carb/intake combo?

For a low revving 400, what carb/intake would be best for a cost/performance mix?

so ive done some more research. looks like for now, 600 CFM would be big enough for me, and either a holley or a quadrajet is the way to go. since this is mostly street, I am leaning towards the quadrajet.

still have no idea for intake, been reading very contradictory reports on whether old iron intake was better than the edelbrock aluminum one.

also somewhat related to this subject, how about exhaust manifold vs. headers? I found a pair of RAIII manifolds for about as much as a set of headers. Any thought on that?

Chad,

The Q-Jet and factory intake ('67-'72) is the better deal for your application. Yes, it's true, the iron intake will outperform Edelbrock Performer or the old P4-B.

The Q-Jet will need to come from or be built by someone that's completely familiar and experienced with Q-Jets. Be sure to ask, will they replace the float? If not, they are NOT experienced...(:-

The HO manifolds you speak of are excellent as far as factory manifolding is concerned. It's well known that in many racing classes where stock cams and factory manifolds are required, Pontiacs have a big advantage over nearly everything else in their class. Many call them "Ram Air" manifolds, but that's a misnomer. True "Ram Air" heads have round exhaust ports, much larger than the Ram Air III d-ports. Ram Air III engines had the same heads and intakes as their 350-horse counterparts in GTO and Firebird. Cams were different in manual transmission cars and carbs were calibrated differently. The "HO" exhaust manifolds were also part of the Ram Air III package, as well as some other applications. Those manifolds will make about the same amount of power as a pair of inexpensive 3-tube headers. Real 4-tube "brand name" headers (like Hooker, Doug's, Mad Dog, etc.) will make more power.

If you have a 1st gen Firebird or a B-body (darksider), "long branch" exhaust manifolds will fit. Those are the "factory headers" originally designed for the early Super Duty factory race engines. THOSE make nearly the same power as GOOD headers!

Jim

Thanks Jim, knew you would come through.

For the quadrajet, do you know of someone to recommend?

For the intake, is the difference big enough to go out and buy the poncho intake? My engine came with a edelbrock performer.

For the headers theres a guy locally selling hooker super comp ceramics, PN 4108. Jegs has them for $680, local guy has them for i think $400 and claims they are new. I was leaning towards that until I started reading stuff on the HO manifolds being better, but I guess that was in the stock arena like you are talking about.

Chad,

Cliff Ruggles, at Cliff's High Perfromance in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, is perhaps the best Q-Jet man on the planet. He has customers in NHRA Super Stock running 9.0s with a single Q-Jet.

If you already have Performer, go ahead and use it. Not a BAD intake, just nothing "special".

Jim

Thanks. I have Ruggle's book, that should have been the first name on my mind.