My 1989 Formula 350 has 150k miles and cracks in the block which are at least temporarily plugged with the red devil stuff. I'd like to go ahead and try to build a new engine to be ready for the eventual demise of my 350. My question is after reading so many different post what do I have to look for when looking at a block to build on? Can I use any 350 block and build up from that and put the tpi intake on it? I know if I go with a crate engine my choices are somewhat limited. I really want to stick with the tpi because I have owned one for so long I have the thing down pat pretty much.
Thanks for any help.

 

Any SBC should accept TPI just fine. Anything using a Vortec style head will require a Vortec TPI intake manifold as the bolt pattern was changed on the Vortec style heads.

 

not only the bolt pattern, more importantly the port is located higher

 

So any block is usable with the heads and all of the other things bolted into my current stock 350 tpi engine?

 

Any Chevy SBC is. The LT1, LS1, LS2 etc. won't be TPI compatible.