Little help for a beginner.......

On a 350 smallblock:The previous owner installed a mild cam and, as far as I can tell, nothing else. This engine doesn't seem to have too much low-end torque, but it comes alive around 2000 rpm to about 4500, very pleasantly I might add. I'm guessing it's a mid-range power cam....My question: In further modifying this engine, do I continue on the mid-range power path, since I'm already committed with the cam, or can I add low-end enhancing accessories (intake manifold, exhaust pipe size, etc.) and gain back some torque? What I'm really asking is does mixing mid-range and low-end devices "confuse" an engine. I hope I'm making sense. I'm at a crossroad...need to know how to proceed.

JR

Without knowing the specs of the cam, it's very easy to mis-match parts so you hurt performance more than help. Since it appears to be a mid-range cam, you can make an educated guess as to what you can change to gain some torque, but that's still a crapshoot at best. I'd say stick with the mid-range path not only due to the cam, but that's where you do the most driving anyway.

It never hurts to install a low restriction exhaust. The exhaust suppliers tend to stick with a 2 1/2 inch exhaust for small blocks. More than that can hurt the low end unless you have a torque monster that needs the additional breathing.

My '78 L82 has a somewhat warmer cam installed by a previous owner...I didn't have the specs either. What I did was install an Edelbrock Performer intake, had the original Quadrajet properly rebuilt (it was leaking plus it had to be re-jetted to match the needs of the cam), installed a true dual exhaust system and upgraded the HEI ignition with a Pertronix coil and control module, plus a thorough tune-up. The car runs far better with those mild upgrades. You don't need to do major things to an engine to increase its performance, unless you want to do a complete rebuild and build the engine any way you want from the get-go.

You also have to keep in mind many or most aftermarket intakes won't give you clearance under a stock Corvette hood, so you're more or less stuck with milder intakes to begin with.

Thanks for your quick and very thorough response, Gun....the hood clearance issue I've addressed by swapping the stock hood with an L-88, anticipating going to a high-rise intake, such as an Air-Gap. Ignition is definitely in it's future and a slightly bigger carb...I'm sure I can do better than the 600cfm Edelbrock also installed by P.O. That might be as far as I want to venture.

JR