearing and don't have the $$ for a larger motor.  Instead, after gleaning much wisdom from the site, and a box full of swap meet parts, am considering the following:

* Set of 302 casting heads
* Edelbrock LD4B 4-bbl manifol
* Holley 4160 (600 cfm) 4-bbl carb
* New dual exhaust, from the stock manifolds back, with crossover

Yea, headers would be better but I prefer to keep the stock look.

Comments, other suggestions?  (other than "Dude, Get you a Bigger Motor!" sort, which I politely prefer not to do).

Thanks gang,

Neal

[Rolling_Thunder]

might want to just add a cam into that equasion - you might be able to get some better numbers - nothing wild - just more than stock

[grouseman]

Gee, I've been down this road a long time ago. 

That intake is WAY too big for a stock 318 - it will KILL throttle response.  Been there.  Either the factory 4V intake or any modern aluminum dual plane, or small runner single plane would work.   Even an old SP2P would give you a real boost in torque.   

You don't need headers yet; in fact right now they'd lose you power for most of your driving. 

Can't comment on the 302 heads. 

600 cfm in a Holley is a bit on the big side for a stock 318.  Either an AFB 500, or a stock TQ (with very small primaries) are better choices.  The ThermoQuad on an iron intake is the full factory look. 

What you haven't touched on is to make sure your ignition is 100% and both mech/vac curves are optimized to your engine.  Nothing fancy, just basic tuning/testing. 

If you have gears around 2.76 or so, you NEED low speed torque or a looser torque converter.  Until you change either of those, don't go wild with intakes or cams.  Even a relatively mild increase in cam duration can kill compression.  Like a stock 340 cam, which was meant for 10:1 CR, not 8:1. 

If you find you want to keep things mostly stock/original, you can get some bowl and cleanup work done on the heads to help flow.  You don't want to hog them out, but they can be made to flow more air more smoothly. 

Let us know how things work out. 

[TylerCharger69]

   That pretty much sums it up!!!   Couldn't of said it better!!!

[Chryco Psycho]

I agree with a cam upgrade as well