I thought the stock vortecs were limited to around .470" of lift?

 

Everything you ever wanted to know about Vortec heads: http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/ho...458/index.html

 

when we got our new engine in our 68, we were instructed to take it for a good long drive. Of VARYING speeds at that. However, our engine was a nothing special standard build with a good low end torque cam from brock i think. And i wanna say it was just a hydraulic cam.

 

Thats my problem, I keep hearing all sorts of info. The website that Camaro 69 mentioned,
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/ho...458/index.html
says .420 However the same site furthers the 'avoid the '906' head myth and really doesnt tell much about cam combination's. Ive got plenty of stuff to order from Summit here real soon, Im just going to call their tech line and run it all by them.

 

Trying to blame your torque coverter for your car not being able to power brake is just silly. Also, determining stall speed by power braking is further nonsense. What rpm your tires finally break loose is directly related to the amount of engine power you have, and how good your brakes hold. Do you really think if you had a tired engine with low HP you could ever get it to break loose, regardless of engine RPM? Or if you have huge tires that take more power to break loose? On the other hand, if you've got 400hp in a SBC it will immediately break loose as soon as the stall speed is reached. So the only way this test works is if you've got plenty of HP, and tires that are small enough to break loose.
I've had horrible performance from Edelbrock's Weber carburetors. I installed one years ago on my 427 when the Holley finally gave up after many years of service. It just never performed like a good Holley, and after a few years of frustration I gave it to a coworker and bought a new Holley. Problem solved, and performance returned.
I'd also reccommend a vacuum secondary Holley. You'll get way better bottom end performance and torque with a vacuum secondary Holley, vs. a double pumper. No reason to open the secondaries, or give them a squirt until the engine is ready for that, and the vacuum secondary carbs will do all that on their own. I'm running a Holley 750 with vacuum secondaries on my 427 Camaro, and I'm tickled with performance from dead stop to full rpm's. I don't think you'll ever regret dumping that Edelbrock and going with a Holley.

 

71', I think we are going off in a different direction here.....My engine has less than 5k on it.....Im not complaining about the overall performance of the car, just the first 4-5 seconds. After that, shes a beast. The way I look at it is if I do the heads, the cam and the torque converter, Im still ahead of the game. If I just throw a holly on and still have a problem, then Ive wasted money.......

Im really concerned with the tuning issues of a Holly....'Brocks are SO much easier.....but you guys are starting to sway me.....

 

If you buy new (or re-manufactured), a Holley will typically be bolt on and go, just like an Edelbrock. It'll perform great in most mild applications, however not at it's full potential. That's where the tuning process comes in. What makes the Holley so much better than the Edelbrock (besides overall design) is the ability to fine tune it to your application.

Only reason I say new is because if you buy a used carb, you have no clue what's been done to it and you may be starting a constant battle with tuning it correctly for you engine.

 

That's exactly why I reccommend a Holley. I had the same issues with my Camaro when the rebuild was zero miles and I had the Edelbrock on it. It just was a slug out of the hole, and that's with a 427 that's got tons of power and torque.
After replacing the E. with a 750 Holley my problem is not enough traction. The thing just gets with it, and even rolling down the street at 25-30 mph it will go sideways if I punch it.
I don't think we're offtrack at all, just hope you finally get rid of that E carb.

 

well i purchased the heads, I may as well put them on. I know Vortecs dont take radical cams well so i ask this....

Should I leave to torque converter alone?
Should I cam it? WIill i get a decent gain over my slightly stock cam?

If Im buying a Holley, I wont be able to afford most of this and the first two to get axed will be the TC and then the cam.

 

i know i'm coming into this thread alittle late . as far as getting the carb set right why not hook up a wideband a/f guage ? then you will be able to see what it's really running . at idle i believe 14. 7 is good , on forcedinductyion you need to be in the 11's at wot . i believe naturly aspirated motors don't need to be that rich . maybe somebody with more knowledge of non forced induction engines could chime in on where there a/f should be at wot .why poke an hope when you can buy guages to tell you exactly where to set it ? jus my .02 cents