Intake options

[1980Ttops]

Looking for advice on intake & carb options.

The car is a 1980 Trans Am, 3.23 posi, 400 TH, shift kit, 2200-2500 converter. New front and rear suspension, all stock with polyurethane bushings. Hooker Super comp 1 7/8 primary tubes, 3" pipes with X pipe, jegs mufflers. Frames tied, A/C deleted.            The ENGINE is a pontiac 400, flat top 4 valve relief pistons (8cc), m54s oil pump with hardened shaft, Lunati bracket master 2 cam - advertised 292* duration - .490 lift - 110 LSA matching lifters, comp push rods, 9 keyway summit double roller chain & gear, baffled oil pan - no Windage tray, Summit distributor with adjustable advance and recurve kit - used 1 light & 1 medium spring. Be Cool radiator and 160* thermostat, Flow Kooler water pump, SS backing plate - massaged to tighten gap to impeller. Gonna use Evans waterless coolant.                          HEADS #13, hardened valve seats, SS Ferrea valves, 3 angle valve job, mild port work, gasket matched, push rod holes elongated, new guide plates, Lunati springs. 

Intake & carb choices (Parts that I have) INTAKES -  iron intakes with & without EGR, 71 aluminum 455 HO (no heat crossover), Performer, Torker 2, Hurricane (chinese). CARBS - Edelbrock 600 & 750, Carter 650, Holley 750 DP, a dozen qjets. SPACERS 1/2" and 1" for square & spreadbore. I will be separating coolant crossover on whichever intake I use for no mess intake swaps. My question is best intake & carb combo for my car, my head says a Performer RPM. If I can get similar performance with combination of the parts I have that would be great. Been a long journey building my car, so close to being able to drive it now. Long post, I wanted to include all info so I can get the best answers. Input & suggestions are greatly appreciated. 

[Frosty]

I run an Edelbrock Performer RPM on Lucy (it's a 455 bored .030 over). I have no complaints. However, most people don't know that the factory intakes flow really well, sometimes better, than the aftermarket intakes. What you didn't say is what you plan to do with the car? Is this a strictly a hi-po street cruiser? Street-strip? Or full on race car? Makes a difference what to do and what RPM range the engine is going to live at.

For street use, beyond the Performer, my choices would be:

1. Aluminum HO - saves weight and still a dynamite factory piece

2. iron intake non-EGR

3. iron intake EGR - if you have to meet emissions/emissions equipment laws in your state since your car is a post-74 car

4. Torker (this wants to live at a higher RPM range than off idle - 2500+)

5. Hurricane

 

Carbs: 

I would go with a 650-800 CFM carb. For street I tend to prefer vacuum secondary carbs over a double pumper (my preference - simplicity really). Question is which carb are you most comfortable tuning? Edelbrock is good out of the box. So is the Carter. Some people like Qjets, others don't.  It make take some time to dial in the carb to your car so which one are you most comfortable with - all other things being equal?

Carb spacer - I'd run a max of a 1"  spacer so I don't cause issues with my shaker scope and hood. Here is a good video regarding spacer choice.

 

[1980Ttops]

Mostly street. I have more experience with quadrajet. I have a drop base air cleaner from Butler, original plan was a RPM intake and the 750 DP. The holley 750, my dad modified and rebuilt it before he passed, it would be cool to have something he built on my car.