Within the next year, I'll be replacing a tired TPI 350 (out of an 85 vette) with a new motor.

Now while looking around, the first thing that caught my eye was World Products' aluminum head 427 small block rated at 530hp and costs $8994.99 through Jegs.

I was also interested in the shortblock version because no matter which choice I go with, I'm going to be sticking a Miniram on top of it. If I go this route I'd only have to shell out $4594.99 for the shortblock and could put the rest in heads and the miniram intake and hopefully come out about the same as the turnkey version. If I go this route, could anyone give me advice on which heads to go with for the setup?

The third option, is Golen Engines' 383 longblock designed for the miniram which is rated at a smaller 460hp and costs $5,299.00.

Some of the concerns I have:
-fuel efficiency (not a huge concern) but I'd like to get 17+ mpg on the highway if at all possible (if not, then that's the sacrifice I shall make to the hp gods)
-cost obviously
-and the most important, power. Once the car is completely finished, I'd like to be able to hang with mildly modded C5's and Z06's and *hopefully* vipers (stock at least).

I still haven't decided if I want this car to be a road race car or just a drag racer, but when I talk about keeping with / beating the vettes/vipers I'm talking drag racing. Currently, It's an auto car but if I can ever find someone willing to let me use their car to learn on, I'd consider swapping over to a T56 but probably not before the engine is done (but probably quickly thereafter! since I can't see a stock 700R4 holding that much hp).

Any comments / criticisms are welcome or suggestions on other ways to make this kind of power would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

Your going to want the best heads money can buy to feed that 427. I'd look at some fully CNC ported AFR heads.

 

get the 427 shortblock

buy some AFR heads and use the intake that you want

but have comp design you a custom cam that matches the whole combination because the shortblock will not have a cam in it

 

Why not an LT1 ? a good set of ported stock heads on a decent used motor will pretty much do the HP you're looking for, can be had with the T56 already, and will be cheaper in the long run.

 

Mainly because it'll be simpler to swap in a gen I sbc from what I've read so far. I saw that I could get a 480hp LT4 longblock for around $6400 and was kind of considering it.

I really want a new engine assembly for warranty and reliability at this point.

I'm afraid that I'll get something and realize that I want more power. I don't want to use a power adder to get my performance.

The other reason I haven't seriously considered an LT#/LS# engine is because I'm just now at the point where I'm comfortable with the tuned/untuned fuel injection and I'm not really ready to learn all of the ins and outs of the newer technology.

 

If you want the best bang for the buck, go ahead and get an LS1/T56 combo.

A cam change in the LS1 and a tune on it will get the car into the mid 11's in the 1/4 and get you around 26-29 MPG on the interstate.

You can generally pick up a low milage combo for around 4300 bucks, and some guys are getting 700+ hp out of this engine.

 

If you arent ready to learn the little bit about getting a gen 2 / 3 motor working, you definetly shouldnt be going after trying to get a 400+ ci motor tuned with a stock ecm.

 

Guys over on corvetteforum.com have been hitting well over 400 on the stock MAF ECMs with custom tuning (Jeb, Ski_dwn_it, and CORKVette).

It's not that I'm not willing to learn, it's just that I'm more familiar with the TPI and it's workings.

 

If you want a big motor, why not get a big block? A 454 (or bigger?) will cost the same or less than a monster small block will, and make more power.

 

I'm really wanting to keep wait down and simplicity up

I'd be doing the swap myself and don't want to worry about fabricating exhaust and stuff. Plus, the engine bay of what it's going in is super cramped heh

Also, I want people to go "oh, he's just got a 350, I'll smoke him"