I'm finally getting back on the 440 for the Imperial. It's been down WAY too long and I want to get it running. This thing is being built as a cruiser and road trip machine. I live in fairly flat low altitude DFW but there's no telling where I'll end up with this thing.

The car: 1972 Imperial crew cab. 5300 lbs wet. 3.23 TrueTrac and 255/70-15 tire (29" tall) and 727 transmission. I have a 518 lock up trans and Ultra Bell waiting to go in some day.

I've worked really hard to come up with an engine build that will give me a big flat torque plateau in the cruising rpm range. As much as it feels dirty to say, I am willing to sacrifice top end power for big fat torque.I want as much efficiency as I can get out of this beast, too.

Here's the build so far:
std bore 440
Icon flat top pistons stopping .009" below deck
Cometic .027" gasket.
.036" quench with 10.2:1 compression.
Edelbrock heads
Ceramic coated Hedman shorty headers (1-3/4" primaries, 2-1/2" collector)
Comp cam 261 advertised, 218/218 @ .050, .463/.463 lift, 110 separation.
Planned exhaust will be 2-1/2" dual exhaust with X pipe and large relatively quiet mufflers.

Playing with the old Desktop Dyno software said I'd be bumping over 500 lb/ft from 2800 to 3700 and top out around 420 hp.

When the engine gets buttoned up I'd like to take it to the local engine dyno for cam break in and see what it really does.

I originally picked up an old Edelbrock CH4B intake due to the low hood clearance and I planned on dropping on one of the Street Demon carbs.

Nostalgia is tugging at my heart strings and I really long for that old Thermoquad howl at WOT.

I could flip the CH4B and pick up a Performer (NOT RPM) intake and nab a reman TQ from Summit. It would give me the sound I want and the crisp throttle response of those small primaries. If I did this, I'd slap the intake on the mill and take out part of the plenum divider.

What do you guys think? Stick with the CH4B and Street Demon or give in and go TQ?