390 w/open chamber heads

64 STR8 Dart,

You know after seeing the pics you posted I remembered gasket matching the Performer intake (last year) to the 302 castings I currently have on my 318. I used felpro gaskets but don't recall which specific gasket I used. But I do remember that the intake ports were very close to the 302 casting ports. I also know that the 302 is considered a 318 head while the 596 (which I plan to use on the 390) is a 360 head. I also own a copy of "How To Hot Rod Small Block Mopar Engines". In this book it shows a marked difference between the 318 port shape and volume and the 360 port shape and volume. I'm not a Mopar expert but if the Performer matches the 302 casting so well....there's now way it will fit as well on the 596 casting. I haven't checked but now that I've thought about it "I will check!!!" If someone had said it that way (where were you RRR!!!) I would have listened more closely.
So I'll try and go out tomorrow and physically compare the ports of the 318 to the 360 relative to the Performer. Sorry guys, I just hadn't thought about it that way. You guys are beating me over the head about the RPM and I hadn't considered the fact that the Performer matched the 302 casting almost perfectly (very little clean up). Not realizing that I'm putting the Performer on 360 heads!!!!

TXSTANG84,
Squaring the deck (if it's way off) is always a good idea, I don't think anybody will argue with that. Zero decking is another story, especially when you consider my goals. I might have a different opinion after I check the block. I definitely see where you're coming from.



I thought I was done here but evidently I'm still learning!!!!!!! Keep kicking me...eventually you'll knock some sense into me!!LOL

Treblig in tex