looking for intake carb / manifold recommendations for 318 1973 La block

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fulltank

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I'm finally getting closer to the completion of my almost stock 68 Dart convertible, I've been out of the street rod mechanical side for a few years.

I'm looking for recommendations for a street cruiser set up, the original 318 block had been replaced with a 73 LA 318 it has a mild cam in it the rest all factory 73.
I have installed 340 exhaust manifolds and I'm looking to upgrade to improve starting and overall reliability is very important along with a little more punch is always nice!

It has a 3sp 904 and dreaming of an overdrive set up one day

1-I'm leaning towards the AVS2 for the carb... thoughts?

2- any thoughts on an intake manifold and what if any modifications will be required ?

3- it has a mechanical points possible conversion to electronic ignition but prefer to keep it close to stock appearance if possible.

Your expertise is appreciated tks
 
I'm finally getting closer to the completion of my almost stock 68 Dart convertible, I've been out of the street rod mechanical side for a few years.
Welcome back to hot rodding! Congratulations!
I'm looking for recommendations for a street cruiser set up, the original 318 block had been replaced with a 73 LA 318 it has a mild cam in it the rest all factory 73.
I have installed 340 exhaust manifolds and I'm looking to upgrade to improve starting and overall reliability is very important along with a little more punch is always nice!
Advance the timing. This will help with starting and add noticeable pep to the engine/car.
It has a 3sp 904 and dreaming of an overdrive set up one day
There is a full blown thread on this.
1-I'm leaning towards the AVS2 for the carb... thoughts?
Excellent street carb. A 650 will do you well.
2- any thoughts on an intake manifold and what if any modifications will be required ?
An OEM cast iron 4bbl intake is probably the cheapest followed by an Edelbrock Performer. No mods needed for ether intake. You MAY (I didn’t ever need to do this mod….) need a square metal spacer for the AVS carb which Edelbrock sells.

Do use a thick .333 or so Edelbrock carb gasket to keep the carb cool and avoid fuel percolation to a minimum. I see this gasket as a must. It mimics the factory carb to intake gasket Chrysler used.
3- it has a mechanical points possible conversion to electronic ignition but prefer to keep it close to stock appearance if possible.
Nothing wrong with points. Find quality parts to use. Adding a MSD (which I can’t stand) or equivalent multi spark ignition will aid in quicker, better starting and fuel economy.
Your expertise is appreciated tks
Just ask the board and don’t worry about nothin.
 
AVS2 for the carb
The AVS2 500 electric choke for a 318 with a mild cam is my choice for a street car. The 650 if you like big carbs.
intake manifold
Edelbrock Performer 318-360 has the smaller ports to match 318 stock heads.
Last is the Pertronix I, easy to install and has 2 wires instead of 1 to the coil .Never know it isn't stock unless you are looking for it. Just my thoughts.
 
I'm finally getting closer to the completion of my almost stock 68 Dart convertible, I've been out of the street rod mechanical side for a few years.

I'm looking for recommendations for a street cruiser set up, the original 318 block had been replaced with a 73 LA 318 it has a mild cam in it the rest all factory 73.
I have installed 340 exhaust manifolds and I'm looking to upgrade to improve starting and overall reliability is very important along with a little more punch is always nice!

It has a 3sp 904 and dreaming of an overdrive set up one day

1-I'm leaning towards the AVS2 for the carb... thoughts?

2- any thoughts on an intake manifold and what if any modifications will be required ?

3- it has a mechanical points possible conversion to electronic ignition but prefer to keep it close to stock appearance if possible.

Your expertise is appreciated tks
This factory combo being sold here on the website is an inexpensive factory set up ready to be tuned for your 318 and rock and roll. The draw back is tuning rods and jets for the TQ are hard to find. Try “The Carb Shop” for parts for these carbs for tuning and rebuilds.

[FOR SALE] - 1973 6318 Thermoquad and Intake Manifold
 
^^^^^^ good deal, might not be a plug and play. Probably need some one well versed in thermoquads and a strip kit if you can find one reasonable $.

I really like the idea of the holley street demon.
 
Welcome back to hot rodding! Congratulations!

Advance the timing. This will help with starting and add noticeable pep to the engine/car.

There is a full blown thread on this.

Excellent street carb. A 650 will do you well.

An OEM cast iron 4bbl intake is probably the cheapest followed by an Edelbrock Performer. No mods needed for ether intake. You MAY (I didn’t ever need to do this mod….) need a square metal spacer for the AVS carb which Edelbrock sells.

Do use a thick .333 or so Edelbrock carb gasket to keep the carb cool and avoid fuel percolation to a minimum. I see this gasket as a must. It mimics the factory carb to intake gasket Chrysler used.

