truck engine

I have a 350SBC in my 1976 c30 hauler, while it's doing fine, I would like to take the time this winter to give it a refresh before something goes wrong(If I can avoid the machine shop all the better for my wallet). So I was thinking, new rings, bearings and a cam. The truck has 882 heads, I have some ported 441 castings as well. I also have available to me a brodix HVH high rise intake. I have the stock 4bbl carb and a Holley 2bbl 500cfm carb. On the out side I have stainless tri Y headers and a fairy open exhaust (1 3/4 primaries running into straight pipes with cherry bombs hanging on a few feet back)

My goal is torque, HP is not that big a concern, neither is high end power. The truck weighs 7000 pounds plus 2800 for my race car and spares. The ****** is a M22 and the rear end has 4.56 gears. I would like to be able to increase the power of the engine to be able to change the rear end ratio to 3.73 to increase my fuel mileage above the current 9-11mpg.

Any suggestions as to what cam, head, intake, carb combo should be used would be appreciated.

 

short duration cams make more torque at low rpms-or you could stroke that baby to a 383 and pull out stumps.

 

Have you thought about switching to an NV 4500 to get the low gear and an OD?

 

From what I can find the Brodix HVA intake isn't at all what you want for low end low speed torque on a tow rig.

The rings and bearings plus a valve job and new timing set and oil pump isn't a bad idea at all to keep the truck reliable but race car parts on a truck used to tow doesn't seem wise even if they are collecting dust on the shelf.

 

I would follow say Edlbrocks recommendations on up grading an RV. You know cam ,intake ect. they did all the research take advantage of it. INMO

 

Thanks for the tips people, as for the ******, yes that is in the plans, and I need to widen the rear axle(looks strange the wheels are too far in), so I going to see if I can fit in a 2 speed truck axle, that would give me an around town no haul ratio, and a I need to pull a 8000 pound trailer and haul a car ratio as well.



As for the race car parts on the engine, it was just a thought, but I know that high torque and high HP in a reliable package are not good together, so torque is the way to go for this engine.