Well.....purchased my fist Camaro yesterday. For a measley $600 a little red sport coupe with Cragar SS's sits in my driveway. The saying "You get what you pay for" is no lie. I didn't expect much anyways. Of course it needs a few new parts just to get it inspected.

Now for the real question.......the 2.5 that's trespassing in my engine bay currently will be kissing it's you know what goodbye sometime or another. My goal is to spend as little as possible for a carbed application. Not looking for a powerhouse! Anyone have any suggestions as to what should be in the engine bay? Remember.......would like to spend as little as possible. Also, what kind of costs am I looking at and how much work is involved? Thanks in advance!

Brandon

 

my opinion, slap in a 350, if you look around in some junk yards or whatever you can find them pretty cheap prolly 100-200 bucks, then replace the belt's hose's and other seal's and whatnot, i got a new 350 short block from car-quest for 1300 dollars, but its not as good as a stock 350 from a tpi car but it run's pretty good, if you get a motor out of a junk yard, put in a mild cam and get your head's ported, slap on an edelbrock intake, and a 4 barrel she will run pretty good!!

 

Anyone else have any suggestions? Are there any perforance parts for a 2.5? Should I keep this or swap to a 350? What kind of costs am I looking at?

Thanks,
Brandon

 

I say keep the 2.5. They are rare in a F body. I don't know what mods are available, check the Fiero boards out.

I once had a 2.5 Iron Duke in a 4100 lb 1981 Jeep. Man was it slow!

Actually the 305 in my 1986 is a measily 155 hp.

 

HEY GUYS,

IM IN A SIMILAR SITUATION. I have a 1989 base firebird 2.8L V6. I also have a formula 350 with all the parts, just in terrible shape. Should i swap them or sell the formula for $700 dollars and buy a 350? Also, would my base frame be strong enough to support a 350?

Thanks,

TOM G

 

There are performance parts for the iron duke out the wazoo. Get a GM perfromance parts catalog. The 2.5 is the same engine that is used in midget racers. Read the quad 4 thread too. I found a web site that will convert the quad into a rear drive. Of course you can always do the 'ole small block slaparoo, but who hasn't. IMO save your money. If the car runs let it keep running until it stops. You can work on the body and the interior which I am sure are in need of resto. Get enough dough together to buy a decent power plant whatever it may be. What's going to happen if you buy an engine now is you're going to **** away about $1000 on a junk engine that you're going to hate. Rodding is a patient man's hobby. Or a very rich man, but a $700 car is no indication of that.

Tom: All F-bods are the same save for the T-top cars that have extra bracing. The only thing that's not strong enough on your 6 is the springs, but that can come out of the donor car.

I think it's also known as the Pontiac Super Duty Four & tech 4.

 

Good advice ATOMonkey!!! The car does run, but not the best. The body and interior are in need of dire resto. A Quad 4 Camaro ??? That would be interesting to see!

Brandon