86 camaro, 350 TPI
rebuilt Jasper engine installed before I got it
engine is stock
guess-timated 20-30K miles
budget is loosely 5,000....
daily driver
would like to fab some turbo system up (possibility)
would like to keep it Fuel Injected
doing all the work myself
electrions is NOT a problem. My dad is a genius electrican and we have access to ALL of the wiring diagrams.

What are some options to create more power?
build up current 350?
zz4 crate?
ls1? - my research looks like this is too expensive
lt1? - haven't looked into this too much

I was leaning towards perhaps building up my current engine using FIRST TPI injection, a nice cam, some forged pistons, bigger injectors....and like I said, the computer / ecm / electrions is not an issue.

What do people think?

 

How about bulding yourself a 383 stroker Also how much power are you trying to attain?

 

I would ditch the atock TPI in favor of another multiport set-up such as the miniram, stealth ram, super ram etc etc. I would combine that with a properly matched cam and possibly some head work. That would be a solid 300 to 340hp which is more than enough for a daily street car. This is assuming you already have headers and a full 3" exhaust.

 

Wow, you can get that out of those mini rams / stealth rams? Cool. Yea, I mean, it'd be nice to run something insane like 11 seconds and thats doable but the thing is, I want to have windows, seats, carpeting, amp, stero. Maybe get my AC working again....but I'd like to have more power.

340 hp is definetly sweet... I know its just a estimate but, do you think that'd be on the rear-wheels or just the flywheel?

 

My dad has a 383 with a Weiand 177c.i.d. blower on top. Talk about serious power and streetable. The blower only runs around 2G's. Of course this one is for a carbed motor. You could spend that much on a turbo and then have to buy all the pipes. You can get blowers made to fit the TPI, or stealthram. Power on tapp!

 

I just helped put a turbo setup on a fox body mustang and boy was it hard. The gain is awesome, but worth the energy for a daily driver? NO! Maybe a small pro charger with 5psi? You really have to determine what you want to do with this car, is it a dialy driver that goes to the strip every weekend, or is it just to go grocery shopping and pickup chicks? With $5k, you can get a real nice power house. If you want to go with low cost, a better cam and vortec heads and some headers will definatley put a smile on your face at about $1200-$1400 Then the rest can go for paint and a nice stereo.

Just write on paper what you are trying to do with the car and it will be much easier for you.

 

This smells like a need to verify the heads on that engine. Most likely they are smog-era junk. Most anything you've got planned would be severely limited if that's the case.

 

yea listen to five7kid he knows his stuff. he replied to one of my post that i wrote for a friend and he told him to get better heads because it was limiting the mods that he had on the car and man was he right as soon as my friend got aftermartet heads it flowed so much better and put out some serious power.

 

cool, I live in PA and I'm going to apply for classic plates so that there isn't any emissions test. There are limitations though...only 5,000 miles per year, but I mean I only drive it 3, 4 months of the year and never really go anywhere far with the camaro. I have a jetta for winter weather.

As far as paint and stero, I have all that completed, along with rims.

pro-charger with 5psi sounds good.

So you guys suggest some really nice heads, a cam, long tube headers and 3" exhaust?

and like I said, the computer / electrions / tuning (tuning as far as the computer and electronics go) is not a problem.

My goal is to have a nice car to cruise around in that will last....maybe go see what it can do at the drag street once or twice a year. Something with a little more muscle and power than a stock camaro. I'm going to be hanging out with my buddies / taking my gf out...going to movies...the typical things for summer.....so I need something that will be dependable and last.....I mean I don't go far, I won't beat on it, except on occassion.

 

I would do this :

Engine: vortec or vette heads, roller rockers, LT1 cam,headers etc
Trans: torque converter, shift kit, vette servo
Rear end: 3:42, + all free mods

change brake lines .. get good rotors& pads ..

Engine mods are cool, but there are parts after that engine ..

You can build a stout combo with 5g ..

The vortec-LT4 hot cam combo CHP built cost 2400$, 400+ FW HP

... and I forgot suspension

Id spread that cash evenly, so you get the most out of your new found power.

 

Headers (1-5/8" or bigger) and exhaust (3" minimum) would be a great place to start.