I’ve recently broken a tooth off my torque converter gear and need to get a new one. I'm thinking now is a good time to get a higher stall converter (say around 3500) which I think this combo needs or should I stick with a lower converter and swap out the cam for something better suited to the rest of the package. I’ve never been sold on this cam but I don’t think I’ve seen its full potential with the other pieces of my current setup. Searching around it seems that if I go with a newer cam that is better suited to the exhaust manifolds, I can reduce the amount of stall in my new converter. This car is mostly a cruiser with possibly the odd track visit.

My current set up is:

.30 over 400
10.25 to 1 compression
509 MP cam installed at 108 CL
Ported 452’s stock valves
750 demon vacuum secondaries
HP exhaust manifold (I’d like to keep them)
Stock intake
2 ¼” full exhaust
2800 stall (which I need to replace)
3.91 gears

All in a 73 B Body

Which 509 cam the the 108 centerline or 114 centerline. if it is the 108 LSA one and you have it in at 108 it is 2 deg retarded and that cam loves to be advanced to 103 with a combo like yours.
A 3000 stall is enough if you advance that cam to 103 (even 101 or 102)

MP .528 solid cam, 3" mandrel bent ex all the way back (with an X pipe and resonators of some sort in the rear tailpipes both for noise control) and walker dynomax 17769 muffs in the middle. Not sure on a TC recommendation w the above cam

I'm pretty sure it was the 108, it was about 10 years ago now that I put it in so I'll have to see if I can find the spec card. I didn't realize that MP made two different types.

I have a H pipe with dynomax setup currently but only in 2 1/4, I hear you about needing the resonators in the back as I would like to get the noise down more. How much gain do you think there is to going to 3".

I don't think I want to go any bigger than the 509, its about at the limit of my comfirt level as far as street manners.

I always thought my setup was a little mismatched with the manifolds but it sound like it might not be that far off.

The 509 is a very old cam design. There are much better cams out there. I currently run the Lunarti voodoo 60304. 513/533 234/242@50. Car has a ton of torque and excellent street manners. It runs super with stock manifolds. I use a stock type exhaust with 2 1/2 pipes and repop hemi mufflers a 28 to 3200 stall edelbrock performer with 800 Thunder carb and MP ign with chrome box and blue constant out put regulator. heads are mildly ported and 10.5 comp. Pulls hard to 6200 RPM. Cam set in 4degree advance. 16 inches of vac at idle which is 700 rpm.

You'll need to decide about the exhaust manifolds. If you keep them, the 509 has got to go for something smaller with less overlap. Then you can keep the converter you have. Or stick with the 509 cam (advance it 4 maybe 6 on the 400), change to headers, and install a higher stall converter.

The 509 cam and exhaust manifolds is a poor combination.

Advance it up and you will be very happy great cam needs to be advanced.

Thanks all, looks like I got some decisions to make before I go out and get a new TC.

I’m leaning towards getting a Hughes Performance Pro-Street 30 and at the same time advancing the cam to 103 as mentioned. If this doesn't do the trick then that Lunati 60304 looks like it will fit the bill quite nicely.

The manifolds are going to have to stay for now as I want to keep the motor looking stock.