I have an 87 T/A GTA with a "servearly modified" 1985 Chevy 1500 350. Holley Carb, heavy cams, lifters, roller rockers, mallory ign., all kinds of stuff done too it before i bought it. Anyways it seems the guy didnt have the right shift cable and it tore up the trans, the headers have to be dented in to get the starter in there which burns it out. Rear end not tied down right. Generaly just not a very reliable machine, fast as hell...but not reliable.

My options are:
Find a L98/700R4 third gen and trans plant the whole thing with some toys thrown on like a stealth ram
(considering twin screw supercharger later) if there is one for this car.

LT1/LS1-whatever trans comes on the donor.

I also have an aquaintance with what he calls a "Chevy racing transmission" for a 350. This guy isn't all that truthful when it comes to cars, but if it is what it is for $500. I wouldn't mind taking it off his hands. But is there some kinda bolting up issue i could come across? Is there different tails coming off diff SBC that would cause a problem? I dont have all the funds for this yet. But i like to keep my eye out for good deals on parts i need. Thanks in advance.

 

"Best" - so hard to quantify.

Best for what? Daily driving? Fuel economy? Best compromise between performance and economy? Most power per dollar spent?

For some of those, a 3.1l V6 could be called "best". But, something tells me that isn't what you have in mind.

It's pretty hard to beat the LS1 family for a combination of performance, driveability, and economy. But, the up-front cost will be higher than other options.

This past summer, I went through this process - already have a 350 horse 350 daily driver, I wanted manual transmission. T56 is the only logical choice when you're putting out this kind of power. The LT1 T56 bolts up to Gen I SBCs. I looked over available T56's, the cost was almost as high as a LT1/T56 together. So, I started looking at LT1's - to get the power out of one of them I'm getting now, modifications would be required. By the time I got there, I might as well get an LS1/T56, which is what I ended up doing.

Of course, then I started having 2nd thoughts about taking apart the Camaro I already had, and found a great deal on a swap candidate. Just need to get started on it now. . .

Anyway, there is no direct answer to your question.

As for that "Chevy racing transmission", that sends up red flags big time. It'll probably bolt to you engine, but that's probably where the good news will end. 3rd gens have a torque arm that attaches to the transmission output shaft housing - swap crossmembers are available from Spohn that remount the torque arm, and are a good choice when swapping in a non-3rd gen transmission (or even if you have a 3rd gen transmission). But, I'd want to know exactly what this "Chevy racing transmission" is before starting on it, and it doesn't sound like you can trust this guy.

 

lol alright I want pretty much the best bang for the bucks i can come up with before i graduate...

Im thinking L98 with some goodies will be the best bet for my current situation. I've found them running for pretty cheap, they can be made pretty mean once you get the air flowing right, and they are stock so they bolt right in no harm or hassle. Im just wondering would I be best to sell the 85 pickup motor or grab all the "servearly modified" parts (as the transmission place put it) and stick it on the TPI? With the carbed one i had a vacuum issue, went thru a holley carb with vac. secondary and a reserve canister still gasping for air. Will this be a prob if i stick that cam on?

 

Nasty cam and TPI don't play well together.

You can get TPI to run hard, but as in most things, it's the dollars spent in the right place that produce the results. It isn't hard to get into a TPI engine for $6k, when you can get a LS1/4L60E installed (if you do the work) for that. There comes a point of diminishing return with certain set-ups, and TPI gets there quicker than, say, the LS1.

 

Do nasty cams still not play nice when theres a stealth ram on top? Ive already got the hood for it

Id love an LS1 but I dont think I have the time and resources to put into a swap like that. I know its not the hardest swap but, keep in mind I am a 17 year old senior in high school working part time with another car payment and insureance. I just dont have 5 G's to drop into this trans am when i have plans for college too. I'm not that ballin' yet.

 

It's just my opinion, but...

I'd sell that engine you have to some other guy with a pickup truck. Let him have the "heavy" parts and "racing" stuff. You need a 350 to start with and an L98 is a great place to start. I would certainly keep your stock ECM and wiring (if it's not hacked up by "racing" guys) and start there. That's what a budget guy does. Do you have any of your factory TPI parts left or are they gone? If you have the TPI setup (intake and MAF are the expensive parts) then great. If not then it doesn't really matter which 350 you start with. I prefer the 87-up stuff with a factory roller cam. If you use a pre-87 350 you can still use an 85-86 intake and go that way.

So? Let's hear it; what do you have to work with other than your "racing" engine?

 

If you already have a strong motor why dont you just buy a good tranny for it (PROBUILT) or (TCI) then get some coated headers to help with heat and a high torque mini starter so you dont have to dent your new headers and they also make a heat blanket that you can wrap around your starter.

 

That is an idea but id have to find out about the swap laws, emissions laws, etc on a pleasure/show car. I've heard the only legal swaps are sticking a motor the year of or later into the car. Same for emissions, i've heard that they dont test show/race/pleasure vehicals, but i dont know.

I think it would be a good idea to keep this motor, new trans that can handle it, and just clean up what the guy before me accomplished.

I hate it not running, i love that car.

As for what i have left...I dont know, I think he just unhooked the harness and moved it out of the way cus its still in there.The engine was gone long before i got to this car. What it had when he got it im not sure either.

I guess theres nothing on the truck 350 that could be used in the TPI 350?

 

There's plenty you can re-use; you need to know what you have first. If you really have an 85 350 engine then you need an 85-86 TPI intake manifold. You will need the rest of the sensors (MAF, etc...) for the 87 Trans AM. You can make it work. Your best bet is to start with a near stock configuration and then work your way up in modifications. Your stock ECM will run best with an L98/LT1 type cam since you have a MAF car, but you don't have a roller block. Your "heavy" cam will most likely throw the computer way off. You can run an 86 TPI spec cam since you have the old, non-roller engine, but you will lose a lot of power. An RV cam will work great for what you have with a MAF stock. You could also get a used LT1 cam and run retro-fit roller lifters and pushrods to match to get you close.

That's a start. anyway.

Once it's running it's time to go to the DIY PROM area and learn about tunerpro.

 

I understand where your coming from but I also see thats a lot of work to keep an inferior engine. I can sell this sucker and get a L98/TH700R4 out of a 3rd gen Formula or GTA for cheap. Then either boost, blow, or stealth ram it and get all the power I want in a very streetable, FI engine that will pass whatever emissions/inspection they wanna throw at me. All i need is the engine and trans. The rest of the car can handle the power.

 

It could be argued that L98/TH700 would be a lot of work and expense to keep an inferior engine. By the time you boost, blow, or stealth ram it, you could have gotten and installed an LS1/4L60E.

 

That is true...I dont know i guess ill see what kinda funds I have when the time comes. I can always put in the L98 and later swap it out for the LS1 when im not strapped for cash