79 camaro help

[anthonyc5758]

I just bought a 79 camaro and was wondering what are some ways to free up some more HP? Nothing has been done to it except adding a flowmaster exhaust system and a stereo system. Any ideas would help

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

First of all, welcome to the forum and congratulations on your purchase!

As always, helping the engine breathe better will free up some horsepower (intake and exhaust). Since you already have the exhaust done, think about some headers...

There is a lot of difference between a '79 and an '02 which I drive (obviously ), so I'm not gonna be much help... but there are definitely guys on here who will be! Good luck!

[00 Ragtop Z]

intake and exhaust are the primary consdierations. the second gen cars were tremendously detuned, so even teh 350s in teh z-28s of 79-81 produced a relatively low HP at the rear wheels.

As already commented, headers will be a start, intake manifold and carboration will be next considerations.

I had a 78 (new) with the 305, it wasn't much for go but sure loved the car--the seond gens ahd a great body style..

[SteveH'95Formula]

I have a '79 Camaro as well

I'm not going for performance right now. I'm just restoring. See the pic below. But if you really want more power about the only way to much alot more is to take the engine apart and go with a more radical cam and carburetor. I have a new Edelbroch carb. and so far it is great to tune. High compression pistons would help. Headers should be fairly easy to install on the 2nd gen. cars. So much more room to work with! In short I would much rather put new cam and pistons on my old Camaro than my '95 Firebird Formula because there is soo much more room to work with. It all boils down to getting the most timing and highest compression without gettng into detonation. You don't have to worry much about emissions and fuel economy with these cars.

[Joe 1320]

Here are a few tricks:
*Weight and spring kit to recurve the HEI distributer.
*Block the heat crossover in the intake manifold.
*Lose the cat.
*A dual plane intake manifold like the edelbrock performer.
*Holley 650 cfm vac. secondary spreadbore carb.
*Headers along with your current exhaust system, add a crossover or balance pipe just after the collectors.

Those mods really helped my '79. Before I blew it up with nitrous though. Those mods are pretty generic, but help unchoke a late 70's small block. Just understand that these mods won't pass the visual emissions test if it exists in your area.

[SteveH'95Formula]

My edelbroch did not have EGR provisions and I blocked the hot cross over to heat the choke. The new carb. has an electric choke anyway. My current exhaust has no cats. just a true dual exhaust with dual mufflers like the Z28's had.