I want to work on my car, and make it perform better. I don't have an engine hoist or the stuff to pull a motor. I have a budget of about 500 bucks and I want to do the work myself. What performance parts can a 17 yr old back yard mechanic put on to make my car stronger with this type of budget?
Its a 350 TPI that I'll be workin with.

 

k&n air filter, shorty headers,port the plenum,port the intake and runners,go to the tech articles look for free mods,do a good tune-up ,change fuel filter,oh (edit) adjustable fuel pressure regulator later jimmy

 

Definitely a set of headers and new y-pipe. And if you have the ability to port everything, definitely do that as well. Well basically, do everything jimmy said.

 

Pretty much every single part on my car is new or rebuilt, and after doing all that, if you were to give me a bone stock 5.7 TPI, assuming all the maintenance had been done and everything ran well, here's what I'd do.

First would be headers/catback (you'll have to shop but you can probably find something for around $500 used.)

....then would be a rear end gear and a torque converter. I bought a used 3.27 rear end for $200, and a used B&M 2400 TC for $200. Although after reading, I wouldn't go B&M again, mine has served me well. Easily the best single mod I've done.

.....but keep in mind that for $500, you can only go so far. Pretty much the only thing my car has that is weak is the stock heads. EVERYTHING else has been done. Sure, that's a big part, but I've still got THOUSANDS in the car, and I'm still getting beat by stock LS1 cars. Nothing that anyone has mentioned is really gonna do major things for you. You'll feel the headers help you out, and the gears and TC will help too, but you need to decide what your goals are, and check your pocket book. To be completely honest, if the car has been tuned up and maintained properly, I'd probably just keep the $500 bucks until you're "really" ready to start modding. I didn't start modding mine until I had a daily driver and a decent job!!!!

 

Cat-Back

 

im 17 aswell...but for now i would say maybe a CAI new catless y pipe and a catback lol

 

keep the cats, ditch the mufflers, run 3'' from the cats, sounds good, performs better that way... thats a budget exhaust that realllllly pays off...
next would be the cold air intake system.... after you have the intake and exhaust on, get a fuel pressure regulator and dink around with that until you get it just right.... 500 bux u should pull those 3 mods off with money to spare, and you will really like the difference...

 

Ummm, yeah....I dunno if ya really wanna do that. Without a big lumpy cam, it's gonna sound crappy. Plus the cats are more of a restriction than the muffler. And either way, with the 2.5" cat inlet, the 3 inch out would be worthless. Unless you dump the cats (which is illegal) theres' no point ditching the mufflers.

 

Agreed. Ditching the muffler isn't the best idea. I would suggest headers into a full 3" exhaust system. Instead of a CAI, just look up on this website how to make the ram air through the fog lights. Much cheaper and just as effective.

Just to let you know, I'm 17 as well and I did the majority of my exhaust, minus the welding it required due to a crappy y-pipe. Plenty of things are possible for a "17 year old back yard mechanic".

 

Yea im have a budget of $500 dollars too go with. Here are my plans

Cut off cat convertor
headers
Y pipe
Cold Air intake

 

The OP has a Firebird, so I don't think there's a "fog light" CAI mod on the boards. Not sure since I'm a Camaro guy myself. On the Firebirds, they DO have a restrictive air intake from the factory, so SOME sort of intake mod is helpful.

On TPI Camaros, the dual intake flow plenty of air, even for pretty heavily modded motors, and of course, it's ALREADY cold air. No need to modify it, ESPECIALLY if you're on a budget.

 

Is the car in good mechanical condition? Find a cheap nitrous kit and spray it. Best bang for the buck. Aside from tuning the car up, my setup is a $100 wet kit (75 shot), $30 purge, $35 nozzle, $50 bottle fill, $150 headers, $100 Y pipe, and $35 in MSD wires. The muffler and filters were in the car when I bought it. It made 260 hp and 404 ft lbs with a 305. I only spent a total of $500 on this setup, but keep in mind, a $50 bottle fill doesn't last too long!!

 

Yeah I didn't realize the OP had a Firebird. Some sort of air intake would be a good idea then.

 

guess thats why you muffler guys have that distinct missed timing sound, mine sounds great and its not too loud either.

 

Full exhaust, Intake and runners, 3.45 gears, and a 2800 stall would yeild the best performance gains for the money.

 

don't know where he lives but il law passed says no more emmisions testing for cars with the obd1 system. only 96 and newer being tested here now

 

You'll want that 350 to breath, so toss the stock TPI setup, and look into an alternative (you'll need to save a tad more though, but it'll be worth the wait). If it were my car, I'd go with a Holley Stealth Ram, w/the proper stall speed converter. These two items alone (with the right tune to boot), would make one heck of a difference....