I have an 88 GTA that currently has a 305 TPI out of an 85 IROC in it...so no roller cam. I will be pulling the engine in a couple weeks to freshen it up with new gaskets, as well as repainting it. I have also decided that I will be ditching the TPI and going with a carb setup. Here is what I have:

-305 TPI out of 85 IROC
-non-roller cam
-0416 castings, all stock, rebuilt about 30k mi ago (will probably do that again while I have them off)
-aluminum hypereutectic flat top pistons (engine was rebuilt about 30k mi ago)
-stock bottm end
-Car has 3.27 posi rear gears
Car also has a world class BW T-5.

Today, after reading the tech article here on switching from TPI to carb, I got a Holley 4 barrel 600 CFM carb from my neighbor. Looks really clean, may look into rebuilding and cleaning it up. It has a manual choke.

I'm also wanting about putting in a new cam but there are a lot of different ones out there. I'm looking for a cam that will give a noticeable lumpy idle. If I have to change the valve springs, I will when I get the heads tanked and the valve seals replaced.

For intake, what intake would work good with what I have, and with whatever cam y'all recommend?

I would like something in the neighborhood of 300 hp when all is said and done. I am willing to do some porting to the heads if that will help me reach that goal.

This is my first time doing this, and my first time working with a carb. I am eager and excited to learn! Any help or guidance will be appreciated.

On that note, a 350 build isn't an option due to funds right now, I'm doing this on a budget, whichever intake I get I will try and find a used one, ebay has a ton of used aftermarket intakes for the SBC.

 

OK, since I'm not getting any responses, how about just posting some of the mild 305 combos you all are running to give me ideas?

 

Do not ditch the TPI that is money wasted and going in the wrong direction. Why would you replace the new, better tech, with old cave-man tech?

Here's some interesting reading for you. Fast355 built a 305TPI that was a vortec roller block with ported vortec 305 heads. Dyno @ 356rwhp. Good read there. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tpi/...tpi-310-a.html


Also those 416 heads are decent in stock form and great ported with larger valves. If you search you can find some flow data in both forms. I'm porting a set right now, it's the second set of these heads i've done. They are meaty in all the right places and are a dime a dozen. So if you do mess up it's easy to replace them.

Theres a copy of an article from one of the car mags where they built a 305 using 416 heads, ported with large valves, that produced great HP. Check it out; http://www.hioutput.com/tech/343hp/343hp.html