1968 Z/28 smog.

[Lynn]

Don't mean to second guess you, but if it is for a driver, why in the world would you spend the money on a smog set up? Although I was just a poor kid with a 57 Chevy in high school, I had several friends with 67, 68 and 69 Z/28's. Did plenty of wrenching and tuning: headers, shifters etc. All the smog systems were removed about 3 nano seconds after the cars got home.

I do have a complete smog set up for my 69 and was discussing some of the parts with Jerry McNiesh. He said most of the guys running smog set ups gut the pump, and block the vacuum lines because it is just so darn hard to get the cars to run right (read: not backfire on a regular basis) with a functioning set up.

Just my opinion, but for a driver, ditch the smog, go two or three jet sizes richer on the primaries (if you still have the 4053 carb), get the distributor curved, run small tube, true tuned long equal length headers, and go have a ball. The 302 responds to these things more so than any other small block chevy IMHO. It was built to wind, and you can't wind it out with the smog and the manifolds. Besides, the 68 was still available with headers in the trunk. I took some out and put them where they belonged.

Yeah, I have the smog set up and manifolds for my 69, but they will probably stay in the garage so I can actually drive this thing the way it should be driven. Most 302 Z's will run about 15.2 in pure stock trim. Road & Track got 14.9 with a pure stock, as supplied 68 Z/28 with power steering and 4:10 gears. With just those few mods and a 4:10 gear, you can get high 13's without slicks. Car & Driver got 13.77 on E 70 15 Nylon tires (ever try and get traction with those things - Sam Posey called them "Suzuki tires") in a 68 Z with the factory headers, over the counter cross ram, and transistor ignition. I would think there is almost another 1/2 second in good tires. Granted, they had a cross ram, but I doubt there is much advantage in the 1/4 mile over a properly jetted 4053 four barrel.

Just my opinion.

Lynn