B4Ctom1

Yeah but look at what the guy right above you said. Also it is gennerally accepted that the flow and performance of a TPIS miniram is on par with most single planes that could ever fit under a stock thirdgen hood.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

lets see a mini ram all by its self pump out 642HP on a SBC 427 before a V1 T Trim...OOOSNAP! is added!

AND IM TALKING bolt on parts NO porting!
how about 400 foot lbs of tq at 2200 rpm? and only going up.. past 6500 rpm.

back in the 90s I wanted one.. but.. not today. a few thing are better today
is my car a street car..i would say so..do I drive it every day...no.
is it still MPFI yes..yes it is...

can I get 25 mpg.... im a bit under that..

I do like the clean looks of the mini ram...but I went with a ProRam.
but then I was going for all the power I could get out of the buckets of money I dumped into a SBC

after this its 572 620hp crate! hell its cheaper!!

and no I don't have a stock hood on my 92 Z28. did the cowl hood thing back in 95/96

B4Ctom1

Another TPIS MiniRam
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171124302909

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Now that many aftermarket EFI options exist for the SBC (HSR, single plane, etc,), what would we agree is a fair price for a mini ram with fuel rails and water neck? If I wanted one I don't think I would pay more than $400 and that would have to be a superb condition with powder coating or polished finish in a 1205 gasket size.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Which is probably why they don't even make them anymore. Chinese single plane intakes are under $200.

I ran a miniram on a blown 355 in a corvette for a while and had distribution issues. The kid I sold it to is n/a, and has been happy with it. But I was never impressed. The low profile of it is useful for tight packaging. That's about the only benefit I ever saw.

-- Joe

B4Ctom1

I agree with your assessment Joe. In a C4 Corvette where you are space limited.

Maybe if you are a guy obsessed with aesthetics and final packaging over maximum output?

Maybe trying to build a car with a bunch of power but you want it to look more innocuous?

I know of one, how about this.. a person trying to build a hot 1992 using period correct parts?

Anyhow here is another TPIS Miniram
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121175426870

Tony89GTA

iTrader: (7)

Did you run that miniram with mono throttlebody? What problems were you noticing?

Oh just to add to this for sale thread, miniram here cheap [SOLD]

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Nah, a twin 58MM. Naturally aspirated with a loose converter and a cc-306 cam it wasn't too bad in upper RPM. I could never get lower rpms to not surge, but you could blame it on the cam. (even though LT1 folks have no issues with that cam).

When I went blower, with a cc-503 cam the uneven distribution of the manifold made tuning a bare. AE was always unpredictable. Half the engine would run lean, half slightly rich.

Swapped to single plane and no issues.

Surely, some combos with the miniram work quite well. But it's not as fool proof as a single plane.

-- Joe

Tony89GTA

iTrader: (7)

Yeah I didn't have any those problems but I have a much smaller cam. Plus I went with a mono throttle body, I figure it would give more even flow distribution. Well see how my new 280XFI cam does after it's all put back together.

I don't know, I just find it hard to believe that a single plane could be that much better, the miniram is about wide open as you can get with like 3" of runner.

B4Ctom1

I decided to go with this accel singleplane


using this (because I cant find an accel elbow)


with an Accel twin 58mm TB and XFI268 roller (because my heads have huge ports and my compression is very moderate to low)

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Is there any angle to the injector bosses on that 4bbl intake, Tom?

B4Ctom1

Nope it is just like every other common EFI intake with the bosses cast in.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Angled bosses won't help anyway unless you are running SFI. batch fire spends most of the time shooting raw fuel at the floor or back of a hot valve.

-- Joe

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I wouldn't call that ($675) cheap. When it was in demand 20 years ago it would have fetched that sum but today the interest has switched to the now very affordable Gen III and now somewhat Gen IV engines. In the Chicago area you can buy a complete LS based engine any day for around 1K. I have seen some with a spun bearing or a previous bore job go for $600-800. My experience has been that chevy guys have a hard time paying high dollar for parts when for the same or a little more they can move into LS based engine.

