[mwinters]

Hey guys been getting great help from you guys and love this place!

Again I have a basic stock 72 chevelle 350 with headers and a flowmaster. My question is how can I get some more power off the line?

Also what's the benefit of upgrading my electrical system such as ignition, distributor and wires and such?

Matthew


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[crazy canuck]

Off the line power gear swap,maybe a slightly larger stall converter for your transmission.For ignition you could swap out to an HEI(lots of info about it if you search the forums) or you could get an hei conversion done to your points distributor like dave ray does.

 

[Jake Wade]

X2 on the gear swap

 

[dyno jonn]

Hey guys been getting great help from you guys and love this place!

Again I have a basic stock 72 chevelle 350 with headers and a flowmaster. My question is how can I get some more power off the line?

Advance your timing and then limit the total timing in the distributor so you don't go over 36 degrees total. In other words, install an advance curve kit in your distributor, and don't neglect to install the brass bushing that is in the kit. It's cheap and it works. There is lots of info showing how to do this on the internet and even on YouTube.

Also what's the benefit of upgrading my electrical system such as ignition, distributor and wires and such?

Ignition upgrades help most at higher RPM. If you aren't running high RPM, ignition upgrades are way down the list of helpful priorities. An upgrade certainly isn't going to hurt anything though. Do it if you have the money.

Matthew

.

 

[marcrose]

Small tires ,big gears and a good carb with a good pump shot and light springs on the recurve kit.HEI RECOMMENDED.

 

[Verle]

Matthew,

I don't remember what transmission you have.
If it is an automatic (TH350) switch to a 200R4. It has a better low gear and an overdrive.
If you have a Muncie think about a five speed. Most of them have a lower first gear and do have an overdrive.

A lower first gear will help you off the line. You can get a lower first gear by installing a lower geared (higher ratio) rearend or by installing a different transmission with a lower first gear.

What rear end ratio do you have now?

For ignition, get an HEI. It will do everything you need to do on the street.

 

[jeff swisher]

Funny a lot of points bashing here.
remember the 425HP 396 I know of one that went high 9's with a single point distributor.

My STOCK parts HEI with the white module was slower in the 1/4 than my single point with a 1982 ford coil feeding it.
That HEI would not pull the R's that the points would.
Of course i had ridiculous compression and 245psi cranking pressure. and twisted 7000+rpm.
This will show the downfalls any system.

Now both had the same quick curve and same total advance.
one had 8MM wires and the other had 7MM same plugs etc.

The curve makes a big difference.. not just what it is.

For close to stock stuff anything will work fine if it is in proper working condition.

Yes if i had installed an aftermarket coil and module the HEI could have been just as good.
I had a complete crane HEI left me stranded 2 times.
I kept the complete points setup under the seat.

In all my years of driving the HEI has let me down many many times.
I like it but be prepared and know what you are doing with the curves.
end rant.

 

[novaderrik]

Matthew,

I don't remember what transmission you have.
If it is an automatic (TH350) switch to a 200R4. It has a better low gear and an overdrive.
If you have a Muncie think about a five speed. Most of them have a lower first gear and do have an overdrive.

A lower first gear will help you off the line. You can get a lower first gear by installing a lower geared (higher ratio) rearend or by installing a different transmission with a lower first gear.

What rear end ratio do you have now?

For ignition, get an HEI. It will do everything you need to do on the street.

the 700r4 has a deeper first gear- the 200 4r gear ratios are almost identical to the TH350, but it has an overdrive added on..

the way i'd get better low end would be to put in an HEI with the vacuum advance hooked to manifold vacuum and make sure it's getting as much voltage as possible to the coil- run a relay directly to the battery to be sure...

upgrading to a later model CS series alternator with a big power wire going directly to the battery has also helped me with low end power and throttle response in the past. you should be able to find a good donor in a junkyard (one from a 90 Grand Am with the 2.5 is a bolt in once you swap the pulley) and wiring is easy to do. everything else in the car will work better, too..

then you can get into things like headers and exhaust, camshafts, intake manifolds- and tuning..

 

[BigChevyFTW]

There is a few things we need to consider before this answer can be Correctly answered!

What gear ratio is in the car now?
And, is it equipped with a posi because you can do more harm then good to your off line performance.

Only one person has this correct IMO

2 ways to do it but both together is the way to go

1st is a stall converter IMO the way to go! 2800-3500 stall anything higher is for track use and not street friendly IMO

2nd is a rear-end ring and pinion swap

If the car has a posi rear-end a set of 3.55 rear gears and a 3500 stall would be perfect!"

even a set of 3.73s and a 3200 stall would do very nicely!

 

[engineguy]

"more power off the line" equates to maximum torque at low to medium RPM range. This goal can be reached via several directions:

- Camshaft timing events
- Intake manifold and carburetor choices
- header design i.e. long primary tubes with small tube diameter

Once the engine combination is sorted out, additional low-end performance depends upon the vehicle set-up:

- optimum rear end gear
- tire size and design
- limited slip differential
- traction enhancing devices
- reduction in total vehicle weight

In summary, first you need an engine combination that will produce mid-range torque then you will need a vehicle that can put that power to the ground.