Reply to "Net and Gross HP"

The valve springs depend upon which cam you are considering. The "old school" cam works good with the Boss 302/Boss 351/429 SCJ springs. The XE274H should be used with the springs recommended by Comp Cams.

A Holley carb in the 750 CFM range is the right size for the Cleveland in most applications. It may need to be jetted to carburete smoothly from idle to WOT. You don't need a fancy intake manifold either. Acquire a 1970 - 1971 cast iron intake, have a machine shop open up the 4 holes to the same size as the Holley carb.

I would set the compression ratio between 9.5:1 and 10.0:1. To achieve this, when you rebuild the motor install a set of fordged flat top pistons, zero deck the block, and use the 1971 (D1AE) closed chamber heads (assuming you are ignoring my advice about small port heads and using 4V heads). While you're at it, install some good rod bolts on the connecting rods and have the reciprocating assembly dynamically balanced. Don't neglect to either have your harmonic balancer rebuilt by Damper Dudes or to purchase a Romac balancer. For a timing chain set purchase a Roll Master set.

I can't emphasize enough that a set of Aussie closed chamber heads, an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold (can be acquired dirt cheap on ebay) and the Comp Cams XE274H is perhaps the best low budget street combo. The Aussie heads have smaller combustion chambers than even the 1970 4V heads, so a set of dished pistons are needed to keep the compression ratio below 10.0:1. A piston with a dish that mimics the shape of the combustion chamber will maximize what little "squish area" there is in the Cleveland heads. I believe Keith Black offers these off the shelf.

I also want to emphasize that a custom ground camshaft, specified by someone knowlegable about the Cleveland will work better than any off the shelf cam. Mark McKeown is highly recommended. Mark can provide most of the parts I have mentioned, he can set up a set of Aussie heads for you, etc.

Bottom line, do business with somebody who really knows the Cleveland motor, most self-proclaimed Cleveland experts don't know diddly. Cutting corners on engine work is never cost effective, it always bites you in the butt one way or the other: in premature failures, poor performing engine, having to re-do work, leaving you stranded, long distance towing bills, embarrassment, nagging wife (you have to spend more money on that thing!), frustration, high blood pressure and forehead stitches (from banging your head against the wall).

cowboy from hell