Cheap Horsepower - Daily Drivers Only

[Larry Low]

Forced to use the stock GM drop base air cleaner on my big block 68 Camaro with the SS hood, my plugs always stayed badly black and sooty. Evaluating the air cleaner noticed it only provided 3/4" +/- air gap at the top of the choke air horn. Not much to feed a big block. Since I had the choke blocked off anyway I decided to cut off the choke air horn flush with the top of the base. My plugs are now clean and I believe I picked up an easy 60+ horsepower. Coarse I wouldn't do this on my original numbers carburetor! Found this link from a guy that did the same thing on a Mustang for picture reference.

www.mustangcentral.net/tech/choke.html

Larry
37023

[Clem Z.]

Re: Cheap Horsepower - Daily Drivers Only

you need 1/2" above the bowl vent for the carb to work correctly. cutting the vent on a 45 degree angle will help also.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Cheap Horsepower - Daily Drivers Only

you need 1/2" above the bowl vent for the carb to work correctly. cutting the vent on a 45 degree angle will help also.

[Tom B.]

Re: Cheap Horsepower - Daily Drivers Only

Very interesting. I had a drop base on my '67 big block coupe. I had 2 sets of plugs and cleaned/swapped them about every 5 days of driving in a mildly built 427. In contrast my all stock '70 El Camino SS 454/LS6 didn't use plugs any faster than my 283 2bbl Impala.

Tom

[Tom B.]

Re: Cheap Horsepower - Daily Drivers Only

Very interesting. I had a drop base on my '67 big block coupe. I had 2 sets of plugs and cleaned/swapped them about every 5 days of driving in a mildly built 427. In contrast my all stock '70 El Camino SS 454/LS6 didn't use plugs any faster than my 283 2bbl Impala.

Tom