Hi, I'm new to this forum. I own a 1972 Skylark custom coupe with a 350 2BBL with 10k miles. everything is stock as of right now, but I want to get it to at least 200 HP without adding any parts that are for race or stree/strip use only. I was wondering if anyone has done this to their car or knows what parts I need? Thanks in advance. -1972 Skylark Custom Coupe with 350 2BBl -2000 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R
Hi, Good question this is a very common situation. I will give a few different options: 1. Budget setup. Switch to dual 2.5” magnaflow exhaust keeping the exhaust manifolds. Find a factory 4 barrel intake and have a Q jet carb rebuilt by Ken at Everyday Performance or Mark at Q power. Re curve the ignition timing to obtain 12 degrees initial timing and 34 degrees total timing plus 10 degrees of vacuum advance on top using a ported vacuum supply. About 250 HP at 4800 RPM. 2. Medium budget. Hooker long tube headers, dual 2.5” exhaust, same timing curve, same carb setup, TA 212 cam, stage 1 valvesprings mill the heads to get 9:1, shorter pushrods. 300 Hp at 5000 RPM. 3. higher budget. Rebuild the bottom end with 10:1 pistons and have the block milled to get a true 10:1 compression. Custom cam by Scotty Brown, mild porting on the heads. Ta 4 barrel dual plane intake, Holley 750 carb for easy tuning, headers, same timing curve. Peak Hp about 340 Hp at 5600 RPM. 4. ideal setup. blueprinted block with ARP fasteners throughout. Ta (Molnar) connecting rods, Diamond forged pistons with valve reliefs, 11:1 compression, custom Scotty Brown cam, ported alum heads from TA, TA single plane intake, 750 Holley. Headers. 360-450HP at 6500 RPM. Pump gas premium
Thanks! I live in California though. If I had the money do you think it would be easier to do the medium budget option?
Yes I think this is the best bang for the buck. Be sure to replace at least the front cam bearing (best to do all) and use the grooved TA cam bearings, and a TA cam, and valvesprings. TA may be sold out of cams but Scotty Brown has cam cores to build a custom cam for the same $.
Ok so I am looking at parts and it seems to be that all of them are not legal for street use on emission controlled vehicles. I know that I can use some products if they don't actually alter the vehicles emissions, but I have no idea what will or will not alter the vehicles emissions
Go with ‘step 1’, especially the proper curve on the distributor and the professionally rebuilt Qjet and factory iron fiur barrel intake. Those will definitely make it feel snappy and are factory parts-they have to be legal. Dual exhaust should be legal. Drive it like that and decide if you want more. If you do, changing rear gears from what I presume are 2.73 or 2.93 to 3.23 or 3.42 will be a noticeable difference-again should be CARB legal. Patrick
Since there are no emissions considerations with the stock exhaust manifolds I think Headers should be legal. Any exhaust system is fine, magnaflow is the best I think. Yes the factory intake a Q jet is fully legal as it came stock.
Wait what part of CA are you in? I'm in the Bay Area. You shouldn't be concerned with emissions since you have a pre-1975 vehicle. Unless you live in an area where cops regularly pull you over and demand to see your OE smog equipment, AND know what to look for (I'd be shocked), then you can put whatever headers, engine, turbos etc in there without worry!
If the engine is as stock as you say, have a look at the distributor part number. The part number is on the circumference of the distributor just below the lower edge of the cap. Look for part # 1112109. If that distributor is still installed in your engine, and the initial timing is at 4* BTDC, you can boost performance by moving your initial timing to 12-14*. Your engine may have a different distributor. The car is still 50 years old and you probably aren't the original owner. Look at the part number.
I work down in Mountain View, but commute from Berkeley. I'd love to check out your car some day!! Wish there were more Buick people around here.
The 72 distributer is short on mechanical advance and at 12 initial will probably still not reach 32 advanced . Ken at Everyday Performance can update and recurve distributer. Personally, I prefer the crower level 3 cam ,advanced 4 degrees with this setup. Mill heads .030 for about 8.75 compression or go about .060 for about 9.15 compression. Porting the heads would be a decent idea since they are already off. Felpro head gaskets are a good replacement gasket. Good dual exhaust with an X crossover. https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/60400/10002/-1 Add this converter for something more aggressive. As mentioned, front cam bearing would be a good idea. As would a 3.42 gear and a 4 barrel carb, you may need a 4 barrel accelerator cable here also.
