Best Top 10 Bolt Ons For a 318
On a completely stock 318, 2 barrel carburetor and single exhaust what would be the top 10 most popular bolt ons?
If an automatic in an A-body;
I vote a 2800 convertor and a performance rear gear set, like 3.91s. I have done this several times and the difference is startling. If the stock single exhaust has to stay, you're done right here.
But if not then; After that; a free-flowing dual exhaust, and a reworked timing curve.
After that; a 4-barrel/intake; followed shortly by headers, and a new timing curve.
If your 318 is a low-compression model, I would pass on any hydraulic cam.
If a hi-compression (9/1 lol) 318, I would consider a small solid-lifter cam and kit, with fast-rate lobes. But you'll probably need better heads to take advantage of it.
If a manual trans;
make it a 3.09 low-gear Commando and the 3.91s; ,but with the Standard 2.66 low 4-speed, make it 4.10/4.30s. Hyup I did this too. I am 69 so I have done a lotta things and I got my driver's license in summer of 1969. The point here is to get a starter gear of 11 or 12 to 1.
So to recap; in order of installation;
convertor, then gears
free-flowing exhaust and recurved timing
4bbl and intake,
headers, and a recurve
cam-kit and heads and possibly another recurve
On a low-compression 318;
>the biggest bang for the buck is the higher stall.
>the second biggest is more cylinder pressure and/or more torque-multiplication which is more or less the same result.
> a 4bbl and a low-stall, IMO, is more or less a waste of time until around 3000 rpm; which with 2.76 gears is around 30/32 mph depending on your tire size.
> headers without a 4 bbl/stall/and gears, is IMO, a waste of time and money; as is dual exhaust with no other changes..
> IMO, there is no suchathing as a too-big exhaust system. But there is also no point in running 4" sewer pipes.