this winter i was just going to change my FI to a carb setup....but I was thinking, would it just be easier to sell the FI 350 motor, and buy a healthy 350, pre-70's because i heard they created more power than 70-80 engines...which do you guys think would be a better choice and more financially smart? I wnat to end up with about 350 HP by the end of the winter with a carb setup....i just don't know which way to go about doing it...also does anythign ahve to be changed electrically if I swap a older 350 in there....ignition etc??

 

first you need to tell us what you have?

what does your motor have done to it? anything?? heads cam? or stock?

second would be what is your budget?



but taking from what you have there are many receipies for power on this site with a 350 carbed engine, all depends you can go the vortec route with a new cam, or what not.

 

well i got the car, adn the previous owner says it has a 350 TPI out of a 1990 vette...it has centerbolt valve covers so i was told it has aluminum heads...this winter i'm going to pull the engine and see exactly what I have...and the motor is going back in, but i'm not sure if I should screw with the conversion over to a carb, new intake, carb, distrbutor, etc etc, or if I should just buy an older 350, and build that up a bit...the motor is basically stock right now, i just got shorty headers that are going to be LT's this winter, and thats about it....I was told if I have the good vette heads, that they have a lot of potential, but I would probably not do that much head work this winter because of money, i know i know, heads is what makes power, but I'm just looking for a healthy reliable carb 350 that makes decent power...my budget would probably be about 500-1000 after i sold my TPI motor if I were to get a different motor...i have just under 3 grand saved up, and i'll have about 4 grand by the time I start tearing into my car, but some of that money has to go elsewhere...

 

if you have a 1990 Vette 350 TPI then you are far far better off then any 350 carb motor you could buy and build, as far as a starting platform, that engine is 275 horse, and gets better mileage then a carb. To confirm it you should have SD TPI so no maf sensor in the intake track.

second you will have a roller block.

thrid the heads yes should be aluminum but aren't the best performance head out there. Good for someone building a 305.

I would if I where you sell the TPI (intake runners plenum) and the heads and buy a nice set of heads an HSR or something similar, and a cam. that alone would net you over 300hp and be reliable and good mileage.

 

well here's the catch...the car wasn't running right, so i took it in, it turns out it still had a 5.0 computer in it with no sensor to measure inlet air...so the mechanic figured it needed MAF, so he put one of those in and a new vette computer..adn i guess what it still doesnt' run right....so that was 500 bucks i pissed away...and its gonna be another 500 to fix...so i'm like **** that...and if its even a a 90 vette motor, i think its rated at like 260 or something...i'm pulling it to check what i reallly have...and no i'm not going with a new FI intake, or anything like that, because then you have to reprogram your computer, if you can't tell, i'm pretty much fed up with computers...so back to the origional question..

 

well I would check the block to make sure you really do have a 350, check casting numbers cause those won't lie.

then I would sell off the top half of the engine, so heads and tpi setup, maybe the harness if it is in good shape. and the computer as well (since you really don't like it) atleast you can make some of your money back.

Then I would buy the best heads you can afford and a nice intake and carb, if you have cash left over do a cam.

oh and you'll have to replace the Dist as well to a non CC, vacuum style.

I might be forgetting other small things, but that is the just of it.

the block if in good shape and a roller 350 is a good platform to start on.

 

alright awesome...i'll check the casting numbers, and see exactly what I have...how much do you guys think I can get for my heads if they are true aluminum corvette heads? and what do you guys recommened for heads, ones with good bang for their buck??? I looked at the perfomer RPM heads and they are only like 600 bucks...that isn't bad..i'm getting a performer RPM intake with probably a holley 670 or something....any input on this subject would be great, i'm kinda new to it all...

 

for good ideas on building your carb engine, just search the site there are lots of combos out there.

as far as how much for your heads, if they are the aluminum 58cc vette heads, someone with a 305 might want them ... good upgrade ... it all depends try the classified or ebay.

 

how much HP can i make with say performer RPM heads, with performer rpm intake, and a cam to match???i've been looking, and I really don't know what i'm looking for...