Does anyone know the performance differences between the b4b and Performer? ARe there any inherent benefits of one over the other for a mild/aggressive set up(400-425hp)? this is going in a '64 Riv so I"m not thinking that other options are out there that'll fit under the hood. Also, are those intake manifolds really worth 25hp or so over the stock one? Iknow its lighter..... thanks, Kelly
I can't say that I know the difference between the two, -possibly the Edelbrock can make power a little higher in the rpm range, -however, I know that the design of teh both of them will give a big block AT LEAST 25 HP over stock.. -AND also about the 25-35 extra in the torque department.. -and it's lighter.. -And better looking as well!
The B4B had better flowing capabilities. I have seen some dyno results where the Performer didn't make much more power than stock on BBB's, but it does shave several pounds off of the engine. I would have gone with the B4B on my 71, but the ram air breather would not line up properly. The Performer lines up good enough. Personal opinion: you go with the B4B.
I think JW may have run some head to head tests compared to stock. In general I think you are better off spending you money on the exhaust side.
I think it depends mostly on the set up if you have , slapping on a different intake on a stock engine wont give you more power. but if your heads have been modified, and or headers and even a different cam, you might get some more h/p from a aftermarket intake, the most H/P gain i have read was 5-10 over the stock with an aftermarket dual plane, and you would have to be turring over 5000 rpm. the real gain is on moters with good flowing heads and useing a single plane like the SP1 and turring around 6000 rpm. most power gains are good commpression, good flowing heads, exhaust, timing, then cams and carb, intake is way down the list. But they look cool, and are a lot lighter, just my 2 cents
Man, good stuff from all of you! Thanks guys....I tend to think like an engineer....where every bit counts, and it does here, but your sensible insights shed some light on my thinking. I should spend my immediate $ on other things, and I do plan on doing a full port/polish job and clean up. Now, one other question, do any of you know how valuable really polishing the combustion chamber is worth? I mention this because the fella who will be doing the work on the heads has plenty of experience with his own BBB running really well, but he didn't do the bowl polishing like I've read elsewhere and his car still ran low 12's with nothing fancy spent on the car. Also, I probably won't be using a really powerful cam ( use the stock to somewhere like the TA 212, though my buddy thinks I ought to get one ground thru the GSCA),. If I go this conservative route, would a 'full porting' of the heads be over kill since I won't be winding it up over 5500-6000rpms??? I do want to make 400hp or more too. thanks, Kelly
bowl blending and a 3 angle valve job is were most your power gain is, polishing up the commbustion chambers(mainly removeing sharp edges) helps in limitingdetonation in high commpression engines also you want to polishing the top of the pistons. TA 212 cam should be a good for a 400+ H/P engine.
On my mild (13.50@100 mph), the B4B worked no better than the stock intake. The performer is probably worse than the B4B as the carb pad was moved back so the stock ram air would fit. We did not pick up any switching from stock to B4B.
Tested on a 500 HP street motor Stock '70 intake, untouched - 492HP Vintage B4B, minor plenum/portmatch - 511 HP New Performer, no work (ports are smaller than B4B) - 498 HP New Performer, same work as B4B- 512 HP SP-1 with port match no spacer- 519 HP SP-1 with 1" cloverleaf spacer - 532 HP. JW
wow...thanks Jim.....but, if that test was performed on a milder cam like the stg1 or TA212, me thinks the improvements might not be there right? If your cam breathes good on the top end, then all of that will help right.....but if not....?? thanks, Kelly
manifolds My experience has been .1-.15 with the B4B over stock and .05-.1 with the performer over stock,also remember to stagger jet the Q-jet,2 sizes richer on the left side primary,particularly with the performer since its runner port is even longer than the B4B's.The poston can be made to run with the B4B with the right jetting and spacer combinations. gary
