Hello all, long time owner and lurker here.

My question is one t hat has been asked many times I am sure, but I would just like to explore all options before going forward, I plan to make my car one of the best modded cars out there, now that its been a pretty sweet looking stockish car since it was born in 1988. The question is what engine to use? now before everyone jumps and says lsx let me explain why I am asking, here is some details on the car:
owned by my father and I since 01 and by me since 02, before that it was a known local car for being so clean but sat outside too often.
we restored it, didnt need much the body was and is entirely flawless, my 20k mile lightning looks like it has 100k in comparison,
new iroc style seat covers, new top, new radiator, new fuel pump and a valve body got it running again.
then i added a mild stereo, that i completely hate now, lol
torque thrust 2's
b&m ratchet shifter (looked cool, got a good deal)
styling bar (same reason as above)
flowmaster catback (its an old one thats stainless before the company went to complete crap so although im sure its more restrictive than stock it looks and sounds good)
attached is a picture in its current form.

its a convertible iroc 305 TPI 1988 MY

I am just lost at which route to go, been this was since 02, i LOVE ls swaps but am thinking am I ever going to do to this car what I would to another ls car (big power 650+) or since ive had it so long, a conservative 450hp that is easily driveable without to much racket and without high compression sucking up alcohol.

I guess the options are obvious
lsx- well could go that route, best power biggest bang for the buck, a still expanding aftermarket etc etc etc, like I said though, i doubt ill ever build it up to an ls that is wild, and doing a swap comes with various headaches that need to be sorted before it is tip top, and again its not a track car this is my baby, something that I would take to a prestigious car show, so no hacked up stuff, I would be doing the swap with all the best stuff and fabrication that would cost as well.

ltx- similar to a tpi, straight forward it seems, but altogther i dont think so. unless someone can really convince me otherwise

and the tpi, could always do a 355, new heads, port the intake, maybe a power adder. Now would a mild combo that wont shake my teeth out of my head get me to where I want to be? 450-550? to me thats the minimum, if i am going to waste my effort anyways. I know even a stock ls would be a leap over the 305tpi, but go big or go home.

also, does having any particular engine have any advantages as far as transmissions go? the 700 was mildly built but those are terds and i want to ditch that, is one engine more optimal than the other for a 3rd gen? I am not partial to auto, but if i went manual it would be t56. and i prefer a 4l series auto built if i had to go that route.

I have a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do until I seen the white vert on here built with a 355, and supercharged and it got me thinking that it would be worlds easier to do that and get it tuned than an ls swap, but money doesnt grow on trees and id hate to build up a nice tpi engine and hate it forever because i wanted and ls1, and in 20 years i dont want to hate the fact that to make my car stock and in like new show condition i dont want to kick myself for having it so far modded that going backwards is literally insanity.

any input from those that have been in my boat would be greatly appreciated.

thanks! and sorry for the long winder introduction

 

Go LSX and don't look back. You simply cant beat the power, reliability, drivability, and potential of lsx motors.


A good search will yield tons of opinions.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...formation.html




Not a chance
Look at these figures for a hot 383 with TPI

http://xtremecarzone.com.au/index.php?showtopic=386

Need a short runner (HSR /MR ) intake to make big power

 

LS swaps are cool, but highly expensive compared to a good 350 swap. IMO that's the most cost effective and best power-per-dollar option.

From what I gather on most ls threads, by the time you're done swapping in your mid to high mile used (but rebuilt) ls engine, with the money you've spent on parts, labor, tuning, and caffeine, you could have gotten a brand new and fairly powerful crate engine.

Or, a decent day at a swap meet and you could walk out with all the parts for a 400-450 hp 350 for less than 2k.

 

Say what you want about the expense of an LS swap, but after you drive it, you won't care anymore.

Yes, you can get a crate engine with the same power. Oops, TPI - spend another grand on making it capable of supporting that power. And, you'll need someone to tune it, and they are getting harder and harder to find (yes, you can get the equipment and figure it out yourself).

"Forget EFI," you say, "I'm going old-school carb." Okay, I challenge anyone to produce LS power with the same economy and driveability of the LS with a Gen I SBC & a carb - it ain't gonna happen.

Yes, LS exhaust is expensive. Well, so is Gen I SBC exhaust to handle 400 HP.

And, as always, making the power is only half of the equation - handling it is the other, so plan on transmission, chassis, rear end upgrades.

I will say that if you decide to go the LS route, you have to be committed to see it through. Paying to have it done will be extremely expensive, and doing it yourself will require research, time, and effort (along with the parts and cost). And forget about modding it back.

But, again, once you drive it...