I am wanting to put a set of vortec heads on my TA, but from what I understand they will not bolt up to the stock intake. I have heard that an intake from an 85 or 86 TPI will bolt up with the heads, but I'm not sure if it will bolt up with the rest of my injection system. I have a 1988 355 TPI Trans Am. Has anyone done this before with success, or know of any good tricks? Thanks. Jimmy.

 

No, no stock intake will bolt to the Vortec heads. You need the special Vortec TPI intake from Scoggin Dickey. Edelbrock makes it, but its cheaper from Scoggin Dickey.

 

Do you think this vortec head would be the most economical way of putting a set of heads on my car, or are there better combinations out there?

 

I think the Vortecs are probably the best bang for the buck. ....but of course you have to plan on the cost of the new intake manifold too, soooooo in the end, you're still lookin' at around $1000 depending on what the heads cost you.

 

has anyone on here ever heard of or expiremented with getting these heads drilled out to fit the TPI intake?

 

Thats true but if you would have just bought $1000 aftermarket standard heads you'd be choked up by your intake, so this way you kill two birds with one stone.

 

pace performance has vortec heads drilled and tapped for 86' and below intake patterns; however, the vortec intake ports are taller than a stock TPI intake ports.

 

Your best bet is to just get the scoggin-dickey manifold. It is a nice peice (should be, for the price). This will have the right port to correctly match to the vortecs, as well as the right mounting bolt pattern. Everything else will just bolt on like stock. I touched up the injector bosses with a die grinder, becuase I didn't like how far they protruded into the port, but that was me being picky.

One other thing that came to mind, that someone had a problem with recently, the vortecs don't have the 'extra' bolt hole for the wider exhaust manifold footprint(rear, passenger side), so plan on doing something else other than the factory exhaust manifolds.(headers)

 

JWSCAB, Would the Hooker headers (2055) bolt up to the vortec heads without the bolt hole issue?

 

Yes. You must use headers with Vortec heads. Stock manifolds will not bolt up, unless you're using Vortec truck manifolds. I dont know if those will work with a thirdgen.

 

Well I could have a set of vortec heads given to me but they are off of a 2000 truck or Tahoe. Will I be able to use these on a 88 l98 Iroc build, or do I need to go another route? Thanks.

 

I have drilled out 3 sets of vortec heads to the old pattern. Just use an intake gasket for pattern. Old style pattern.
You need to have access to milling machine or really good drill press.
On one engine, I got a buddy to weld up about 1/4" on top of TPI intake and then ported inside back out to Felpro 1205 or 1255 gasket, I forget which. On another, that's in my 58 Vette, I am using a TPIS mini-ram III intake and the same gasket. The guys at TPIS told me that intake would work if I drilled old style intake pattern, and it did.
Keep in mind that a stock intake is not high enough. I bolted the TPI stock intake on and about 3/16" of the intake port shined above the intake. That's why I got a buddy to build up the top section of intake.
Also, it's a lot of work, and you need a couple friends to help, but it's FREE!
I can post pics of heads and TPI intake if anyone wants to look at them.
Ron

 

I`d just get the manifold and call it miller time! I`m all ways for the inexpensive way, but somtimes it`s just easier to do the extra work at your job! It`ll be less hedaches!

 

By the way First Injections now makes a Vortec TPI set up. So you do have other options.

 

I'm doing the same thing, 305 to 355. I've already picked up my vortec TPI base manifold,and ran across a 350 4 bolt main roller cam short block. Now looking (and saving) for heads.

While I was researching the vortec/TPI swap I ran across this pic. Don't remember where I found it so not sure who to give credit to for it, but it clearly shows the port mismatch when using a standard maniold on vortec style heads.