I found an 1989 i-roc pretty cheap that has a tpi 350 that need rebuilt but it has a brand new 700r4 in it. What I want to know is can I pull that Buy a short block 383 crate motor add a good set of heads and put my TPI on it? If I can do all heads work with TPI I have been doing alot of looking and I have never seen a set of heads advertised say that they are for use specifically with TPI. If I cant use my TPI could I buy one of the 2 setups in JEGS they have of that says it is for 350 cubes and larger and it is like 3,300 dollars. I will do that if necassary. But for 3,300 dollars is that cost effective over a carb setup. I really want tpi I like the torque but I hate the HP. I would like to have about 450 hp and about 500 torque. This original 350 was at a 320 HP and maybe 350-380 torque. The guy who wants to sell it to me lives close to me and I have talked to him alot when his car was running and he has a really good suspension set up so I thing it will be able to handle the power. It has a 373 geared rebuilt posi rear end and it has weld in sub frame connectors and some kinda traction bars or lift bars or something. Anyway any help would be greatly appreciated. I LOVE TPI but no one can help me with it.

 

Yes, you can swap out the block and heads for better stuff, and still use the TPI. The only thing you want to make sure is that you use 87+ Centerbolt style heads. Older style heads will work, but will require you to modify the bolt holes in the intake a little bit.

If the original 350 is at 320 HP, he's already done a decent amount of work to it, you should probably find out exactly what he's done before you ditch everything.

And, to make the kind of hp you're talking about you will definately need an aftermarket intake. The setups that you're seeing in Jegs for $3300 come with a complete computer system as well, you don't need that. You just need the actual manifold pieces.

You basically have three choices for an aftermarket intake setup for your kind of hp, a TPIS Miniram which will run you about $1300 for the manifold and fuel rails, an Accel SuperRam which will run about $1200 for a complete system as well, or the new Holley Stealthram which will only run you about $450 for a complete setup, but I think they are backordered right now.

 

On any high-hp application you'll want to go with a shotrer runner setup. An LTR like the tpi, even with better flowing aftermarket parts, is still going to suck in the high rpms where you'll be trying to make your horsepower. Scott has outlined your basic options. Since you're contemplating spending $3300, I'm going to guess that you wouldnt be up for an lt1 intake modification, which gets you esentially the same performance as the miniram for under half the cost, with alot of custom work. I would reccomend the Stealth Ram if you're not in a hurry. Its backordered out the whazoo currently, but hopefully in a few months they will have upped production and it will be more readily available. Holley and their distributors were caught off gaurd by the mass of orders they recieved after Doug announced that it fit under the camaro hood.

Oh, and you're going down the right road here looking for high performance fuel injection options. Dont make the mistake of converting to carb, espicially since you already have a worknig fuel injection seutp.

 

If you do a LTR set up right...... it definately WILL NOT suck!!!
http://www.mycar.net/mafb/registry/detail.cfm?id=201

 

Yeah, the siamesed base LTR (sort of) system is very promising. There seems to only be a handfull that run it, but all of them have had very good results with it, Mike having the best results of them (or should I say us ..... very soon!! ).