I need a few of you guys running TPI firebirds to let me know the exact hood clearance you have above your STOCK TPI PLENUM.

what I would like you to do is place 3 lumps of clay (one over each point) over the throttle body, middle, and rear of the plenum and then carefully close the hood, open the hood and measure the thicknes of each giving me the clearance thickness (a big wad of aluminum foil will also work almost as well if you don,t have clay)

I will quite soon have a supply of lower height high flow plenums to fit the HOLLEY STEATHRAM EFI BASE available for the C-4 corvettes and was hopeing to find out if they fit the firebirds also, PLEASE HELP ME OUT GUYS, AS YOUR AWARE the STEATHRAM HAS A POTENTIAL HP GAIN IN AIRFLOW to allow 550hp plus with its 300cfm flow as opposed to the stock TPIs 190cfm that limits you to about 400hp MAX without porting

 

Why don't you just send me one to see if it fits? I'll put it on, check clearances... then send it back to you... I promise...

If I get time tonight I'll see what I can do for measurements for you...

 

There isnt really a clearance issue with the hood itself that I noticed when measuring off my plenum, but rather a brace that runs across the hood. I can go check later, but IIRC there was only 3/4-1" above the TB to that brace with the stock TPI setup. That is really the critical spot on the TA.

 

A friend of mine put one on his 88 GTA and only had to cut a section of the hood bracing about 6" x 6" towards the front of the HSR plenum/TB area. The bracing is roughly 3/4" thick I'd guess - then add a little more for the hood insulation, and a plenum that sits about 1.25" to 1.5" lower than the stock HSR should be perfect.
Almost forgot to mention - - Even with the bracing cut out, the passenger side front corner of his plenum to TB area still rubbed the hood a little. Just enough to take the powder coating off his StealthRam.
I just found a Formula hood to replace mine that was damaged in August and I would really hate to cut the bracing out of it. If your plenum doesn't go through though Grumpy, the HP increase might still be worth hacking the hood wouldn't you say?

 

Can you give us a measurement of the HSR with your plenum installed from the front of the block sealing surface to the top of the throttle body? I saw a spec listed for the stock HSR that was a little over 10" tall.

 

Anything for grumpy vette... oh crap its midnight hm maybe tommorrow... any way i am seriously considering the stealth ram and the hood clearance seems to be the only problem i have with it please give us some more info!

By the way grumpy what cars do you actually own? Maybe I am going insane but I swear i saw some of your posts on hybridz too. I've decided that my next project car will be a 70-78 z car, that is if i can get my car in the 12's, and scrounge a $5000 or so before college to get a good start on a v-8 converted z car. I'm trying to get something like this guy's... http://mywebpages.comcast.net/pparaska/index.html

 

wtf, double post

 

I own (3) C-4 corvettes a 1985.1992,1996 and yes your correct I post on several car related sites


http://www.webphotos.com/view_photo....1031&p=1906619

 

ok using a couple handfuls of remelted ice/snow (had the consistency of a sno-cone) I put in a sandwich bag and closing the hood on it I'm getting about 3/4" of an inch of spacing by the throttle body. This is with the hood insulation so i think you could say there is about an inch of spacing, if you cut out the insulation around the throttel body. About half way and on the other end had there was over an 1 1/2" of spacing. Sure hope this thing works out! Are you working with Holley on this or would this be aftermarket? I don't know if i'd be willing to pay more than a hundred if I would have to pay $450 for the stealthram and then buy the other plenum. Also I'm guessing that the corvette hoods are much tighter but where are they having the biggest clearance problems at? Please give us some info and we'll give you or holley or whoever the input they need to convince them there is a market for this!