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Q: I have a Chevy Caprice with a 350 4-bolt main, a 292 Lunati cam with .480” of lift, and a high-rise intake with a 750 Holley carb. My heads have been worked with 2.02” intake/1.50” exhaust valves, a spring set for .480” lift, ported heads, and headers.

I also have a 350 transmission, fully rebuilt with a stage 2 shift kit, 2,500 rpm stall, and an 8.5” 10-bolt rear end with limited slip and 3.73 gears.

At the strip, my car has a very slow start, but when it downtrack, it’s pretty fast. What do I need for a quicker break?

By the way, do you think a 350 Chevy engine can compare to a 400? Would it be better to convert the 350 to a 383?

A: Sounds like a good ride!

We have a few tweaks to suggest. That 750 carb may be too big if your compression is under 10:1 or so (though it would pick up on the top end). A single-plane intake would also take away from the low end. Changing parts could help, but it would be a trade-off.

Check your fuel pressure at takeoff to make sure you’re not running lean. And check your timing. You might also try advancing your cam 4 degrees to help your low end.

Converting a 350 to a 383 will make more power, but the conversion alone is not worth the cost. Dollar for dollar, there is more power to be had from a set of aftermarket cylinder heads than from porting the stock set or a 383 conversion.

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