Thanks a bunch to all of you, I have learned a lot about meeting emission controls. On the one hand my '76 Corvette engine is over 25 years old and the car is registered as a 1929 Ford, but I would like to use standard plates and not revert to antique plates yet. I mulled over the choice of intake and today I ordered an Edelbrock Performer-EGR after I took apart my stock manifold EGR setup. My reasoning is as follows (I may be wrong). Yes the stock manifold actually gives better torque at low rpm, probably by virtue of narrower runners which packs more fuel-air mixture in the cylinders by ram-charging. This means it is actually using more fuel down in low rpm since the energy comes from the fuel. Thus with the Edelbrock Performer I will indeed get less torque but use less fuel in high gear? Then when in second gear on a kick-down or in acceleration the Performer will show it's worth in the 3500-4000 rpm range when I may want to accelerate. In addition, the Aluminum manifold is probably only half the weight of the iron manifold. I also picked up a rebuild kit for my Quadrajet and it is really a chinese puzzle that I will wait until I have a lot of time and patience to do. I also learned something I would not have thought of by myself in that I can buy universal-cats for about $55 each and put one in each exhaust pipe to meet the catalytic converter requirement. Further, today I bought a set of absolutely beautiful chromed SBC valve covers with a built-in PVC valve. Thus I hope to present PVC, EGR and Catalytic Converters to Va Inspection in the hope that they will not bug me on the lack of an air pump. I just want to say that your comments have been very helpful. Thanks! The engine is incredibly beautiful with the block in Chevy Orange with chromed tin parts axcept for the pan which is also Chevy Orange, I will try to post a picture as soon as I get the heads and manifold on. Realistically I think this setup will get about 260 H.P. at 4500 rpm and hopefully better than 300 ft. lb. at 3500 rpm with the Performer, Crane cam and 1 5/8" headers and that is a lot more than I would have got with a 4" stroker flathead and I look forward to real fun and MAYBE 17-18 mpg with the 2.79:1 rear gear?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder