I was searching the PickAPart and saw a '72 Dodge Van with Headers and a Factory 2bbl carb and intake. Had me wondering, if you could only afford one or the other, which would you spend your money on, headers or a 4bbl intake and carb?

Which would better improve performance?

Ideally, you up compression, better cam/lifters, better heads, 4bbl intake/carb and headers/larger pipes/mufflers, but if only one improvement, headers or intake/carb?

Myself would be a gear in the back then headers

If the only choices on a stock engine were headers or a 4bbl carb it would really depend on the rest of the car.I would probably lean towards the intake and carb but if it had a puny single exhaust that would be a waste of time.

If you can scrounge a factory 4bbl intake and carb on the cheap, then buy the headers. If the car has single exhaust, I would fix that problem first over the 4bbl.

Thanks for the replies.

The vehicle, is a '74, has 2 1/2 inch Dual exhaust (non-mandrel bent, no H or X pipe) with 4.10 gear limited-slip differential, factory C.I. intake and Holley 2bbl and factory cam.

I grabbed the "Van" headers for $40.

I'd do the intake and carb first.

Being that you have a 4.10 gear (I assumed it was a stock
type car) the carb and intake would be my next choice.. the
exhaust on the car is decent but not set up for high rpm

I did that on my Poly 318, swapped 2-barrel for 4-barrel, using factory log manifolds and 2 1/2" duals before and after the swap. The difference was nothing short of amazing. It felt like I'd added 40 cubic inches.

The cast iron spreadbore intake from the '70s is a true highrise design and will make a lot of power for you. Spend your $$$ on a good carb, I'm seeing 625 Street Demons on ebay for around $250.

R.