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Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

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Old Jul 9, 2008 | 11:23 PM
  #1  
bigbird724's Avatar
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From: Macomb, MI
Car: 1987 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: A4
Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

So I recently decided to hang on to my 87 firebird formula 305tpi for a while after having close to $6,000 in engine repairs done. Now I'm looking for ways to make it fun to drive in the summer...and by fun, I mean smoking tires and beating rice burners at the line. I was looking at getting a throttle body spacer, headers, and a slp cold air induction kit. Are these worth it, or are there other ideas worth considering?

any suggestions are worth considering!
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Old Jul 9, 2008 | 11:37 PM
  #2  
z28freak84's Avatar
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From: Bement IL, Champaign,IL
Car: 1985 IROC-Z Silver
Engine: Vortec 5.7L
Transmission: WC-T5
Axle/Gears: 3.23 disc brake 10 bolt
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

I personally would go with Hedman longtube headers, summit 2-1/2" x-pipe, and flowmaster 1-chamber mufflers dumped, an Lt1 aftermarket intake elbow with some sort of cold air induction, probably custom by me....Holley 52mm tb, stealth ram, and a small comp XE cam 206/212 @.050". Then a 3800 converter and 3.73 gears with some 26" MT ET Street Radials.... Also some Comp 918 beehives with some Titanium retainers. With a custom burnt DIY prom, I think this combo could really run, especially if you stepped it up to the 212/218 cam, and it will still drive nice enough for anyone on the street.

...Then throw a Procharger on it with 14lbs of BOOSSSST!
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Old Jul 10, 2008 | 11:57 PM
  #3  
grover85's Avatar
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From: New Germany, MN
Car: 1986 Iroc
Engine: 5.3
Transmission: 4L80E
Axle/Gears: 9 Inch w/ 3.55
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

Or just be simple with a no2 kit
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 12:28 AM
  #4  
z28freak84's Avatar
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From: Bement IL, Champaign,IL
Car: 1985 IROC-Z Silver
Engine: Vortec 5.7L
Transmission: WC-T5
Axle/Gears: 3.23 disc brake 10 bolt
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

NO2 is Nitrogen. N2O is Nitrous Oxide.
Besides with ONLY N20 it will still be a dog...UNLESS its being sprayed.
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 11:44 AM
  #5  
Hello, Michael's Avatar
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 286
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From: Cicero, IL.
Car: 1987 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6
Engine: SBC 350
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.70:1 BW M78 9-Bolt Posi
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

I'd start by swapping out gears. You can have all the power in the world, but if you don't have the gears to get up into the power range, what good is it? 3.73:1 is a good choice
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 11:45 AM
  #6  
8T9 BANDIT's Avatar
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From: NYTHIRDGEN
Car: 1989 T/A
Engine: PROCHARGED LB9
Transmission: FB BUILT 700r4 2200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10 BOLT EATON 3:73 POSI
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

exhaust (header's to tips), gears, built tranny, stall, cam, rr's, ignition, procharger. done........ kinda like what i have, look at sig.
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Old Jul 12, 2008 | 09:21 AM
  #7  
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From: Southern Wisconsin
Car: 1988 Camaro
Engine: 383 Stroker
Transmission: Probuilt 700 R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

I think 3.73 would be to steep for him to start out on with a 305. I would go with a safe 3.42
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Old Jul 13, 2008 | 02:13 AM
  #8  
snake70's Avatar
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From: northford ct
Car: 1979ta, 1981 formula
Engine: 400 sbc 403 olds
Transmission: th350 th400
Axle/Gears: 308 373
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

a great way to get more power is to put a 350 in it lol
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Old Jul 14, 2008 | 01:40 AM
  #9  
Kevin91Z's Avatar
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From: Orange, SoCal
Car: 1990 Pontiac Trans Am
Engine: 355 TPI siamesed runners
Transmission: Tremec T56
Axle/Gears: 12-Bolt 3.73
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

The power adder forum is for nitrous, superchargers, and turbo chargers only. You need to post in the tech/general or TPI forum for questions about naturally aspirated engines.
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Old Jul 14, 2008 | 01:47 PM
  #10  
NEWMAN1786's Avatar
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 37
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From: Upper Marlboro, MD
Car: 91 z28, 92 rs
Engine: 350 zz4, 305 tbi :(
Transmission: 700r4
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

if you spent 6,000 you dindt you put in a ls1 or 383?
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Old Jul 14, 2008 | 02:19 PM
  #11  
ezysk's Avatar
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 269
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From: South East Michigan
Car: 1986 Firebird / 1985 Trans-Am
Engine: 305 4BBL / 383 4BBL++
Transmission: 700R4 / 700R4
Axle/Gears: ?.?? / 3.47
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

That is close to what I said, for $6000 you could of bought a crate 350, with much more HP than the 305, but hindsight is always 20/20.

But there are always ways to improve anything.
Exhaust
Heads,
Cam
Super charger or Turbo
Nitrous
etc.
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Old Jul 14, 2008 | 08:22 PM
  #12  
gcgarner's Avatar
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From: Morganton, NC
Car: '92 T/A WS6 Vert/1956 Chevy Nomad
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700r4 w/ Transgo Kit
Axle/Gears: 3.42 LSD
Re: Ways to add HP to 305TPI?

$6,000 in engine repairs


How does your butt feel? 'Cause you just got screwed!

Read my profile to the left. Every bit of this was done for just over $6,000 in the past 4 mos. New motor, rebuilt trans incl. new torque converter, new rear end gears (3.42), Hooker headers, hi-flow cat, Hooker 3" catback, chrome alternator, polished aluminum valve covers, headers coated by Jet Hot, new hood struts, new trunk struts, Alston SFC's, Wonderbar, custom PROM tune. And the engine swap, trans rebuild and rear end were all done by a shop ... $3,100 in labor/small parts (incl. torque converter, new radiator and minor-detail parts like belts & hoses).

I wish you would have posted this before you got your engine work done. But, my suggestion now is to start with exhaust and go from there.

throttle body spacer, headers, and a slp cold air induction kit
TB spacer: Waste of money with your setup

Headers: Best idea of the three, but will be almost worthless unless you upgrade the rest of your restrictive stock exhaust system as well.

SLP CAI: Hard to find and expensive when you do. Do a search for the home-made CAIs on this board. Just make sure to put your filter where it will actually get cold air and not hot engine air.

Last edited by gcgarner; Jul 14, 2008 at 08:28 PM.
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