Hey guys,

GM High Tech Performance published the letter that I sent to them. I sent them a letter because I wanted them to do some more TPI based projects. I just got my print magazine in the mail today and I couldn't find the letter on their website yet. The letter is in the 'off the wire - mail' section of the magazine and they called it 'TPI Love'. The letter should also be associated with my name somewhere too, Jeffrey Morris Jr., from Tracy, CA.

Hopefully they will post it online soon so that you guys can see it. Hopefully they will also do some more TPI based articles too. They really have just been sticking to the LS style engines. Nothing wrong with them, I still like my Gen 1 small block and TPI system. Just would be nice to see in a publication the kind of performance gains that can be obtained while still keeping the long tube runner style TPI.

 

Good job. There's nothing wrong with a tpi setup. I'd like to see them build a tpi monster that'll shut down the new ls cars.

 

Thanks. Yes I would like to see a modified TPI set up too. It won't be a screaming high reving set up like an LS motor but with the proper modifications a long tube runner TPI set up can more than hold its own.

What I don't like in that magazine is that they have basically gone all LSX - and high dollar LSX at that. I know I don't have the kind of money that they have to do all these high dollar LS mods to relatively new cars. I mean its good that they got an LSX motor to 600 plus horsepower at 7,000rpm but thats unrealistic for most people. I know I don't have $15,000 to drop into an engine like that, then it even won't pass smog!

I also am old school and I am going to keep my Gen 1 small block. Those LSX guys would really be surprised if they modified an L98 engine and then put a supercharger on it. That would really surprise a lot of of them because it would be a sleeper. It would also still pass smog, and have good fuel economy. Plus you wouldn't have to change a lot of components just to get the LSX style engine in your car.

 

Surprised? Yes. But more specifically, disappointed. The same mods to an LS would yield more power and a more tame engine. It would be easier to pass smog and you'd probably get better gas mileage. I doubt it'd be a 'sleeper' because everyone expects a loud v8 car to be fast, regardless of what gen the motor is. The regular populous doesn't know the difference between gen1,2,3, etc. It's either a small block chevy or it's not. This can be argued until everyone is blue in the face but I think you're first line there sums it up. You're old school. GM High Tech performance is about High Tech Performance. So unless you get them to do a First TPI build or a TPI build with coil on plug control I don't see how a 30 year old intake system is relevant. Now, don't get me wrong, TPI is pretty much the coolest looking intake system ever designed. But it should've been a truck intake, not a performance car intake. Just my .02.

 

Yeah I know but still you could say that now the LS1 engines are 'old school' LS motors at this point.

Yeah I get your point that the Gen 1 small block and TPI is not the highest of high tech anymore.

Still would be nice to see a little variety in the magazine though. I wonder what is going to happen when the LS motor is eventually replaced by something else. Each family generation of engines is an improvement over what came before.

Still it amazes me that some of the folks that deal with newer computer controlled cars can't explain or work on a car with a carb on it. You still need to know the basics and after you learn how to do that, the other stuff is relatively easy to learn.

 

They have featured turbo tpi cars in the past. I would like to see a full run down on the authors lt1 swapped firebird that has had lots of tech articles over last 10yrs or so but never a full run down on the car. Project snowball. Articles such as a modern wiring system/ new steering column/ big brakes/ rust repair etc. But I never see a full photo of overall car!!!!They do cover them but not on scale of lsx stuff.

 

There is already a TPI in a 3rd gen that can take an LS1 stock. They called it, The 1992 Firehawk.

 

I quit buying GMHTP awile ago. I also got tired of seeing the big $$$$ LSx SC and turbo builds they just keep pumping out issue after issue. You have to realize though that the magazine's primary customers are their advertisers. The articles are actually the filler to get you to read the advertisements so you buy crap. TPI performance parts are not exactly a hot seller anymore.

 

Anti-Venom has it right. Magazines are one big advertisement disguised as a tech article. If they cant sell you anything there wont be an article done about it. So until something new comes along for Thirdgens, dont expect much in the way of tech articles. And to be a feature car, it better be mint.

 

Kevin nailed it. Third-gen owners do not buy magazines or performance products for their cars in nearly the numbers that the late-model guys do. Thus, very few products are being developed for our cars and only a few businesses specialize in our cars. The magazines are reluctant to dedicate space to a market segment that returns only a small fraction of the benefit that their advertisers would gain if the magazine filled the same space with later model cars. Imagine it would be like taking a job for $10/hr compared to doing the same job elsewhere for $30/hr. Which one would you spend your time/space on?

 

Subscribe to Camaro performers. A lot more budget friendly builds in there, though not much third gen coverage. From what I hear they are going to be covering more third gen stuff because that is what the readers wanted.

At the end of the day third gens are just another GM. Almost anything that can be done with them can be applied to most others Chevy's. We dont need to be so specific a SBC build is a SBC build no matter what car its in its going to make the same HP if its built the same.

 

The only mag I subscribe to is Chevy High Performance. Good mix of everything. Well....not a lot of thirdgen stuff, but there HAVE been some good thirdgen tech articles over the years. Good mix of LSX and old school. Quite frankly, you get more "tech" in 20 minutes on this site than you ever could in a magazine. I enjoy the mags to keep current on the hobby in general, but honestly, Thirdgens are NOT why I subscribe. I get my Thirdgen fix right here.

 

Have my babies?

I wanted to build a super high torque 350 TPI for towing to put in a truck, but then realized that diesels do it way better.

 

I quit buying ALL those mags a few years ago. First of all it was too damn expensive and second, most of the builds were out of the average guys price range. GMHTP is a joke now. Im so sick of seeing these $50,000 builds. I'll stick to my only reliable source of third gen info.. TGO!!

 

I have an old issue of GM hi tech where they did convert a 3rd gen Trans Am to an OBD2 ECM and LS style coil-per-plug style ignition. It was a really neat way to blend our classic system with modern touches. They used a vortec crank sensor and timing cover to get it the right signal.

 

My comments were printed in the July Issue of Camaro Performers. I had gotten into a email debate with the editor Nick Licata about third gens. Unfortunately, Nick doesn't like the third gen and states it in his editorials. They are either after the first gens or the fifth gens. Thats what sells.

 

Please scan and post or pm a link.

Haven't purchased a car mag in years.

I prefer to spend the money ON my car.

 

Here is the one where they take a TPI engine in an 89 GTA and use an LS PCM:

http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...on_conversion/

Here is one of the many stories on Project Snowball, a 3rd gen Formula with an LT1 conversion (this one is a five speed upgrade.)

http://www.gmhightechperformance.com..._speed_zombie/

Here is one of the many beautiful 3rd gens that they covered with an LSx swap:

http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...vrolet_camaro/

 

They have featured turbo tpi cars in the past.