Recently I jumped on 1991 camaro z28 I found on craigslist, he wanted $300 but on christmas day he called and told me I could have it(best present I've ever got )
It's the 350 tpi with auto transmission.
It has a cracked windshield, one dent on the passenger side, broken steering column, interior is actually pretty clean.


I was considering turning it into a drag car,(carb'd, stroker etc...)
But how fast can a TPI be? I've heard the intakes choke the engine at high rpms? There's gotta be aftermarket intakes to cure that though right?
If I kept TPI, I would want it to run low 14's or hopefully high 12's/low 13's.
Could that be done without spending a lot?

 

TPI is not a good performance intake system. It is EXTREMELY modification-hostile.

However, there are other EFI intakes you can get, that require very little modification of anything else; unlike for example, yanking it off and slapping a carb on it, which I would NOT recommend.

The Holley Stealth Ram is probably the best combo of performance & price for one of these cars. It does away with the RPM-limiting "feature" of TPI, but costs less and causes less trouble than a carb, intake, distributor, fuel pressure regulator, and untold wiring and plumbing nightmares. And has the potential to feed a FAR more potent engine than a stock 350, for when you decide (as we all seem to, eventually!!) that you're not going fast enough yet.

But first... I'd suggest leaving the engine alone if it still works, and concentrate on bring the rest of the car up to snuff. Don't "fix" stuff that isn't broke, while other stuff that IS broke stays that way. Spend your money where it will do the most good.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...formation.html


As the man said above
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/alte...gal-whats.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/post...48-post11.html

There are other choices
http://www.tpis.com/parts/view/33
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/afte...rying-set.html

Define " a lot " ?

 

By "a lot" I mean, I'll only be able to buy parts every couple of months.
Until I finally get it street legal, Then I could sell my V6 mustang for $2500, maybe more since the engine is rebuilt and it has some other mods done to it.

As for the stealth ram, would it peform good on a mild 383?

When I have the cash from selling my car, I could also check out the salvage yard, Maybe I could pick up a LT or LS parts car.

 

Have a lot more potential than a TPI unless you invest some serious $$$ in it;
in which case you would buy this intake

https://www.firstfuelinjection.com/services.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/alte...ction-tpi.html

 

Go with 3.42 gears and nos and you can do both and only be a few hundred into it

 

Congrats!!!

Make sure brakes work well at full leg pressure...
Nitrous 100hp
Sticky drag radial tires

A stock, properly running tpi 350 will go low 13's with a 100 shot of nitrous and sticky tires.


Making the transmission survive is important. Do a fluid check, maybe put a new filter/fluid/shift kit.. Maje sure the TV cable is adjusted properly..

Dint waste any cash on that engine if you have big plans for a complete engine swap..

 

TPI was just a bad idea. LOL I've had 2 C4 corvettes with these engines. Their great out of the hole. ( they used to call them torque monsters) but above 70 they have as much trouble breathing as a 70 year old smoker. Also they can be a headache when something to do with the TPI malfunction. LOL I don't run fuel injection on my builds, mainly cause I don't know enough about installing them. LOL The easiest way is to just build a badass 383 with a carb. I've had 3 cars with a 383 in them. A C4 corvette, which kept it's tuned port, an 84H.O. Z/28 and regal. The C4 was a basket case with a tuned port on top of a 383, mainly cause there is no one in my area who knows how to tune and modify TPIs. Unless your really comfortable doing PC work you might want to stick with a carb.

 

update: the camaro started up first try, after we found a battery for it. Had problems idling, but never died.(might be the old gas) It also has low oil pressure.
Sounded pretty loud though with no cats or mufflers.

 

If you were after performance you wouldn't run a stock TPI on a 383 unless you were building a truck motor ,regardless of the tune

I listed the available alternative perf intakes above

100Hp difference over a stock TPI on a built 383 IF you use the right intake
See
http://xtremecarzone.com.au/index.php?showtopic=386

 

It's funny you say that, I always thought the tpi engines would be great in a truck. Would be fun to shove one into a s10 with or without 4x4, either way it would be a kickass truck lol