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350 HO Swap!!

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Old Mar 9, 2009 | 10:55 PM
  #1  
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Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
350 HO Swap!!

So I'm doing a swap in my 88 GTA. Swapping the L98 for a 350 HO from GM. This engine is rated at 330hp, and I am going to be adding a Holley Stealth Ram.
I currently have a full exhaust system: Hooker 2055-1 headers, Magnaflow Hi-Flo cat, and Magnaflow stainless steel system.
Would this be a nice set-up?

-For those who know what kind of power am I looking at at the wheels?

-And what pound injectors should I run?

Also I have upgraded with Hotchkis's rear suspension kit and a B&M transkit with ratchet shifter.

Thanks a bunch!!

And is there anything that you guys would not suggest?

Thanks again.
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Old Mar 10, 2009 | 08:58 AM
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From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Although the HSR will help, TPI limits the output of that engine.

A little more money, and will include a base you can't use (could sell it to offset the HSR), but a good performer - http://www.sdparts.com/product/SD360...ripEngine.aspx

Better cam, roller lifters, better heads (the 330 HO is lift-limited).
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Old Mar 10, 2009 | 09:06 AM
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

I'm just looking to produce 340-380 hp at the wheels, I don't really want more than 380. It's going to be a daily driver and I want a performer that is going to be built on a budget. Ya know?
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Old Mar 10, 2009 | 05:47 PM
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From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
The 330 HO is going to be about 75 HP short of 330 at the wheels, let alone 340-380 at the wheels.

Last edited by five7kid; Mar 10, 2009 at 06:37 PM.
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Old Mar 10, 2009 | 06:36 PM
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

So you suggest that scoggin dickey crate. . .
Well there is a shop in my city here and he suggests having a 383 but tuned down a little bit. He could get the long block for around 5400$ cnd. That's a good bang for the buck huh?
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Old Mar 10, 2009 | 06:40 PM
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From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Whatever power you want/need at the rear wheels needs to be about 25% more at the flywheel. The 330 HP is a gross flywheel rating.

Whether or not you "need" more - well, probably not for a nice running street car.
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Old Mar 10, 2009 | 06:53 PM
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

So that 350HO will not bring me to 350 horses?
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Old Mar 12, 2009 | 08:13 AM
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From: MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: Chevy 350 .040 over
Transmission: 700R4
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/f...26DK73488&trk=


I was looking at the same engine as you over the winter and found there are definitely some better choices out there. This one might be a little more hp than what you are looking for but I think it's a better deal over all. I got lucky and found a nice deal on craigslist, but that's risky too.
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Old Mar 12, 2009 | 08:47 AM
  #9  
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

So it was a direct fit for a tpi car? They're vortec heads which is good because I'm doing a vortec stealth ram.
Just curious what your power is at the wheels?
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Old Mar 12, 2009 | 08:57 AM
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From: Lawrence, KS
Car: Met. Silver 85 IROC/Sold
Engine: 350 HO Deluxe (350ci/330hp)
Transmission: T-5 (Non-WC)
Axle/Gears: Limited Slip 3.23's
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Maybe the following will help perspective a bit: I purchased the 350 HO Deluxe based on a review/build up, dyno test in CarCraft (Feb. 04). With iron exhaust manifolds, 2 1/4" exhaust pipes and a pair of turbo mufflers, the HO Deluxe managed 354 lb-ft of torque and 320 hp (which apparently wasn't the way that GM tested). Throwing on Hedman 1 5/8" long tubes, with no other changes, added 23 lb-ft of torque and 17 hp. The three-part write-up is quite interesting.

JamesC
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Old Mar 12, 2009 | 11:43 AM
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From: MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: Chevy 350 .040 over
Transmission: 700R4
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

I didn't buy the year one engine. I found one someone else had built part by part. Someone else recommended that year one for my car. I called year one and they were helpful in talking about application. You could try that.