Tony89GTA

iTrader: (7)

Not everyone wants to swap out to a LS, there is a lot more cost involved then just buying a engine and not including the time spent to making it work.

You might not want or feel a miniram is worth it but there are others that do.

B4Ctom1

Perfect example.. me

I have been consumed by priorities of existence far and above automobilia. Life is about priorities. When you decide other than automobilia, others tell you that you have the wrong set of priorities.

So you decide, "I have nothing, I dream of turbos, and nitrous, and superchargers but not the means."

You dare to rearrange priorities temporarily. Your passion lays with automobilia, but your means lays with homelessness, divorce, anti-sociability, and ramen.

So you dare to reach. Reach to heights beyond your means. This means credit for many. For others this means a longer term rearrangement of priorities. For some it means a little of column "A" and a little of column "B".

Somewhere along the way this climb involves "final financial solvency". Which is a fancy term for steaks over ramen. Also bills over cars. For some children over engines, and houses over superchargers.

At great expense, I have acquired, and saved from disposal, a 1991 Z28 and a 1992 B4C. Now staring down the barrel at my mid 40's, I envy those like Joe (anesthes) who have resources and time to not just build, but ****ing paint!

Yet I myself am possibly 8-10 years from being able to work out my own cars because of these same obligations that were supposed to help me as a means to the ends.

Between my 412 SBC for the B4C and the 352 destroked blower motor for the Z28, I cannot even consider changing canoes in the middle of the raging river without fear of capsizing. Let alone dare dream of an LSA or even a turboed 4.8L LR4.

In short.. be careful of what you wish for.. because by the time you get your wish.. it might not be the hottest new thing (like an LS).

Tony89GTA

iTrader: (7)

That's the best post I've seen in a long time

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Sometimes, choosing a part that looks "better" to a detail-oriented customer is valuable. Now that I've read my own mind to you...

Buyers set prices. Non-buyers who are going to go buy something else after crapping all over the seller anyway, don't.

There's a whole lot of truth in what you've said and Tony and I aren't going to be the only ones who read it and feel that way.

I try and think of thing in terms I can wrap my mind around that relate to economics. Past mods are sunken costs, for example. And "heck of a price" is a poor decision maker leading to the purchase of things that "are close, but not really what I needed to complete the job. A lot of people don't get why businesses pay a little bit more through a Grainger when they could have nickel and dimed the purchase of tools and supplies. But, that's because most people have no conception of anything but sticker price. Shopping time, waiting on crap to show up, sending staff and a vehicle out for it. There are a lot of ways to relate your project to economics and justify how you want to direct your future plans. And I'll stop there. Hang in there and plan strategically towards your goals, Tom.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

So what your saying is that people wont go to an LS engine because it costs too much, which is why they will pay $675 for a bare intake? I understand people, myself included, are still using the sbc for cost reasons but with every passing day the LS stuff is making more power and becoming cheaper to own, wooing more and more people from traditional sbc. I thought the purpose of this thread was to show that there is no need to pay the high prices that these intakes once commanded? That they have come down in price not just because they are twenty years old, or the LS stuff has come down in price considerably but also because there are intakes that make the same or more power for less.

Tony89GTA

iTrader: (7)

I don't think there was really a purpose to this thread other then informing people of some cheaper used intakes? Anyways it's not like TPIS is selling them any cheaper lol! Plus I wouldn't use my intake as a example since it was modified a bit, they usually go for more.

Don't get me wrong, once this stock block blows up I might just end up going to a LS, but for now I already spent so much on this SBC that there is no point to swap right away and park a running car. Even if I did I would probably spend 1k on a new intake for it anyways...

