I have an 89 Firebird Formula 350 TPI and in the future I am wanting the car to have a 383 stroker TPI with automatic tranny, if possible, a supercharger and possibly a 100 shot of nitrous. What I am wanting to know is if I can use the 350 that I have in there now and have the machine work done on it to be a 383 or do I need a different block? It would be easier if I could use the block the I already have. I am curious to know what parts are all needed to possibly do this and maybe put it around 450 to 500 rwhp. that is with the supercharger and nitrous? I am wondering what heads, cam, pistons, compression ratio I would want and any other modifications that I may need to get this done. The supercharger and nitrous will come later just wanting to know what parts I am going to be needing to get for the engine. Any and all help and suggestions are greatly appreciated. This site has helped me out a lot with what I have done so far to the car, mainly body modifications, now it is time for the performance modifications. The suspension and steering will hopefully be getting done this winter. Thanks for any help that anyone can give me.

 

take block get it bored out, buy the stroker crank and go nuts, the stock tpi will not handle the power you want though, need to upgrade to a hsr or similar product

 

I would get ahold of a better block, a 4 bolt main block. Especially if you want to run boost. I would NOT run two power adders....unless you want to build a badass motor. Take the block to a REPUTABLE (!) machine shop and have them guide you through the build. 4-500 is not out of the question especially with a blower. The last 383 I put together made 505 hp (flywheel) on pump gas. AFR heads, 6"rod, RPM intake, 650 holley, 236/242 cam. Add a blower to that (with the right heads/cam/CR combo and you'll put that much or more to the ground. Beware, though, with that much power you WILL break parts. Be prepared to spend the money to build the rest of the car.

 

You're gonna need at least 630 H.P. at the flywheel in order to make 500 R.W.H.P. Nasty makes a good point about the block issue. Making this much power is gonna require a lot of specialty hardware in order to make reliable and repeatable power in that neighborhood. I'd check out a World Products or Dart block. Here's an example of a motor that just might work for you with either of those blocks.

Bore: 4.155
Stroke: 3.750
Compression: 9.0-9.5
Crank: Forged
Rods: 4340 I-Beam
Pistons: Forged
Piston Rings: 1/16
Oil Pan & Pump: 5-6 Quart and stock or Melling 55
Camshaft: Flat Tappet Hydraulic
230/230@0.050
0.455/0.455
114.0 Lobe Seperation angle
I believe Lunati still sells this cam.
Rocker Arms: 1.5 Harlan Sharp or Comp or Crane
Heads: Stock Iron Vortec
Valve Sizes: 1.94/1.50
Intake: Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap Vortec
Carb: Holley HP 750
Distributor: H.E.I. unit of any kind
Headers: 1 5/8 Hedman with a 2-1/2 - 3 inch exhaust.

This combo will make right around 427 H.P. at a very streetable 5100 rpm and 525 lb.-ft of torque at 3500 rpm. Combine this with a timing retard device and a 250 cheater Nitrous sytem and presto! Instant power equaling 670 H.P. and a decent daily driver that will have pretty decent gas mileage. As a bonus, you've exceeded your 500 R.W.H.P. number with only one power adder. Now that's what I call a win/win situation. Keep in mind, there are better parts than the ones I listed, but the way I laid this combo out is cheap and effective. I also know from an engine dyno that these parts combine to make that power number. Deviating in anyway will change the outcome, so don't yell at me if you change some parts and the outcome isn't what you wanted. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for all this info, it will really help me when I go to do this.

Iroczracer
I will probably change a few of the parts that you mentioned and I will not yell if the numbers don't add up since I changed the parts. The numbers may be higher or lower, we will just have to see. Do you happen to have a link to world products or Dart block so I can look at what they have.

Nasty
When you say be prepared to break parts with this much power. Can you give me an idea as to what parts may break with this much power. I plan on putting in strut tower brace, sub frame connectors, new lca's, beefing up the tranny, possibly aluminum drive shaft. Any more suggestions, I know I am missing a lot of parts, as to what will need to be replaced. Thinking of replacing most of this before the engine is done so that will all be done.

One other thing for everyone is that I do not wish to convert to carb. I want to keep it fuel injected. Kretos did mention upgrading to a hsr or similar product. Anyone have any suggestions as to what to go with to keep the fuel injection.

I would like to run both the supercharger and nitrous but the nitrous is optional. Would love a bad *** motor for driving around with and to have a little fun with when I get the chance. Thanks for everyones help and please keep the suggestions coming.

