Edelbrock Performer Air-Gap Intake Manifold 1955-86 Small Block Chevy
If you’re looking for an aftermarket intake manifold that will provide not only street-friendly reliability but also some nice performance gains, the Edelbrock Performer Air-Gap intake is a good, choice for a street performance application. I personally ran this intake manifold on my 350ci small block chevy crate engine in my 1983 Chevy C10, both when it was virtually stock and after I upgraded the heads and cam. This manifold’s air-gap design helps keep the air going into the engine cooler and more dense for more power potential, according the Edelbrock.
Edelbrock Performer 1406 600 CFM 4-barrel Carburetor
Edelbrock is one of the most popular brands for street performance carburetors. The Performer series 1406 is a very popular, well rounded carburetor for mild builds, but it can support a fairly aggressive street engine as well. This 600 CFM carb isn’t too big to run on your street truck, but it can be calibrated to support some nice engine upgrades, too. I ran a Performer 1407 750 CFM on my C10’s 350 with heads and cam upgrades, but I was building my truck to drag race. I recommend the 600 CFM for a street application as it won’t flood as easily and it will provide better fuel economy. This carburetor also features an electric choke for easy start ups in cold weather. This is a good carb to combine with the Performer Air-Gap intake above.
I recommend picking up one of Edelbrock’s calibration kits so you can fine tune your carb for best performance.
Holley is another of the leading carburetor brands, and if you’ve been in the classic car enthusiast world very long, you’ve likely been exposed to some variant of the Edelbrock vs Holley debate. One person you talk to swears by Edelbrock and the next swears by Holley. So, I’ll let you decide for yourself. If you want my opinion, though, I have had more luck with Holley. There are some differences, but this 600 CFM carb is pretty close to the equivalent of the Edelbrock Performer I talked about above.
If you want more power, you have to get more air into your engine. Air filters are critical to keeping your engine running healthy, but they inevitably restrict air flow. K&N is well known for for being one of the least restrictive air filters available. I’ve ran K&N filters on my 1983 Chevy C10 since day one. I highly recommend investing in one. They are more expensive than a disposable filter, but since they are washable, they can pay for themselves over time. As always, make sure this specific product fits your carburetor before you order.