Tony89GTA

iTrader: (7)

And a new transmission, new clutch, flywheel, driveshaft, K-member, tranny crossmember, torque arm, headers, y-pipe, water pump, engine assessory brackets, wiring harness, EFI live, plus a bunch of other stuff I probably missed... So yeah the cost can rack up pretty good after that 1k used engine. Think I seen some guys quote up to 8-10k but I'm sure it can be done cheaper if you can get some bargains here and there.

B4Ctom1

I agree with you but the part I quoted of your grocery list has a bunch of stuff nobody needs to do even a quality/proper LS swap.

Tony89GTA

iTrader: (7)

That is true but for me that's what I'm probably going to end up changing out anyways, no point running the stock stuff.

B4Ctom1

I was just saying that some of that is like putting the cost of a new rear end into the price of a swap.

I see your profile already says T56. I am guessing this is a LT1 trans. Which IMHO is stronger than the LS mexican T56's.

You can convert to the input shaft, hydraulics, and bell swap. But definitely clutch and flywheel.

By using slotted adjustable LS engine swap mounts you may be able to keep your k-member and thus your current driveshaft, trans x-member, and torque arm.

Worst case would be a notch in the k-member for an AC pump.

Tony89GTA

iTrader: (7)

Oh for sure not everything is required.

My plan I'm thinking of is either turbo or keep the d1sc on a lq4, still deciding. Think the extra room on the k-member be nice for a turbo though. Also I might go with a magnum t-56, be nice to have something new that should take some abuse.

As you can see I have big hp in mind if I do decide to swap it all out, but for now I'm ok with what I got. Tibo is right in its hard to justify rebuilding the sbc when you get so much out of a LS engine with a simple cam change.

B4Ctom1

Another TPIS miniram. This one modified by Wilson Manifolds and including an extra set of "less restrictive" fuel rails.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111177563401

B4Ctom1

Another
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161133333862

B4Ctom1

ASR
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261316719410

APACHE JOHN

or http://www.ebay.com/itm/Air-Sensors-First-TPI-intake-tuned-port-fuel-injection-SLP-injectors-/271274100423?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f293246c7&vxp=mtr#ht_256wt_886

B4Ctom1

Yeah John, the FFI TPI is probably the very best for most people. It even has a EGR provision. It has the flow, and the long runner torque we all know and love.

Hell, to get this kind of runner length and plenum out of a conventional intake you would have 2.5 feet of intake sticking up out of the hood lol.

B4Ctom1

miniram
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121217593281

B4Ctom1

Accel Super ram
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281214959103

B4Ctom1

miniram no reserve auction
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400618353262

B4Ctom1

TPIS miniram with 1206 gasket ports
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131093268503

B4Ctom1

TPIS miniram relist
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131098837889

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

No waterneck

--Joe

B4Ctom1

Doesn't it take a standard TPI neck?

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

No. It takes a oddball welded up water neck. It has to stand almost straight up to clear the serpentine belt.



-- Joe

B4Ctom1

Holy carp I forgot all about that. How much are they?

B4Ctom1

Accel TPI
http://m.ebay.com/itm?itemId=281352114400

warmpancakes

hey thats My auction, I forgot I was a member here I mostly stalk here for info.

B4Ctom1

another miniram
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291416545848

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

A thousand bucks? wtf.

I'd pay about $500 for a complete miniram. Maybe..


-- Joe

B4Ctom1

I agree. The SBC's day in the sun is setting. They need to be a bit scarcer and older before the price climbs back up from "**** nobody cares about" to "passing collector interest".

PAFORM350

VincentZ28

iTrader: (2)

Hell I just bought a Super Ram complete with Accel manifold and a BBK 58mm TB with sensors for $300. I sold a Miniram for $850 with injectors and no TB

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

I would die if I found a miniram with rails for $500...

B4Ctom1

For all of the handwringing about prices, these $900-1100 minirams always sell when I follow the auction.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

I haven't ever seen one sell for less than $800. You guys always find these deals that I've never seen lol

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

People on ebay are stupid and pay too much.

The ones for sale here on the forum have been listed for months and months.

-- Joe