what mods can i put on an 350 that is under 500 dollars thanks for yalls advice

 

All kinds of em. You could go with exhaust improvements (headers,y-pipe, and cat back), cam swap, intake swap, or maybe even some head work. I assume these are the type of improvements you are thinking about. Just go through some old threads and see what topics keep coming up. Might want to check in some people's signatures to see what modifications they have done. My personal choice for a fairly cheap modification (although it will be a little over the $500 mark) is a set of vortec cylinder heads and a cam. This should run me $650 or so, if I figure right. Other than that, I think I would go with a hooker cat back system which is $250 or so i think. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do!

 

I would only start modifying a car if it is in prime running condition. This meaning its in proper tune, has free mods done and is ready for real mods. You may have to spend close to $100 for a full tune-up. After thats done, ALWAYS start with exhaust. No matter what the car is, a higher flowing exhaust will ALWAYS make significant improvements. You can get a cat back from Hooker for around $260 and a set of Edelbrock TES Headers for $320 or so. That keeps you close to your price range and will make the car seriously faster, and tons more fun!

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1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission
Borg Warner 7.75" 9 Bolt Rear End

Current Mods: LT4 Hot Cam, Comp Cams 1.52:1 Roller Rocker Arms, Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker 3" Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Performance Resource Chip, Accel Ignition Coil, Cap, Rotor, 8.8mm Wires, K&N Filters, JET TPI Air Foil, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET (w/o LT4 cam): 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

7.5" 10 Bolt with 3.42s soon to come!

 

If the engine is not in a good state of tune,, as stated earlier,, you'll want to tune it up and get it in good operating condition in stock form. That also goes for the suspension bushings. If car and engine are already in good running condition,, here's my vote.

160* Thermostat ($5), toggle switch for the fan(s) ($3), airfoil for the T/B ($35), gut the stock air box ($0), homemade ram air ($16 home depot), remove screens and rings on MAF ($0), borrow a die grinder and gut the plenum ($15 gaskets), AFPR while plenum is off ($60), gut the cat,, if you're not a friend of the environment and can ($0), bump the TPS ($0), bump the timing ($0), adjust the lifters to 1/4 turn ($0) - lets see,,, that's $134. Next buy K&N filters ($45) and an under-drive pulley ($55 + belts). That's under $240 worth of mods I use to do back in the late 80's and early 90's for folks - when the cars were like new. Typically all the above mods would drop a stock 350 TPI around 1.5 seconds in the quarter (using slicks in a before and after comparison)!!! Most left running in the 13.50 range ,, and there was really nothing that caught your attention to the fact the car would run that fast. I didn't like putting on headers other folks cars, and rarely did with the amount I charged to do them. However, with $260 left, you could get a set of headman headers ($110 - w/o air injectors), their Y-pipe ($100), and a Dynomax muffler ($45).

I kinda like spending other folks money!!! Good luck with your modifications!!!!

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86 IROC - 9.8:1 - 355, TFS twisted wedge heads, 218/228-110, fully ported GM base and plenum, SLP runners, 52mm BBK, 24# SVO, 88 350 GM EPROM, 1 5/8" Headman headers, 2.5" Dynomax, TH350, 2200 stall, B&M Megashifter, 3.23 peg leg, 245/45ZR17 on 212 Eagles - Best run - 12.53/112.4 on 26x11.5 ET Streets.

 

or you could just buy a stainless cat-back system for $500 if you don't really want much performance gain (you didn't say).

nah,
used carb, intake, and fuelpump $200
used NOS plate system $100
New Mcreary Road Stars $200

basically gain at least 2.5 seconds & 15+mph

just a thought

 

(nuthin)

[This message has been edited by '89Formula305TPI (edited February 03, 2001).]

 

Hey badSS, what was that adjusting the lifters thing? never heard of that..
please tell us (me) more..

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'89 Formula 305 TPI T-5
Check out my car HERE!

 

GM sets the preload on the hydraulic lifter pretty tight. You usually will pick up a few horses setting the preload on the lifters a 1/4 turn past 0 load. However, no telling what the previous owners has done. I think someone posted a pretty detailed reply on one of the boards here recently. If you (or others) need more detail,, try a search for it,, if you can't find it,, let me know.