Right now my 79 302 (EGR stuff all gone) has the factory Autolite 2bbl carb and intake. As time and money allows I want to make this 72 have more power and speed...more of a street car, a fun weekend car, versus a track car. I have the opportunity to obtain a used Edelbrock performer (NOT RPM unfortunately) with a Holley 600 4 bbl (electric choke, vac secondaries) for $100. I know that intake isn't much better than stock but for $100 would those two be worth it? Would I see much gain from the labor of rebuilding/cleaning and installing? My buddy also said he could give me the factory Ford intake from his 68 Cougar with a 289. Would that get me anything given the price (free)? In my head I wanted to go with a Performer RPM or more likely a Stealth along with a 650-700 (perhaps a street avenger if I could spend the coin) but given the price these could be worth it?
For a hundred bucks, that's not a bad deal. As long as the carb is in good shape, it's a step in the right direction. I ran a 600 on a mostly stock 302 for years, with no issues.
I would prefer a Stealth over the Performer, but at $100 for the carb and intake, I would use them and not think twice about it. The 600 should be all you need for a slightly modified (stock) motor. As for the factory manifold, it is less of a performer than the Performer is.
The performer manifold is downright huge in volume comparison to the factory 2bbl setup. Much lighter too. Stock cams.. 4bbl or whatever.. aren't really worth the time to install UNLESS you can shim the springs to better match the slightly higher rpm capability of the new combo. Many people tend to think they aren't floating valves with stock springs.. but they do bleed off combustion pressure to one degree or another as surge sets in. Personally.. I'd just slap an RV style cam into it(around 210-215 degrees @.050) and swap the springs on the head for better bang. Don't forget the exhaust system and remember that long tubes are best for broader power bands. Try to stay with 1.5 inch primaries and 2.5 inch collectors to maximize low speed response and midrange power. Anything bigger on little engines(especially those with overly restrictive smog heads).. will needlessly move the power band up where the engine can't breathe very well anyways.
Or even the factory 4bbl intake, both suck in comparison to aftermarket aluminum intakes... Unless one is into concourse resto, they are best used as door stops...
I do have a mild cam and 2.25" exhaust. I don't want to limit myself here but the mild upgrade from my factory setup to this 4 bbl setup, combined with some future gears would probably last me a little bit until I have time and money saved up for bigger upgrades I'm thinking.
