Best on hand intake conundrum (for ease of tuning)

[Mudsport96]

So my wife is ordering me the rebuild book for my birthday...I'm not supposed to know, but i do. Anyway, i have a 76 Nova with a .030 over 350 in it. 8.5:1 conservative with the smogger 441 heads. Running Comp cams HIGH ENERGY 268 cam (218*@.050 .454 lift on both sides) and 1 1/2 primary headers. Currently it has an original Torker intake with a square to Spreadbore adapter to mount my Edelbrock 1901. The car runs fairly well, never been tuned other than idle screws. Honestly the thing has more idle time than actual miles my uncle built the car in 2002 and since the engine was done it has only had 30 miles put on it and literally all by me. Its snappy instant throttle response and had to put slapper bars on it to eliminate spring wrap but i know its not perfect.

But i bought it and want to get the carb dialed in and since it will be 70% street 30% drag strip (just play nothing serious) what intake would compliment the Q-Jet the best i have the Torker on it, on a shelf i have a Holly Street Dominator Spreadbore single plane, and a factory iron Spreadbore casting 14057055 that comes back as a mid 80s 305 piece. I would like to get the right intake on prior to tuning so i only have to do this once and I'm guessing a dual plane will give better signal than a single plane.
And if these aren't practical i can look elsewhere. I love quadrajets always have but just now getting serious about tuning them.

Thanks in advance.

[Cliff Ruggles]

With that tiny cam in the 350 build you're better off with a dual plane intake anyhow, IMHO.

Single plane intakes hurt low speed power, and push power up in the rpm range.  They work fine with big flowing heads and big cams. 

The stock Chevy SBC intakes are EXCELLENT, even EGR versions.  Look at how fast the Stock Eliminator guys run with them and they are unported!......Cliff

[Mudsport96]

Thank you very much for your reply. I was pretty sure the dual plane was better and since I'm not making a race car I'll go with it. Eventually giving the car to the my daughter when she's old enough. Can't wait to get your book.

[Cliff Ruggles]

I'd also add here that the 441 casting heads are EXCELLENT.  The have the same ports as the earlier 041 and 186 castings, but a larger more open combustion chamber.  Although the chamber lowers the compression considerably, it also unshrouds the valves, so they have excellent flow potential.

Circle track engine builders for classes that must use a factory 76cc chamber head look for those castings in vain, they are difficult to find these days......Cliff

[Mudsport96]

They are nice screw in rocker studs slight mill job to ensure flatness, and just some TouchUp bowl work and added 2.02 intakes and 1.60 exhaust valves.
Also to add in the last two days I picked up a 7041200 carb(I plan on rebuilding), which even though the numbers say its off of a 71 Chevelle, I know it came off of a 71 Caprice... But maybe it was changed. Also a 7045213 which was still on the 346250 nonegr manifold. But it has some structural damage but looks good internally, so I don't know if its rebuildable.

[Cliff Ruggles]

The 7041200 is the big block auto transmission carburetor.  Pretty nice unit.....Cliff

[Mudsport96]

So I've read the book and before I get to ordering parts think I should get the dual plane intake on the engine and find out what it pulls for vacuum and see how it runs. I know I will need to go through the carb but a baseline idea is good right...  My only problem is with the seasonal license plate I run I can only drive the car between April and November so I would guess that most all tuning can't be done unless I can drive the car. I suppose I could start on the idle circuit.

Also do you think on a combo as mild as mine with the HE268 cam I would see any gains modifying the intake like I saw a.picture of the Pontiac one you run Cliff? 

[Cliff Ruggles]

There are no negatives from opening up the intake, but leave the divider in place.....Cliff

[Mudsport96]

Thank you very much for the reply.