ok....here is my situation...i do NOT have a camaro YET...i am looking into buying an 87 IROC-Z with the 350tpi. i have been looking on the boards and i have yet to see anybody ask this yet so here it goes....

the car i want to get has some 130,000 miles on it...i did a carfax report..no fraud or anything reported...but it looks like it has gone through is fair share of owners. So, how much would it cost to rebluild a 350..i am not looking to race it just want to know what i am looking to pay. The car already has an intake manifold leak and one of my friends owns an RS (dont know what year) and he said that once the car gets high millage it seems to go down hill from there...is this true...would it be cheaper to just buy a crate motor.

keep in mind i dont own this car yet...they are asking $2500 for the car...it is in great condition with minimal problems (like headliner is starting to come down.) I am looking at getting rid of my 99 Neon R/T for something a little more fast and to get rid fo the car payment.

thanks for any help/comments anybody might give.

mike

 

it really all depends on what you are going to do with it. you can get a reman shortblock for around $500 + another $100 or so to freshen up the heads + maybe another $100 for gaskets & other odds & ends.

If you look, you should be able to find someone to do the swap for around $300. that is the average non-shop labor rate around here anyway so you're looking at about a grand for a generic rebuild which should be good for at leastk 50K or so.



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87 IROC-Z, 5.7, auto, 3.27, leather, !cat, Holley fpr, K&N'S, SLP 1-3/4" Jet-Hot coated headers, SLP .218/.224 .495/.502 cam, Comp 1.5 roller tip rockers, $uperPITAram, Edelbrock lower intake, Holley 52mm tb, Dynomax\Flowmaster catback. Coming Soon(?)- Fasttrack/Accell DFI

1989 Pontiac 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am - 161,000 miles, !cat, 9" K&N

 

Northern Auto parts out of Sioux City Iowa sells 350 rebuild kits for less than $200. This includes the pistons, rings, gaskets, oil pump, cam, timing chain, bearings and some more stuff I cant think of. I've ordered from them before and am impressed. I think you can get their catalog at www.northernautoparts.com

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'83 Firebird 2.8
'89 Firebird Formula 350
Red/grey, t-tops, and a 3.27:1 rear
K&N, TB bypass, no MAF screens, CAI, full Accel ignition, no cats, Hooker Supercomp shorties, Hooker 3-inch catback
No real ET yet...

 

When I rebuilt my L98 I set a budget of $1500.But once I got going I wanted SLP headers,a torque converter,roller rockers etc so I ended up around $2300.I did all the porting and polishing on the heads and intake system myself and had the block and heads(valve job)done at a speed shop,everything else I did myself.

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Fast as a shark~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SAVE NAPSTER!!!

 

I should note that the final price included an engine hoist and an engine stand.

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Fast as a shark~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SAVE NAPSTER!!!

 

hey beefy89...but it sounds like you build your engine for hiperformance right? I dont think i want that...all i want is a good reliable engine that i can mod as time passes and as how i see fit.

so i got a couple more questions...how much HP/Torque does a stock 350tpi have (just an average), now how much HP can it handle stock. cause i know that when i start to rebluild it i am gona see something that i like (headers, cams ect) and just buy them and put them on being that the engine is already out. but i need to know how far i can SAFLY go before i should rebuild it for performance.

also...now on transmitions...now it is my understanding that once you start getting massive amounts of hp/ft lbs that you have to have an automatic (unless of course you get a custom bluit i million dollar manual transmition). i would like to have a manual, preferably a bolt on and go, but how much can a manual trans hold up too??

THANKS for everyones patience and comments

 

Well, lets see the T-56 in4th gens are rated to 450 ft/lbs but Vipers use them and go above that. The ways it sounds, it will take you a while to get to a number that would break it.

 

ok where do get one...how much are they...do i need to mod anything to get it to work...is it a 5sp or 6?

 

BlueRTMan--Im from delaware. Are you looking into a white 87 that was in Dover by the highway? Just curious.

 

yes....87 IROC-Z for $2500 by K-Mart?? it think....the only reason why he moved it was cause some girl called saying that her drunk boyfriends was going there to steal it!! what do you think of it? did you test drive it too....or did you just drive by and see it?

 

I stopped to look at it just to be curious. I think it looks like its in good shape, I dont know why it hasnt sold it yet. I just bought an 89 IROC a few months ago and im rebuilding it all now. I have a 68 SS now that Im going to sell when I get the IROC done.

 

Actually I didn't build it radical at all.It's got a 96 LT1 cam and the stock L98 heads which I ported,and I bumped the c/r up to 9.75to1.I drive it daily 45 miles round trip to work and back.

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Fast as a shark~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SAVE NAPSTER!!!

 

BlueRTMan . . .

This will at least give you a basic idea of the majority of Gen3 350's before and after TPI got big. Not sure on how much the max out is. Hope it helps! (excellent site too, by the way!!)

http://members.tripod.com/~Proformula/87form.html

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'88 Formula/305/Ported & Polished TPI
Poly's all around
Accel Super coil/Billet Dist/8.8's/Bosch+4's
Long way to go . . .
Gearing up for 350HO/t56 swap-in over summer.

 

BlueR/T

The T-56 stands for 6 speed it is out of a 4th gen. Those can handle a lot of hp if you are not looking to get radical you will be fine with that. Other wise the T5 is an ok transmission I have one now in my Iroc and love it but I only have a 305TPI. As far as getting it in your car if it has a manual in it the T-56 will basically bolt up with a little help from www.skulte.com he makes the cross member that you will need to fit the tranny in. Also the tq/hp numbers were pretty much covered by zackpak's web site he posted. There will be a few more ponies to get when you start throwing headers, and so forth on there. Good luck with the car and keep posting.

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Member of NCTGA
North Carolina Third Gen. Assoc.
'89 Iroc-Z
305 TPI few minor things
5 speed
Lowered 2" and yes it is a pain to drive

 

tomorow i go to the bank for the loan to get the car and this weekend i am just gona call some places to see how much i can get the T56 for....what cars do they come in. right now the car is an auto.

 

The t56 will come in 93 and up camaros. If I am wrong please someone correct me. The swap from an auto to a manual isnt a cake project from what I have heard. There are a few people that have done it here so go to the Tranny board and ask what is involved. I would start to look in a junk yard for the tranny to see what you can get. I have seen them cost any where from $500 (kicking myself for not getting it) to $1500 or so.

 

WOOOWHOOO!!! i bout the car...i dont have insurance so i cant drive it around...but just the ride home was sweet!!! very nice car for $2500...now all i have to do is sell my first car! if any of you are bored and would like to see what car i happen to be getting rid of go here ( http://www.geocities.com/bluertman25...l?984616051800 ). i cant wait to get some insurance on it but for now while it is sitting i have a couple small problems to fix like head liner, and leaky intake manifold. while i am replaceing the gasket i am thinging about just replacing the intake manifold while i am at it..what do you guys (gals) recomend? and how much is it. ohh yeah and how are the gains on it (hp/torque).

mike

ps. how do i change my screen name? cause i am bout to get rid of my R/T and have no need for this screen name?

 

BlueR/T,

I think that you are just going to have to sign up again to get a new screen name. That I am not sure about but last I heard that was how to do it. Congrats on getting a nice car for once. I am sorry that you had to drive that rice looking car around. Me personally I would be embarrased to drive it around. I dont know about how much hp you will pick up but you will be able to notice it. While you are at it I would port the plenum while everything is apart. I would also throw an AFPR in there. These are just a few things you can do to make your car that much faster.