Easiest/Cheapest way to a 4bbl 318?

daginsu said
Edelbrock Performer intake (or maybe a Weiand Action Plus), Holley 670 carb, a set of "302" heads that will be gasket matched, Summit G9040 1-5/8" headers and dual exhaust, and assuming I have a 8-1/4" rearend I'll go with the sure grip carrier and probably go ahead and change the rear gears. I was also looking at the Comp XE268H (20-223-3) camshaft with 224/230 dur @ .050 and 0.477/0.48 lift. Assuming this is what I go with, does anyone see any major problems with this combo?

This isn't far from what I have in the Demon; 302s & Performer on a 318. I'm @ 218/228 @ .050 and .441" lift. I'm also using a 625 cfm AFB. Also went to 67-70 spec stock pistons for higher compression ratio. I would expect your setup to have better top end, while my forte would be throttle response at lower speeds. Which is better? Depends on how you plan to use the car most of the time.

daginsu said
Any suggestions on the rear gear?

To get the most out of your combination, I'd think you'd need at least a 3.55:1 (I'm building this for my Demon.) With the engine being happier in the upper end of the rev band, you may want to consider a 3.91 or even a 4.11. These will be a PITA for highway use... but again, it depends on how you intend to use the car most of the time.

Consider, too, what size tire you will/want to use. The overall rolling circumference of the tire affects the "effective" gear ratio. The tire companies quote tire diameter which is just as good for comparison purposes. A larger tire diameter results in a lower (numerical) "effective" gear ratio because there are fewer tire revolutions per mile.