Hey, i have a stock 89 iroc tpi with a 350. I am not a car expert yet, but i am young and trying to learn. There is a 8th mile track close to my house where some of my friends (f-body stang drivers) go down to race on the weekends. They want me to go down with them, but i want to get some decent upgrades on my car first. I have a little over 1000 saved up right now, and 90% of the money i make will go into my car also. I was wondering what you guys think would be the best use of my money to get the most power possible. As far as labor goes, I can do a lot of stuff on my own, just not any internal engine work or welding. I am just trying to learn what would be good and productive things to do, insted of wasting my money on pointless things that arent going to help. Any ideas or suggestions would be awesome. Thanks

 

headers and a catback would be a good start

 

give it to me so i can finish my car faster

 

Take it to the track stock. Learn to launch it. Get a good base line so that you can measure your improvements.

Then, get headers and Y-pipe (hooker 2055's, edelbrock, $LP), torque converter (2200 - 2600 rpm), and cat-back exhaust system. Maybe can still afford a K&N or something if you find a good deal on a used TC.

Then on the next $1k, subframe connectors, used aftermarket intake manifold base and runners, and maybe some 1.6 rocker arms (and maybe get some valve springs to keep better control of the valves at higher rpms). Should gasket match the intake to the heads (some have done this on-car, I'm sure). Take it to the track and play with the base timing a little (6-10 degrees total base timing). Put a shift kit in the tranny.

 

If you can get headers and exhaust. ditch the smog stuff if thats possible. SFC are a must. But I too would see what it does stock and go from there. Has it had a tune up? Plugs wires cap rotor. That may be something to consider. Maybe a trans fluid change or rear diff fluid change.

 

Thanks for the advice, and yes i gave it a tune up a week or so ago. I keep it in really good shape. I live in california so passing smog is an issue for me. As for exhaust, I am leaning towards hooker 2055's and American thunder cat back. I am going to think about taking it stock to the track and getting a few times first. The only problem is it has been closed the past two weeks due to rain . hopefully i will get a chance soon. Also, where would be a good place to look for a used torque converter? Thanks for the help

 

You can always troll the for sale fourms on this board and Iroczone for a used converter.

 

The most important thing you will bolt onto your car will be lower control arms and a tubular pan hard rod. My car wouldn't MOVE with boxed in LCA's and a regular pan hard, it would wheel hop hard enough to break something. I moved up to tubular LCA's and that helped but still wheel hop like crazy, got the tubular pan hard rod in and no more wheel hop. Next I would do a tune up and make sure your ignition is in good shape, then get your fuel pressure up to about 48 to 50psi. There are lot of tips on making these cars faster for free, when you expend all that move onto headers and a good exhaust system. Roller rockers will turn your motor into a full roller and can be had for around 150 on eBay, I bought 1.6 ratio rockers but am wondering if it would've been a better ideal to stick with the 1.5's and buy a bigger cam. Next thing you'll want to do is head porting and a cam change but that involves pulling the motor apart. One of the best things you can learn is to start with the tires and move back, that way you don't end up being one of those guys that has a "fast car" that can't break out of the 14's because his traction is so awful.

 

Real torwque converter like a Vigi.

Set of M/T drag radials .

Best bang for a G note.

If not looking in that direction right now.

Try porting the plenum and intake, even the stockers have a lot to offer if u take your time and port it out nicely.

Finish that off with a quality tune up and maybe a catback depending on how much u have left.

Also investigate the PROM board here, lots of good info and stock tunes do leave some room to improve things. U can start doing it for about $200 if your frugal

later
Jeremy

 

I would say roller rockers are a waste. When I built my first 350 we tried stamped steel and full roller rockers on the engine dyno. I gained 5 hp over stamped steel. And thats at the engine. So I would say save your 150 to 200 bucks for something else. Maybe aluminum drive shaft if you dont have one already.

 

I got 5 tenths in the quater mile when I went from a 2.73 to a 3.73. It cost 550.00 and to date the best mod I did for quarter mile time.

 

You probably have decent gears in the car, check them though. If you have 2.77's you'll want to change. 3.23's are the highest gear I would recommend 3.73's are the lowest. You can bolt on the LCA's and a pan hard rod, then buy a nitrous kit for the car and spray a 150 shot to it and probably hit mid 13's, 12's would be possible with sticky tires. Also if that car's non posi (which it really REALLY shouldn't be) you'll have to fix that, take it to the track and see what problems you run into first, I'm betting on wheel hop

 

All the info you have been given is what you need. But the FIRST thing should be SUBFRAME CONNECTORS. All "stock" cars should have them, they make such a huge difference. But anyone who wants to start going faster, making more power, needs them even more. As the experts say, the more power, the more twisting. And these cars do that now. You don't want to loosen your car if it's nice and tight, keep it that way. Just drive over a railway crossing, then after you get some on your car drive over again, that alone should show you. Best things I ever bought for my car, should have done it the day I bought it.
Then go for exhaust and all that.

 

Put it into a CD or Money Market account that rolls into itself and then spend it once it's made you some cash.

Or, I would have to say get some Subframe Connectors

 

Sub frame connectors should most definetly be on your agenda especially if you have T tops, they're decently cheap and make a big difference. Put these on when you get the LCA's and Panhard rod, should be able to get that all done for around 800.

 

Thanks again for all the advice. Also, where do you guys recommend shopping for things like this? I know there is a section on this site, and a few others, there is also Ebay. But where do you think the best place would be to look for lca's, a pan hard rod and other things like that? should I wait untill I find a good deal on used parts, or should i go for brand new. As for the track situation, hopefully next friday will be without rain, and they will be open.

 

I picked up the lakewood lower control arms and panhard bar. I am vary happy with the parts. I have never had any wheel hop problems and they really helped my car hook.

 

get up to $1500 and slap a supercharger in it!!!

 

Get rid of those stock manifolds and get some Hooker 2055's.

 

A good start would be Full exhaust, Intake and runners. You most likely have the good old 2.77's. Id go with either 3.27's or 3.42's, they seem to best fit the tpi power band.

 

Agreed on the gears and full exhaust but not on the intake and runners. I never could understand why people pay that much for intake and runners when they can just convert to an LT1 intake and get the same results cheaper. Stay with the stock intake and runners, if you do go inside the motor port the stock intake and heads, match the intake to the head ports and then consider bigger runners and match port the intake to those. After all that you may consider a 52mm throttle body, but it's probably not needed. TPIS is a great place to look up info on what works for these cars check there web site out. eBay can usually be a decent place to get LCA's and a pan hard rod but make sure you get them from someone with good solid feedback, and a decent brand name; not some fly by night welder who decided he was going to fab up fast car parts.

 

Headers are highly recommended if you do exhaust, I bought the cheap 1 1/2in flowtechs for like 90 bucks, they work great and fit pretty easily, I've had them on my car for over 3 years now with no problems at all.