Need more Power!!

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Brettt14

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Just bought a 82 K10 with the 350 and a TH350 transmission. EVERYTHING is stock, my budget is $1,500. What is the best way to make more power for the money? I know I really need a 4 barrel carb to start. Which do you think is best?
 

R10C10

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4 barrel intake, 4 barrel carb, and headers are a good cheap and easy to replace place to start.
shop around the local auto swap meets you would be surprised what you will find and the deals you will get. performance 350 chevy parts are a dime a dozen at any local swap meet.
also don't forget about the little things that make a huge difference. cap, rotor, plugs wires... basic tune up.
 

Honky Kong jr

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Gearing is also a good power band-aide
 

HotRodPC

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Need More Power??? Nawwww??? Who don't?

$1500 is a great budget for making more power. So explain more power? You wanting to pull a house off it's foundation? You wanting to take off like a rocket from a red light? You want to be able to be doing 75 at the top of the freeway onramp? You want to do 150mph? You might be able to have 2 of the above but not all of the above. So what do you mean by more power?

If you currently have a 2bbl, a 4bbl and aftermarket intake is a good start. What gear ratio is in your truck right now with what size tires? Sometimes more power isn't going to accomplish what you want, but some torque multiplication to the ground will get the job done.
 

HotRodPC

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Just throw a big block in and forget about it, lol. :D


I dunno about that. I've got a 454 in the C20, and the K1500 I had was a 350 with a couple adders, intake, carb, headers, and I built the Th350 in it. My C20 seemed like a sled compared to the attitude of the K1500. Of course the C20 with the 454 had 3.21's and the K1500 had 3.73's. And the Th400 maybe stronger, but I still prefer a Th350. I like having the adjustment option of the detent cable on the Th350. The K1500 had enough power and attitude to be much more fun to drive than the C20 with the Fo Fitty Fo.
 

Honky Kong jr

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I dunno about that. I've got a 454 in the C20, and the K1500 I had was a 350 with a couple adders, intake, carb, headers, and I built the Th350 in it. My C20 seemed like a sled compared to the attitude of the K1500. Of course the C20 with the 454 had 3.21's and the K1500 had 3.73's. And the Th400 maybe stronger, but I still prefer a Th350. I like having the adjustment option of the detent cable on the Th350. The K1500 had enough power and attitude to be much more fun to drive than the C20 with the Fo Fitty Fo.
But once you dump the peanut ports that 454 will wake up at top end. But there is the dished pistons that hurt too.
 

74 Shortbed

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I dunno about that. I've got a 454 in the C20, and the K1500 I had was a 350 with a couple adders, intake, carb, headers, and I built the Th350 in it. My C20 seemed like a sled compared to the attitude of the K1500. Of course the C20 with the 454 had 3.21's and the K1500 had 3.73's. And the Th400 maybe stronger, but I still prefer a Th350. I like having the adjustment option of the detent cable on the Th350. The K1500 had enough power and attitude to be much more fun to drive than the C20 with the Fo Fitty Fo.
Since you have dished pistons, a 206 head with the big valves and a clean up and you'll think you had 4 of them POS small blocks in there, lol, and enough torque to break parts right off idle, garonteed..:cool: :D
 

75Monza

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May be a little out of the ordinary, but my favorite rwd truck engine is the 455 Oldsmobile. Full dressed minus flywheel stock they weighed 620 lbs, add a cam, headers, intake, carb and updated HEI and your looking at a healthy 400+ hp and well over 500 ft/lbs of torque, all under 4500 rpm. You do need to do some oil passage work since stock was very poor on oil return and it's cheaper to stick with an automatic (preferably TH400) instead of machine work on crank for 4 speed. I find them in the wrecking yards still, strip them down, do the machine work, upgrade to a flat top piston and maybe a good 850 cfm carb, and if did most everything myself was usually able to stay within the $1500 mark as long as I picked up some used stuff like top end on ebay or craigslist. Guaranteed to be a tire shredding monster!
 

CSFJ

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If your still finding them, damn, those have got to be some good yards. It's probably been 20 years since I've run across one at a wrecking yard around here. They pop up on c-list from time to time, but they're pretty rare and usually a basket case if it's even usable.
 

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One even better is a 500ci Cad.
 

75Monza

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Cheapest one I know of around here is a complete 72 station wagon for $400. Found two other options in the $500 range that are 71-72 Buick tuna boats that have the Buick 455 in them. I prefer the Buick over the Olds, they are just more expensive to build and find aftermarket parts for.
 

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One even better is a 500ci Cad.

That had been my plan originally, until I wound up with the diesel. Rather anemic power wise, but the simplicity appeals to me.
 

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That had been my plan originally, until I wound up with the diesel. Rather anemic power wise, but the simplicity appeals to me.
I can relate..
 

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