My car is getting up there in miles and I thought I should start looking for a new one. I don't have the money for a real expensive engine so I was thinking about this 350H.O 330H.P I saw from Jim Pace GM Performance Parts I have the stock LB9 305TPI and want to go for a 350 and keep the TPI and etc. I also don't want to do a bunch of cutting and shoving to make it work. Any other suggestions. Thanks guys Here's the link to the site:
http://www.paceparts.com/350_ho_crate_engine.htm

------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

 

This motor has vortec cylinder heads that will not match up to your tpi intake.

------------------
1987 Camaro IROC-Z w/ 305 tpi/5-speed/9 bolt 3.45 gear
1969 Camaro with '96 350 vortec truck engine

 

Any other suggestions?


------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

 

You could try getting a used engine from wrecked car. I bought a set of Corvette cylinder heads from a place called
Corvettejunkyard.com This guy buys corvettes and parts them out. The heads I got were in great shape and the price was reasonable. As for new engines Jim Pace has stock replacement engines in their 2000 Catalog. I will have the check pricing tonight and post the cost for a LB9 and a L98.

------------------
1987 Camaro IROC-Z w/ 305 tpi/5-speed/9 bolt 3.45 gear
1969 Camaro with '96 350 vortec truck engine

 

ZZ4

 

Ditto.

 

The engine will bolt in, although if it has vortec heads the tpi intake manifold won't bolt up.....

 

If you look at the picture, they are not Vortec heads. Vortecs have six exhuast bolts holes, not 7. Look behind the dip stick. Of course that doesn't mean this is a picture of the actual engine either.

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1992 Pontiac Firebird 350/Six Speed
1987 Toyota Pickup 383/500+ HP

 

Hey Mark at the site it does say the heads are 12558060 - Cast Iron Vortec. I want about 300 h.p. but more is better. And I don't want to spend $3500.00 for it. I do love the ZZ4 but by the time I have it installed and all the little things it would cost probably near $4500.00 although it would be bad***. Would I be better off getting a 350 TPI from a junkyard and having it completely rebuilt with some mods? What years could I use? Any more opinions?



------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

 

the 300hp version was normal heads, but the 330hp version is vortec heads. i happen to have one in my garage i'm putting in an 85 K5 blazer for a customer. very nice set up, but requires the vortec bolt pattern intake.

 

the tpi vortec intake is supposed to be coming out soon

 

You could also try SDPC's 2 bolt main zz4 ( well kind of, its a caprice) engine with the edelbrock aluminum heads for $2,700 or just buy the 92/93 caprice engine for 1,500 , sell the heads off of it and buy a good set of L98 or other
chevy cast heads and a good cam. You could probable do the engine for around 2,000 or so if you
do it your self . The caprice is a great starting point if ya give it a good set of heads and your TBI will bolt up as long as you don't use vortec heads. Just another thought for you to consider.......bob

------------------
91 camaro RS L03 convert,
t-5, ultimate TBI mods,TBI spacer,SLP 1 5/8 headers,
3"cat back, 3.42 torsen posi,alston SFC's,Global West LCA relocation brackets, edelbrock STB

 

Can you tell me where I can get more info on the 300hp engine. Is it GM, What's the price, and I can just swap all my stuff off my 305TPI, what all is in the package, and etc.? Thanks Zippy

------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

 

But the Vortec wouldn't work with my stock manifold right?

------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

 

My car is TPI not TBI but would this engine still work? If so where could I get more info. Thanks guys!

------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

 

Guys I need to blow some smoke so just ignore me. I just got beat again! This friend at work has a 85 Monte Carlo SS but put in a 350. He smoked me! Damn what was GM thinking by putting a engine in a sports car that only has 190hp and weights a ton? I mean my wife's Chrysler Sebring LXI has almost more hp than my car! DUH! I wish they were thinking what everyone else thinks "Trans Am lets race because it's a sports car and looks fast so it must be fast" Which I also think hey it's a Trans Am yea lets race and then I get beat! Lets see 88 Mustang 5.0, 80 Cutlass w/350 slightly built, 89 Mitsubishi Elipse Turbo, and now a 85 Monte Carlo SS. WTF! Till I get a new engine I'm only racing Festivas! Surely I can bet them. To everyone else I'll just act like I love my car so much and don't want to abuse it. Then get on a backroad when noone else is on it and think I'm badass! Sorry guys just had to get it off my chest. Thanks for all you help. Please help me find something that I can atleast beat a squirrel with. hehe

------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon

[This message has been edited by jobryan26 (edited April 04, 2001).]

 

What about this engine.
http://www.goautocenter.com/300hp_tpi_1987-89.htm

------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
160 Degree Thermostat
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Kenwood Excelon