Not busting your balls are starting anything with you, but....
I totally disagree on the hate for Offenhauser intakes. I use one on my 318 along with a Edelbrock 600 carb. It does well on my engine and I wouldn't heistate to use another one. YMMV...
I am a Holley fan but have no experience with the Holley 550 at all.
I don't wanna fall into the "HATE" for the Offy intakes, but, the dual port intake never was "all that."
If you ever get tired of that Offy Dual Port, send me a pm please. If it's similar to the one on my 318's anyways. I don't think they made to many types of them really...
Do you have the dual port?
This is the truth. To big of a cam can lower cylinder pressure but a larger cam can also be used to bleed off some compression with a higher compression engine. To big of a cam in a low compression engine *almost always equals
dissapointing bottom end performance. Overall combination and the cubic inches are the major factor here. For example, a 440 can handle quite a bit of cam due to it's cubic inches....
On the cam topic, I agree, unless the cam is ground specific like for example, the Hugesengines cam(s) ground with low compresion engines in mind. Granted, there not a big cam, but the idea is there and that idea can also be applied to larger cams.
On cubic inchs, while your statement of the 440 handleing "quite a bit of cam due to it's cubic inches...." is only true to a point since the same could be said about the 273 vs 360.
It's not that the 440 can handle more cam, just a sizeable amount more vs the smaller engine. It's an unfare apples to apple comparo. The larger engine produces a sizeble amount of torque over the smaller engine and stroke has alot to do with it.
Change the perameters around while still keeping the displacement the same and you have a totally diferent engine in operating charicter (SP! OUCH! Sory cant think now)
Imagine a 440 CID engine with a stroke of only 3.30 vs the 3.75 or with a stroke of 4.5 inchs.
3.30, major top end screamer
3.75, what were all used to
4.5 major low end torque, like pulling houses down for breakfest.
The current engine of discussion is a 318. The short stroke and small-ish bore lacks torque. I beileve the Performer will out perform the Off dual port.
IMO, not that it means much in this world,
The Offy ha a limited window of operation. It could be useful to the OP. I, myself, would rather use a Edelbrock Performer for daily useage with the 550 carb.
The Offy could bring in enuff money or a possible trade for the Performer, in which that intake can be found on here for a realitivly good price and even under a $100.
On the scale mentioned before, I'd give the Performer and Holley combo a nice upgrade status of a 5 for power and if well tuned, a 8 for economy. Power possiblity without piston or head change(s) or mods, would rate a 10 for a economy/low level build.
I'm soory, I'd just simply give the Offy a "F."
