My camaro has an LG4 / T5 and I'm looking to do an L98/ T56 swap over the next few months.

Is the L98 block any different than any other 350 block? Can I get any 350, slap some Aluminum 113 heads on her and a TPI unit and call it an L98?

 

The differences are details, and for what you're talking about, insignificant.

First 350 SBC - 1968

1968-1979 - two-piece rear main seal, dipstick on driver's side.

1980-1985 - dipstick on passenger side.

1986 - one piece rear main seal.

1987-up - roller lifter cam (passenger cars only - truck blocks same casting, but may not be machined for the roller provisions).

In 3rd gens, the L98 350 wasn't offered until 1987. So, one-piece rear main seal, roller lifter cam, dipstick on passenger side.

If you get a '68-'79 350 block, you'll need headers to clear the dipstick tube, a flywheel for '83-'85 f-body V8, and flat-tappet cam.

The 113 heads will bolt to any of those blocks. You'll want an '85-'86 or any year Vette base to ease bolting up to the head's intake bolt pattern (didn't mention that above because you already said what heads you plan on using, but the center two intake mount bolts on each side went to 72 degrees instead of 90 like all the rest of the bolts in 1987).

You can use a L31 350 block ('96-'99 trucks), but not Gen II LT1 blocks.

The T56 needs to be from an LT1 car.

It could be argued that TPI isn't the best choice for an orginally-carb'd manual tranny car. But, that's really your choice.