Terry Lee Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 I have a 72 MC with what appears to be a stock 402. What is the best way and least expensive way to increase horsepower? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ripleydale Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Headers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Do you just want to make the car faster? What do you do with the car, drive around town, long trips, drag strip only? A combination of all of the above? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike 57 Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 If it has a 2.73 rear gear a step up to 3.31 or 3.41 will give you something you can feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Lee Posted December 30, 2010 Author Share Posted December 30, 2010 Mainly pleasure driving. I am looking for additional power for that occaisional urge to "get on it" for speed and some low end torque to light them up. I currenly have an open rear end and I would like to turn it into a posi. Any suggestions. Â Thanks! Â Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Lee Posted December 30, 2010 Author Share Posted December 30, 2010 Great idea! I'll have to find out what size the current gear is. Also, it has an open rear end and I would like to have a posi. Any suggestions on the most economical way to go? Â Thanks! Â Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Gears will be the most noticable upgrade. I would recommend 3.23s or something around there if you have 2.73s like mentioned, and I would do an eaton posi or a tru-trac. All done you'll have less than $1000 in it and it will be the biggest change you could notice for that amount of cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I agree, more gear! Â then a 454 drops right in place of that 402 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 or a 572... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Lee Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 Thanks Heckeng! Â Great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Lee Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 Actually I found out today that is the tranny I have in the car. I'm thinking the 331 gear might be what will work for me. Â Thanks! Â Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy's Auto Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Mr. Lee, I too have a 72 402 car. Got it with a wiped cam but otherwise ran well. I kept the stock induction and swapped in the now $109 cheapie cam kit. Woke it right up. Threw a new timing chain and some fresh gaskets as well. The car car came with a 3.31 peg leg in it but I managed to leave it alone. Still have the stock tranny in it but also threw a 2300 stall to better match the cam. Â It is a hoot to drive. The car has no options and is an original Orange Flame colored car. Â My other 402 I have is in my 68 Chevelle. Took another bone stock Monte 402 and threw a quickie rebuild, a pretty big Crower solid roller cam, a matched 3500 stall speed, and a 750 Holley. I had a set of well modified 820 cast heads with big valves. I originally built a nice 3.73 12 bolt but was too much with the stock 14 inch ralley SS wheels, so in went a 2.56 rear for now. Â The 68 is much fun but the 107 center on the cam killed any semblance of power brakes so I added a vacuum pump. The engine is truly balls plus for a small big block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Lee Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 Sam, Â I saw in another thread that you have the MSA book to determine Trim Codes. If you have a minute and can decode mine for me I would really appreciate it. Â ST72 13857 K332441BDY TR 735 A52 65 TPNT 06A 01104 Â Thanks! Â Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machtuck Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Hi everyone, I am new here. Very happy to be here. Ok the intro is out of the way. I have the same 72/402 combo. Here's what I did: Â Replaced 2:73 with eaton series 3 carrier w/ Richmond 3:42 ring and pinion Moser axles- heavy car, you should have em' 2500 converter 402- .030 over hyper pistons, crane hyd flat tap 216/228 515/510 112 lsa Casting 292 heads- bowl blend these and add the 1.88 exh valves keep the intake the same 2.06, all stainless and back cut. I took only .010 off the heads and kept the STD deck. Use mr. Gasket .019 head gasket. - this should get you about 8.9 to one with 113 cc and .180 dome. I use the exhaust manifolds ( grind the air fitting bosses and smooth the turns) Factory intake. Quadrajet done by jet performance. The car is 3960 with me and runs 14.30's spinning the tires all day. Â I agree, if you want quick and easy, headers and gear. Your choice with 12 bolts is limited to 3:08- 3:42. 3:31 are avail but I couldn't find them at the time. I think the 3:23 ratios are very hard to find but are found in olds 12 bolts. Â With the 820/ 292 casting heads done like above and a small hid roller, this really wakes the 396/402's up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black07ss Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Thanks for your input. Welcome to the site Jerry. Do you have any pics?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machtuck Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks. Working on some pics. I have had some pontiacs and other gm cars but I have always thought that the fgmc has always been a classy car; so I bought one. Going to be doing a dash resto and will probably need some advice. There are some beautiful owner pics on this site I also have a restored 1966 el camino with a 406 that I race. Still love my cruiser monte though. Didn't intend to hijack the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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