[Vetteman61]

I found an Edelbrock SP 2P (Pontiac) for sale locally, but I cannot determine if it is SpreadBore or Squarebore. Also, if it works with electronic ignition distributor?

My car is a 1971 Safari Wagon with a 455. It is a family cruiser, tows sometimes, and almost never gets the pedal pushed to the mat. I'm looking for something that gives low end torque and better mpg, and my understanding is that this intake can provide that. I'm not concerned with revving over 4000 rpm.

Here's a picture in case it may be helpful:



Thanks,
Brandon

[Schurkey]

Obviously a spread-bore manifold.

I have no idea why that wouldn't work with an HEI. It's not like it's a high-rise.

Is that the correct style choke-well for your carb? Will your PCV parts fit this manifold?



First Guess: Be prepared for a whole lot of "no improvement".

[Dragncar]

You are better off the a Performer. That will choke a 455.

[Cruiser]

I used the Chevy version of the same intake on a 1978 Chevy half ton 4x4 and it was a “Dog” if the Pontiac version is anything like the small block Chevy version you would be better off with a factory cast iron Quadrajet manifold by far. It’s a poor design at least that’s my opinion.

[steve25]

That's way too restrictive for a 455 even if you do not care a whit about power above 4000 rpm!

It should not be too hard nor expensive to turn up a used perfromer, and oh, by the way you may think you do not need power above 4000 rpm, but the TB400 trans in the car is set to up shift at full throttle from 1st to 2nd above 4000 rpm!

[TCSGTO]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

First Guess: Be prepared for a whole lot of "no improvement".

I agree.

[promptcritical]

What intake is on it now?

[Vetteman61]

It has the stock '71 intake. I am afraid that I may have hood clearance issues if I use an adapter when using a squarebore carb on the spreadbore intake. Also, the car never gets run through the gears while floored. It is a family hauler and may be used some to tow. Low end torque and mpg are much more useful to me than anything lost above 3500 or 4000 rpm.

[Dragncar]

The only good thing I have ever gotten out of one of those was on a Ford FE 360. Some of those engines were super low compression. This fella had a aluminum Edelbrock intake that 427 on it and big runners. I was building a 390 for a friend with a nice cam in it and did a trade. Worked out for both.
The SP2P style intake did make better of idle response in the 360 but those things are around 7-1 and need any help they can get. The 390 ran great, beat a few V10 pickups.

[77 TRASHCAN]

I have one of those intakes. Thought about using it on the 350 that's currently in my TA...LOL...I've got bigger fish to fry!!! Namely a 455 or 400.

In my opinion that intake was a mistake for a Pontiac. Most Pontiac enthusiast's build 400's or 455's. It's only possible "good" use could be on e 350 or 326. BUT, aftermarket folks were struggling in the late 70's and nearly all of the 80's trying to get a product into the hands of consumers.

I helped a friend build a 350 for his 1973 Chevy Blazer (3.07 gear). We used the stock CS274 cam and one of those intakes with stock 993 heads, stock manifolds. It did get 20 MPG some of the times he drove it, so the intake had SOME merit...I built a Quadrajet for it, everything was essentially stock, except for the intake. The engine was a well done stock build, this likely contributed....

[Cliff R]

Another option might be an early P4B square flange intake. They were never all that popular being square flange but at least they have decent size runners and woln't choke out your 455.......

[Will]

Wait... you have a stock 4-bbl intake and you want to improve power by going to an aftermarket intake that will choke your engine?

You're not going to see an improvement over the stock intake with any aftermarket intake for your application. Stick with the stock intake and Q-jet and rest assured you're getting as much low end torque as it's possible to get from those parts.

If you're changing to a square bore carb for some crazy reason then look for a regular Performer.

[TedRamAirII]

SP2P is a POS, It may work on a small cube, big car for torque, maybe. It will choke any Engine. I doubt you can improve torque on a 455 without a cam change.

[promptcritical]

Originally Posted by Vetteman61

It has the stock '71 intake. I am afraid that I may have hood clearance issues if I use an adapter when using a squarebore carb on the spreadbore intake. Also, the car never gets run through the gears while floored. It is a family hauler and may be used some to tow. Low end torque and mpg are much more useful to me than anything lost above 3500 or 4000 rpm.

Hard to beat a sock intake on a 455 for torque. Q-jet all the way for what you want IMO.

[Sirrotica]

I changed the cam in my 1975 400 Lemans wagon for a 260 CC high energy because it was going flat on a lobe or two. I bought a brand new SP2P intake at the same time. I actually lost power, and fuel mileage over the stock intake and a worn out camshaft. One of the most disappointing engine upgrades/downgrades I ever did.

The engine ran fine after the change, but very disappointing on acceleration, and losing over 2 MPG over stock parts, and a worn out cam.

FWIW, I used the exact same cam in 2 other builds right around the same time, but didn't change intakes. I used the factory intakes on both of those builds, so I know the cam wasn't the Achilles heel, it had to be the intake.

After wasting nealy $150 on that intake I would never recommend one to anyone, even for a 326 or a 350, let alone a 455. The factory intake will beat it hands down everywhere, IMO.

I ended up selling my wagon about a year later, and sold it with the SP2P on it, I wasn't even worried about letting it go wth the car, good riddance to it.

[b-man]

I’d put a new 066 cam in your 455.

Standard 4-barrel 455 came with the 067, 2-barrel versions used the 066.

Possibly try a Performer intake, forget the SP-2P.

[Drag Star Le Mans]

That intake looks pathetic! I wouldn't take one if it was free let alone run it.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Drag Star Le Mans

That intake looks pathetic! I wouldn't take one if it was free let alone run it.

Welcome to Arab Embargoes, and the "Fuel Crisis" twins of the 1970s.

[Dragncar]

I have a nice P4B, 100$ Actually it has pretty big runners.

[BAD2000TA]

Sorry to hijack

Quick question: I currently have the standard performer on my 462, with #96 heads, 234/244 cam. I recently installed the Sniper EFI, but was curious if I need to change the intake. Is the P4B better than the standard Performer? Would the Torker II be better for the Sniper (better fuel distribution)? I really would prefer the Performer RPM, but having a Shaker requires more modifications. Thanks.