Make sure your carb is adjusted properly! adjust your secondary air door spring. I removed my EGR and all emissions stuff as well. I also removed the secondary choke pull-off and just adjusted the secondary air valves using the spring. Remove your secondary DP rods and replace them with "DR" rods. I got some DR rods from a camaro in my junkyard. Also I used a "G" hanger. I was able to get a much richer secondaries. Also, if your carb is really old, rebuild it! My 200,000 miles carb had extremely badly leaking well plugs.
Also, get a timing light and adjust your timing! Buy an aftermarket timing curve kit, to get the good springs. Experiment with different types of springs and weights. Personally, I used the stock weights, and had good success with the moroso springs. Make sure your timing is 34-36 degrees, I had mine all in by 1800 RPM and I run 91 octane fuel.
Weight reduction like beer said - super good. You can easily drop 100+ lbs of emissions and HVAC from the front end of the car. If you feel like cutting a bit out of the car, you can easily remove over 100 lbs from the body and it will be unnoticeable (ie coring the doors, removing sound deadening material, trimming panels with a nibbler). You can drop an additional 100 lbs using light weight accessors and alumiunum brackets on the motor. Aluminum water pump + aluminum pulleys + min-starter + light fan + aluminum power steering brackets and case + aluminum intake manifold + lightweight alternator + removing unneccessary brackets and sensors from the motor = 100lb weight savings. And less accessory drag! There are tons of ways to remove weight from these cars, just get creative, its a super easy (and cheap) way to increase power.
It might not make horsepower, but it will help you get it to the ground: cut a coil off your rear springs to stiffen them up and improve your front-rear weight distribution. stiffer rear springs will help you hook up better. The stock springs are super soft. I have 2" lowering springs on my rear and they are very stiff, help with traction a bunch.
Also something that people overlook - general maintainence items like:
Grease your brake travel pins.
Make sure your drums and discs aren't sticking.
Make sure your park brake isn't sticking.
Make sure your throttle and TV cable are properly adjusted.
Make sure your wheel bearings are in good shape.
Make sure your accessories are properly aligned to reduce accessory drag.
Make sure your vacuumn lines are in good shape, no leaks.
Make sure your alignment is good, replace control arms if they are warped.
Make sure your steering is good, all the power in the world doesnt matter if you can't steer.
If your power steering pump or power steering box is really beat up, it will suck lots of power. Make sure they are in good shape, replace if required.
Use a good-quality real synthetic oil like Mobil 1 or Amsoil.
Fix up your air induction system. The factory intake sucked so much. Get a good low-restriction air filter, or build a homemade something to get a little more low end torque and a colder air charge.
Some people say "oh all those little things dont matter". But they do add up.
Also, get a timing light and adjust your timing! Buy an aftermarket timing curve kit, to get the good springs. Experiment with different types of springs and weights. Personally, I used the stock weights, and had good success with the moroso springs. Make sure your timing is 34-36 degrees, I had mine all in by 1800 RPM and I run 91 octane fuel.
Weight reduction like beer said - super good. You can easily drop 100+ lbs of emissions and HVAC from the front end of the car. If you feel like cutting a bit out of the car, you can easily remove over 100 lbs from the body and it will be unnoticeable (ie coring the doors, removing sound deadening material, trimming panels with a nibbler). You can drop an additional 100 lbs using light weight accessors and alumiunum brackets on the motor. Aluminum water pump + aluminum pulleys + min-starter + light fan + aluminum power steering brackets and case + aluminum intake manifold + lightweight alternator + removing unneccessary brackets and sensors from the motor = 100lb weight savings. And less accessory drag! There are tons of ways to remove weight from these cars, just get creative, its a super easy (and cheap) way to increase power.
It might not make horsepower, but it will help you get it to the ground: cut a coil off your rear springs to stiffen them up and improve your front-rear weight distribution. stiffer rear springs will help you hook up better. The stock springs are super soft. I have 2" lowering springs on my rear and they are very stiff, help with traction a bunch.
Also something that people overlook - general maintainence items like:
Grease your brake travel pins.
Make sure your drums and discs aren't sticking.
Make sure your park brake isn't sticking.
Make sure your throttle and TV cable are properly adjusted.
Make sure your wheel bearings are in good shape.
Make sure your accessories are properly aligned to reduce accessory drag.
Make sure your vacuumn lines are in good shape, no leaks.
Make sure your alignment is good, replace control arms if they are warped.
Make sure your steering is good, all the power in the world doesnt matter if you can't steer.
If your power steering pump or power steering box is really beat up, it will suck lots of power. Make sure they are in good shape, replace if required.
Use a good-quality real synthetic oil like Mobil 1 or Amsoil.
Fix up your air induction system. The factory intake sucked so much. Get a good low-restriction air filter, or build a homemade something to get a little more low end torque and a colder air charge.
Some people say "oh all those little things dont matter". But they do add up.