Nothing wrong with points. Find quality parts to use. Adding a MSD (which I can’t stand) or equivalent multi spark ignition will aid in quicker, better starting and fuel economy.

Just ask the board and don’t worry about nothin.
Thanks for the suggestions.
In the old days Id have to get a friend to braise up a kick down conversion, switching from 2 barrel to 4
I guess this is the fix now ...

 
If you're going from a 2bbl to 4bbl, you'll need the correct 4bbl kickdown linkage too, or, modify your 2bbl setup to work.
 
Thanks for the suggestions.
In the old days Id have to get a friend to braise up a kick down conversion, switching from 2 barrel to 4
I guess this is the fix now ...

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That Or a set up like Lokar cables. Same stuff. I use it all the time. I’m fine it easy to use. Messing with the stock linkage is just time. The 2bbl. Linkage can be reused. It maybe a little bit of a PIA, but it’s workable. I like the cables better. Ether way, what ever suites you.
 
^^^^^^ good deal, might not be a plug and play.
Just tuning like I said.
Probably need some one well versed in thermoquads and a strip kit if you can find one reasonable $.
I have no idea why you would say that and stir up fear unnecessarily. Read the for sale thread. It is a freshly re-built carburetor. Why would you assume he needs somebody to do it for him for additional cost?
 
Just tuning like I said.

I have no idea why you would say that and stir up fear unnecessarily. Read the for sale thread. It is a freshly re-built carburetor. Why would you assume he needs somebody to do it for him for additional cost?
It may need tweaking, right? Just saying. I agree its a good deal and work well with his combo.

Previous guy said it was too much carb. That carb should be able to be tuned to any v8 to work well.
 
i'll echo what others have said here: intake wise a factory 4bbl or aftermarket dual plane 4bbl like the performer, weiand or offy would be a great choice. pair that up with a carter afb/edelbrock 500~650 or an AVS. throw a factory electronic ignition at it and you'll be rocking and rolling.

that would be about the most reliable, low lift, inexpensive, easiest install you could do. TONS of parts new and used.
 
It may need tweaking, right? Just saying. I agree its a good deal and work well with his combo.

Previous guy said it was too much carb. That carb should be able to be tuned to any v8 to work well.
MAY need tweaking is correct. Rods and jets for tuning is the most it’ll need. If any linkage is off from what it should be set at, this information is readily available and easy to adjust with simple home tools. Worst case is a trip to horrible fright for a mic, pliers, needle nose pliers, flat tip screw driver.

I don’t know why the seller felt it was too much carb. His opinion? IDK. I’ve bolted down big carbs on small engines before and it’s all in the rod and jet for Carters or just jets for Holley. Adjust the pump shot, jet correctly, your done.

The 318 normally came with the small primary TQ if not always. This is a factory move to prevent issues in the extremes that some of the general Joe and Jane public will find a condition it won’t work to their expectation. Scenarios like, it’s cold outside, I pumped the gas pedal 50 times and it won’t start.
Cars starts, I floor it in gear, it drive like ****.
(Mechanic) Did you warm it up?
Owner - No! It started right? It’s good to go, it just sucks.


i'll echo what others have said here: intake wise a factory 4bbl or aftermarket dual plane 4bbl like the performer, weiand or offy would be a great choice. pair that up with a carter afb/edelbrock 500~650 or an AVS. throw a factory electronic ignition at it and you'll be rocking and rolling.

that would be about the most reliable, low lift, inexpensive, easiest install you could do. TONS of parts new and used.
Another dual plane I like is the older LD4B or a Weiand Action Plus. No coil mount for the Weiand.
 
Another dual plane I like is the older LD4B or a Weiand Action Plus. No coil mount for the Weiand.
yeah, i omitted that one only on the fact that they don't turn up as frequently as performers, offy and weiands in the classifieds-- and generally command more money.

but certainly top of the heap for this type of job.
 
Stock 1970 318
Edelbrock Performer intake.
Edelbrock 600cfm carb.
340 Hi-Po manifolds.
Dual exhaust/H pipe
Chrysler Electronic ign.
Chrysler 4bbl kickdown.
This was an older set up I put together, and it would roast the peg leg all the way down the street.

Picture 498.jpg
 
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MAY need tweaking is correct. Rods and jets for tuning is the most it’ll need. If any linkage is off from what it should be set at, this information is readily available and easy to adjust with simple home tools. Worst case is a trip to horrible fright for a mic, pliers, needle nose pliers, flat tip screw driver.

