Hi! I left the import scene this January and purchased an 1988 IROC L98 with 9 bolt 2.77? gears. With 145k very gentle miles (an older gentelman who was absolutely not a hot rodder was the original owner) I thought it would be much better manatained than it is- I've dropped a good $1000 dollars into stuff just to get it running right and I still can't get it to burn rubber!!!-

-Current Issue: it's starting to blow smoke at start up. I would rather put the money for valve seals or head rebuild towards a set of high winding aftermarket heads. Before I do that I know I need to get educated in the overall build plan so that I don't have to financially back track on parts- thus I'm hoping some of you who have the big picture figured out can guide me in coming up with a basic engine build plan that I can occasionally refer to.

This is a California Smog Law Camaro- My main focus is more of backroad auto crossing, with only the occasional 1/4 mile banging.
I'd like something that has a deep quick torque range and a quick reving nimble engine. I want to keep the basic TPI system and don't need Big Block power. I know nothing about heads and cams; with my imports, there were so many cookie cutter packages is was easy to select without knowing to much (since I wasn't using any boost)

How do I start figuring how to match a set of heads and cam? (is a $1000 to $1500 budget reasonable??)

I've got the high flow cat and 3" exhaust, just bought 24lb SVO injectors, went totally through the TPI system and added adjustable fuel pressure regulator, inline guage, etc, and fine tuned all the mantainance issues except PROM, brakes and suspension so far.

It dosn't appear that VORTEC heads will really give me what I want...
Any well thought out input is appreciated. Nitro

 

By what i understand most people rebuild the 350 to a 355 or 383 and get rid of the stock TPI setup (something about good torque but not a ton of power and nothing after 4500rpm.) I use carbs so not positive about it. I can tell you for a good set of heads you are looking at probably 1000 to 1200 for a set. And unlike an import the v-8 engines are not very high winding unless you dump thousands into them. Lots of information on engine build and what the most likely setups will do if you use the search funtion. But mostly all i can say is whever you knew about imports does not apply very well to the v-8's especiually 3rd gen ones since they are a bit older.

to have aset of heads rebuild will be probably 150 to 200 a head. most people will build a car for either road course or drag, but not both since the suspension is a bit different.