Last edited by bminnix; Mar 12, 2009 at 03:17 PM.
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Old Mar 12, 2009 | 11:59 AM
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From: MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: Chevy 350 .040 over
Transmission: 700R4
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

www.classicindustries.com

I just found out about this site. Lots of crate engines on there.
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Old Mar 12, 2009 | 01:26 PM
  #13  
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From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
Originally Posted by Stangski09
So that 350HO will not bring me to 350 horses?
Not without a cam change, and even then only at the flywheel, and only measured gross (w/o accessories, mufflers, etc.).
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 01:19 PM
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Okay, so what do you think of Year One's "Power Crate 400hp 350 crate engine" #CT350PC1? With a Holley stealth ram # 7542P, and fuel rails w/afpr # 534-193, and accel 28 lb injectors, and Holley 58mm throttle body # 112-503, and Hooker # 2460-1 headers w/ custom 3inch ypipe, and Magnaflow exhaust system # 16829.

Would that be a strong set up that would bring me to 350+ rwhp?

Thanks guys!
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 02:43 PM
  #15  
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From: MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: Chevy 350 .040 over
Transmission: 700R4
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Yea I'd be confident with that.
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 02:47 PM
  #16  
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From: St. Petersburg, FL
Car: 88 Camaro
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 700-R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

get the 355 you can toss semi similar parts (price wise) at it and crank out 500hp+


It way out performed the 327 and the 383.

Seems like your gonna spend a lot of money but unsure of what you want.
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 03:03 PM
  #17  
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Car: 89 Formy
Engine: carbed 355ci
Transmission: A4
Axle/Gears: 3.73 10 Bolt
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Originally Posted by bminnix
http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/f...26DK73488&trk=


I was looking at the same engine as you over the winter and found there are definitely some better choices out there. This one might be a little more hp than what you are looking for but I think it's a better deal over all. I got lucky and found a nice deal on craigslist, but that's risky too.

is that cam in that thing MAF tunable?
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 07:26 PM
  #18  
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Ya, I just want to be in that 350+ rwhp range. But that yearone engine is a 355. . My local shop in the city says they could build a 383 for me but I want a street vehicle to drive to school quite a bit and still get over 20mpg in the city. .
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 10:23 PM
  #19  
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From: St. Petersburg, FL
Car: 88 Camaro
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 700-R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

383 is a lil overkill and some reason wont put up as good as numbers as the 355.

I was reading some tech articles comparing the 2

the 383 got low 400's while the 355 got 500+ and was cheaper to build

Id think a 500 hp 355 is streetable


Have you looked in catalogs like jegs and shiznit they have some decent deals on blocks, turn keys, almost complete engines.
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 11:10 PM
  #20  
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Ya, that year one engine is 400 hp at the crank. So with good headers and the stealth ram that would put up 380 rwhp I'd say. I don't want to go carbuerated.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 12:09 AM
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Re: 350 HO Swap!!

The Stealth Ram probably won't give you more horsepower then the carb. So, no, you won't be seeing 380 rwhp.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 08:59 AM
  #22  
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Oh, but my local performance shop should be able to build me an engine around 380rwhp right?
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 09:21 AM
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Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Your local shop can build anything from 210 hp to 800+ would be my guess. All depends on $$.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 09:23 AM
  #24  
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

Alright. .
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 09:27 AM
  #25  
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Re: 350 HO Swap!!

What is your goal for this? Don't get hung up on RWHP.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 09:31 AM
  #26  
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From: Edmonton, Alberta.
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA.
Engine: 385 stroker sbc
Transmission: TKO600
Axle/Gears: Moser 9" 3.70 Wavetrac
Re: 350 HO Swap!!

The stock L98 is a puss in the GTA. It's too weak. I want a fun vehicle that would put me in low 13s or high 12s. I plan on upgrading the suspension and the gears to probably 3.73s. I just want a really fun car that will take lots of 4th gens and 5th gens off the line. I am going to be rebuilding the transmission and adding a shift kit and ratchet shifter.
I don't want my car to just sound good, I want her to perform and take any car that gives me trouble at lights and such.
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