[Steven69]

I have a 1969 Chevelle Malibu i just bought, i have only had it for 1 month and i have noticed that the previous owner dropped a 350ci engine, comp cams roller rocker 1.6, headers, flowmasters exhaust, new 12 bolt rear end, mickey thompson rear tires, edelbrock intake. This is all the visible perfomance upgrades, i havent been able to dig into the engine yet so i dont know what cam is in it ect. My question is, how can i squeeze more HP out of this engine? Positraction? How do you chage your gear ratio? My car takes off sounds great but i feel this 350 has a lot more potential. Please help. This is my first american car, i am eager to learn everything.

 

[how69ss]

If it's a new 12 bolt, you'd think it already has positraction. Mash the throttle and find out.

What is the gear ratio?
What trans? Where does the trans stall at?
Carb?
What does the rear suspension look like? All stock? Are lower control arms boxed? Stock upper control arms?


I'd check out the above, but the first thing is to make sure the motor is properly tuned, make sure the timing is dialed in and the ignition in tip top shape (cap, rotor, plugs, spark plugs), and the carb is properly adjusted. I'd start there.

 

[novaderrik]

tune it. .get a timing light and a vacuum gauge and learn how to use them.
also get a compression tester and see what kind of cranking compression it has- this will tell you roughly how radical the cam is.

 

[RB69SS396Conv]

more HP

More.... than what?

As said, tune it as good as it can get, first; see what's missing, what you can get out of what's already there. Meanwhile, find out what's inside it: what compression (pistons), head castings, cam, etc. Nothing that you told us gives the slightest hint at how much power it's making now, or how much it's capable of. "350" could be anything from a 165HP 70s smogger slug or a brand-new over-the-counter replacement phone company van motor that's the same thing, on up to ... the sky's the limit. Edelbrock for example makes a VAST array of intakes, from basically stock to on up to Cup racing. Just saying "Edlebrock" and "350" tells basically nothing.

 

[Steven69]

I am taking my car to a performance shop to have them smoke it over and tell me all of the above questions to ask of my car. Thanks for everyones input.