A When it comes to stall speed, torque is king! As you mentioned, JEG's rates its converter at 2,300-2,700 stall. If you put a H.O. 502 big-block Chevy crate engine in front of that converter I guarantee you it will stall to 2,700 rpm. That engine produced over 500 lb-ft of torque way down low at 2,200 rpm! Your little 350 with the Summit camshaft, 882 cast-iron heads with 76cc combustion chambers, and flat-top pistons barely has 9:1 compression. This is a recipe for poor slow-speed torque. I bet on the engine dyno that your 350 doesn't even have 300 lb-ft of torque at 1,800 rpm. A 12-inch converter is very tight, and you would be better off with a JEG's 10-inch (PN 555-60401), which would let your engine get into the meat of the torque curve. The converter should range 2,700-3,000 rpm, based on the torque your engine produces. It features a dual-bolt pattern for ease of installation. These converters are designed for moderately modified engines, not for nitrous, turbos, blowers, or big-blocks.
Yes, an 800-cfm carb is too large for your engine. However, with the Edelbrock AVS-style carburetor it meters the amount of air that the engine needs by an air valve on the secondary side of the carb. This air valve opens based on airflow demand and keeps the velocity up on the intake side. If you do the math on your engine, it only requires 719 cfm at 7,000 rpm, and this is based on 100 percent volumetric efficiency! Your engine with its stock iron heads is probably at 85 percent VE at peak rpm. You should be able to tune in the 750-cfm carb and get better drivability and similar top-end performance as with the 800-cfm carb.
For now the 1.6 ratio rockers are just going to raise the effective lift and duration of your already too large camshaft. Until you increase your stall speed-and we haven't even talked about gearing yet-we would stick with the 1.5. Converter alone isn't going to move your Monte. Those late-'70s/early-'80s cars had terrible gears, to the tune of 2.56! As it appears that you're trying to have fun at the dragstrip, we would at least have 3.42 or 3.73 gears in your car.
Hope this has given you enough to think about and get your combination in order. With the proper gears, converter, carburetor, and rockers, we could see high 12s in your future.
Easy CrateQ I am in the market for a second-gen Camaro. I want to immediately swap out the engine for a Chevy crate. I was thinking about the RamJet 350 or ZZ4 H.O. 350. I want to install the engine that will give me the least amount of headaches since I am considering doing it with a friend and we're both novices. Also, is the stock transmission capable of handling the power? John MeolaVia e-mail
A Second-gen Camaros are really nice cars. My sister had a '71 and she still hates me for selling it out from under her to get her a '67 RS/SS 350! Hope you find a really clean one to start your project with.
Sticking with a carbureted engine will be much easier than converting the car over to an EFI layout. Between fuel system, tank, pumps, lines, and the like, it takes quite a bit to do an EFI conversion correctly. Then you're into the electrical upgrades. Tasks like the charging system and wiring modifications are better left to an experienced swapper. You still want to be talking to your friend when you're done with this project, don't you?
The ZZ4 would be a great engine for a second-gen Camaro. The engine is rated at 355 hp and just a tick over 400 lb-ft of torque, which will move the car nicely. The stock TH350 transmission in most of the '70s Camaros will stand up to the ZZ4 if it's fresh. Don't expect a TH350 with a ton of miles on it or "black death" trans fluid to last more than a weekend of entertainment. Good luck in your hunt for a Camaro. And make sure you feed your friend well while doing the swap.