I have a 91 Z28 with a factory 350 (bone stock). I am getting ready to pull it out and rebiult it. I want a lot of bottom end seat of your pants torque. I am not going to do much racing but I just want a lot of torque to pull me back when I get down on it. The car has the stock manifolds, and gears (3.23 I think), the guy I bought it from said he put in an aftermarket chip but I don't know. Last year had the 700r4 rebuilt and a corvette servo installed... I was looking at around $1500-2000 if possible (I can do the swap and rebuild myself and save the extra $). I want to keep the stock gears and trans along with the TPI setup but everything else is up for grabs. Do I keep the L98 heads and have them worked or not? I was thinking that a 383 should have really good pulling power with the stock gears. What cam goes best with the stock heads and intake (I will probably port and polish both of them)? I also have access to a 400 small block but someone said that I couldn't use the computer and TPI with it. Does that make sense?? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Go with the 400. Put your worked over L98 heads on it, 2.02/1.60 valves would help; drill the steam holes using new 400 head gasket as a template.

The TPI will work, although some porting and perhaps different runners would be required to help it out. Larger injectors as well.

Keep the cam duration down (<220 @ .050) to keep the RPMs in the TPI power range (which is consistent with your goals anyway).

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/LB9 block, ZZ3 cam and intake, TBD heads ported & polished, Hooker headers & y-pipe, 3" Catco cat).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

Thanks for the info. If I go with the 400 will I have any problems with the oil pan clearing the crossmember (a guy at a local engine shop said that it wouldn't work)? The engine is from a 74 Caprice if that helps. Would there be any other altering of any sort to get the 400 in?