I don’t know why the seller felt it was too much carb. His opinion? IDK. I’ve bolted down big carbs on small engines before and it’s all in the rod and jet for Carters or just jets for Holley. Adjust the pump shot, jet correctly, your done.

The 318 normally came with the small primary TQ if not always. This is a factory move to prevent issues in the extremes that some of the general Joe and Jane public will find a condition it won’t work to their expectation. Scenarios like, it’s cold outside, I pumped the gas pedal 50 times and it won’t start.
Cars starts, I floor it in gear, it drive like ****.
(Mechanic) Did you warm it up?
Owner - No! It started right? It’s good to go, it just sucks.



Another dual plane I like is the older LD4B or a Weiand Action Plus. No coil mount for the Weiand.
Agreed, more than likely put it on and down the road you go. Guys like us Fish like getting all of it out of it.

Adjust that secondaries air door. Thats a biggie on those.

LD4B, I’d take that over a performer.
 
Tpigeon still has the oem 73 intake available for my setup it will perform as well as the the performer
and I keep it closer to original. From here I'll search out a new carb to finish the set up.
 
Tpigeon still has the oem 73 intake available for my setup it will perform as well as the the performer
and I keep it closer to original. From here I'll search out a new carb to finish the set up.
From several dyno tests seen, the basic take away was there basically equal in performance. The Performer was designed as a direct replacement to the factory intake only in aluminum. So that’s an easy 25lbs.

As far as a carb goes, if you don’t want the TQ, the previously mentioned AVS @ 650 cfm is a good fit. As I said earlier as well, use the thick Edelbrock carb to intake gasket to keep fuel cool. The throttle cables you posted earlier are fine as well. You won’t need the throttle bracket adapter ether.
 
From several dyno tests seen, the basic take away was there basically equal in performance. The Performer was designed as a direct replacement to the factory intake only in aluminum. So that’s an easy 25lbs.

As far as a carb goes, if you don’t want the TQ, the previously mentioned AVS @ 650 cfm is a good fit. As I said earlier as well, use the thick Edelbrock carb to intake gasket to keep fuel cool. The throttle cables you posted earlier are fine as well. You won’t need the throttle bracket adapter ether.
I started researching on everyone's comments and in a quarter mile the stock was 2/10th faster even with the exrea weight, over a performer. I get it depends a lot on the setup inside the engine but if the two are that close i'll keep with the stock. I like the Lokar cable setup, it looks neat a tidy and (less is better).
 
Tpigeon still has the oem 73 intake available for my setup it will perform as well as the the performer
and I keep it closer to original. From here I'll search out a new carb to finish the set up.
either of these would be a decent deal:


 
Agree with most everything suggested by Rumblefish in post #2. I would switch to elec ign for a hotter spark PLUS your ign timing is not going to retard the as soon as you start driving, which will happen with points. The points rubbing block wears, slowly retarding the spark which reduces power & economy.
Unless you can find a dialled in TQ, the 650 AVS2 is the best choice. The '2' has annular boosters in the primaries for superb throttle response & mileage. And a Perf intake.
 
The car is a 68 The choke is manual,
The block is a 73 318,
the oem 73 intake manifod is set up for an electric choke.
I'm not going to drive it in the winter so will it really matter which option, to go wth electric or manual choke?
 
For a driver and a mild performance car, I like the electric choke option to help extend the cruise season into those extra chilly days and for those crap days.
There is a zero HP performance gain with a manual choke. None, zip, zilch, zero, nada.
 
Those things are nowhere near stock looking and for nearly $300 I would make my own. Seems like you or your buddy(the braiser) are handy. It ain't hard, you already have the 2 bl stuff. Theres a thread here on how to convert from 2-4bl.
Thanks for the suggestions.
In the old days Id have to get a friend to braise up a kick down conversion, switching from 2 barrel to 4
I guess this is the fix now ...

[/URL]
 
Stock 1970 318
Edelbrock Performer intake.
Edelbrock 600cfm carb.
340 Hi-Po manifolds.
Dual exhaust/H pipe
Chrysler Electronic ign.
Chrysler 4bbl kickdown.
This was an older set up I put together, and it would roast the peg leg all the way down the street.

View attachment 1716125612
Nice setup!

I’m running something similar with a LD4B, 1406, 72+ 340 manifolds, dual exhaust w H pipe, Chrysler 4 bbl kickdown, 302 heads, smogless (advanced curve) distributor from Trailbeast. My 318 runs a lot better now compared to when it wheezed with the 1975 setup it was born with.

IMG_2007.jpeg


I don’t think anyone will slag the LD4B but they are not cheap anymore…. The asking prices for when they are posted here now are unreal compared to when I bought mine 6 years ago.
 
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