What started all the while-we're-at-its was the desire to keep the new head gaskets in place with more than enough fuel. As a result, we stepped up to a set of low-impedance 72-lb/hr fuel injectors from MSD. Yeah, MSD is primarily known for its ignitions (and for good reason, our car has an MSD Digital 7), but the company also has some fuel-system components such as fuel injectors. We started getting these parts so long ago, we ordered what was likely one of the last Pro-M 80mm mass air meters from the old Best Products. These meters are now manufactured and sold by Professional Mass Air Systems. Naturally, ours was calibrated for the 72s, but in the naturally aspirated calibration because that tends to work better on PMS-equipped cars like ours.
We're getting closer here by reinstalling our Vortech SQ S-Trim. Yes, it still wears last year's pulley, but we'll address that and the headers at some point.
We also reinstalled this AFM billet adjuster ($94.64) that allows you to loosen the tensioner bolts and adjust tension with a bolt, which is much easier and a more consistent way to tension the blower belt.
There must be a million trick spark plugs on the market, but when an NMRA racer with a cutting-edge, naturally aspirated race car confided that Brisk plugs were good for an improvement on his car, we took notice. So we decided to give them a shot in our new combination. Of course, we couldn't resist giving them a bath in antiseize before installing them in the aluminum Trick Flow heads. According to Brisk, the unique design of these long-glide spark plugs-a deeply protruding center electrode surrounded by four integrated ground straps-ignites the mixture more spontaneously and leads to an unrestricted flame front, which leads to more power.
Since we were hoping for more rpm to bring more boost, we thought it might be a good idea to step up to Vortech's race bypass valve, which is made easier by using Vortech's kit that includes larger discharge and inlet tubing (PN 4FA212-060; $563.95). Of course, this meant we had to adapt it to our existing AFM Power Pipe, which was just a matter of replacing the Power Pipe's rubber elbow with the cast-aluminum Vortech inlet tube. No big deal, till it wouldn't clear our valve covers. We tried AFM's beautiful chrome covers that look like the chrome stockers in the old FRPP catalogs, and they bought us a little more room-but we ended up trimming the cast-aluminum inlet tube at an angle to gain the necessary clearance. You may not have this problem; we're guessing it depends on the shape of your valve covers.
Whew! That took longer that we thought it would, but thankfully she's all back together again, and she looks good.