 

http://www.worldcastings.com/
http://www.dartheads.com/

You'll probably want to beef up the rearend and Edelbrock has the pro-flo system. Accel also makes a couple fuel injection set ups that you could use. Tune Port Injection Specialties has the Mini-Ram set up as well. The H.S.R. unit is a pretty neat set up, but I've been seeing so many posts on here complaining about problems with it that I couldn't recommend it in good conscience. That's just my

 

Ive read that the 350 should be fine just get it magnafluxed and make sure its in perfect conditon. Along with getting all forged internals to handle the supercharger and nos

 

I'm sorry to disappoint Vadimz28, but that information is incorrect. At lower H.P. levels the stock block could probably handle it, but with the amount of power and boost he plans on making that is not a safe bet. The stock block needs to have the main caps modified from 2 bolt mains to 4 bolt mains, be magnafluxed, hot tanked, decked for straightness, have the bolt holes cleaned up, and new freeze plugs installed to be ready for this level of power. Align boring the mains probably wouldn't be a bad idea either. After all that's done you can expect to have at least 600 bucks in machine work done and still not have a block as sturdy as the dart or world products block. I almost forgot about the clearancing that would be needed for the stroker crank he wants to use. This feature is standard in the other 2 blocks.

 

Iroczracer
You have been a big help and please keep going if you have any suggestions as well as everyone else. I figured I would go with the block from either place but it will be a while so I figured I could get some of the cheaper parts, cheaper in price compared to the block not cheaper parts to go in the block. I saw that you posted what type of crank, cam, pistons and a few things like that but do you have a preference on what brand to go with or does it matter. Just looking for more info is all. Thanks a lot to everyone.

 

I would spend my money on the supercharger and the best cylinder heads I can afford before spending a dime on a 383 crank and mods.
A 350 is easier to build correctly for a supercharger (low compression ratio with off the shelf parts).
the stroker crank should be way down the page on your dream list.

A 377ci (400block 350 crank, standard 5.7" rod length) makes an very powerful, strong blower motor that will last.
The big bore allows most aftermarket heads to breath better than a 4" bore. The short stroke crank is stronger.
A 377 revs easy.

 

I wonder if you're biased F-bird'88. You're telling him not to use a stroker for a power adder, but then you tell him to use a 377 set up using a 400 small block that's been de-stroked. On top of that, any motor can get the job done with the right parts. The engine I gave him will get the job done. It's a dyno proven combo.

 

What parts are you curious about Gambit?

 

i agree with iroczracer07 that a new block would be better however ur stock strocked block would be able to handle in the 450 horsepower range and ovbiously you would have to clean everything up and make sure the block is in perfect condition which i already stated.

 

You're right, I am biased. I like simplisity and getting the most bang for the buck.
Longs rods and 1/16" rings add little or nothing to a supercharged., or NOS motor. Lot of bother and expense for nothing. (Grinding block clearance, rod clearance, small base circle cam,) a 350ci based 5.7" rod motor with some out of the box 200 or 215cc Dart pro 1's and a NOS/ blower friendly cam and a blower/ NOS system NOW instead of later after my bank account recovers from all the non stock dimention parts and fitting labour. will get you further for less.

Don;t like to complicate things with little or no return.

 

That's why we suggested the world products or dart block. Clearance is already there for his stroker and he won't need to spend a dime for machine work because it's already done. Later on he can bore and stroke that sucker out to 454 cubic inches of mean mouse. Plus this block can take anything he can dish out and then some. Can't say the same for a factory block. Even if it is strengthened.

 

If you have the money the aftermarket block is the way to go, If you are on a budget then you could pick up a 4 bolt truck block from the salvage yard. Then have it clearanced for the stroke, with the other machine work. Use a 4340 bottom end, forged pistons and a good set of heads. The superchager will overcome most of the TPIs issues, unless you are wanting a high rpm motor. Or you could just use a direct port system with a 250 shot. I do not think you would need both to get the power you want. Then just buy stock in a tire company, the torqe made by any of these setups will be hard to get to hookup.

 

How would you use TPI to control EFI w/boost?? The MAP sensor can't sense positive pressures can it?

If I was you I'd go carb and make life easier. IMO.

 

A 2 bar MAP can.

 

Check out F.A.S.T. and Accel's D.F.I. VII and you'll see just how much you can really control with aftermarket fuel injection set ups and controllers. I think you'll be very surprised.