Starting with 141k mile 89 Formula 350 with an AFPR (thanks again Guido!).

The goal is a mid-low 13 motor, low 12-high 11 nitrous, on a budget, very streetable, relatively stock looking, and I am partial to SLP parts where the stock ones can't be helped.

Please watch for the question marks, and criticize anything you want, but be kind, this is my first planned buildup.

First thing, of course, is to pull the engine, and drop the body off at a shop to be repainted (black, silver stock decals).

The engine gets a rebuild with forged pistons, stage II connecting rods, no overboring. Should I bother with a new or forged crank?

Heads will be ported and polished (I've decided against aftermarket where I don't need it, since the idea is stock looking and budget). Any recomendations on valvetrain would be appreciated. I'm thinking Crane Gold rockers, 1.5 or 1.6(suggestions?), I'll need higher compression springs (recomendations?), forged pushrods (while I've got it apart), and an SLP cam. Recomendations on grind or characteristics for a good runner with and without nitrous?

I will be keeping the TPI (remember, stock looking), but porting and siamesing everything that can be. SLP runners (hopefully one of the few visually noticeable mods), siamesing (was that word invented on this message board?) the plenum to match the runners, and the base (a la madmax) also. What size throttle body should I use? Will I even need a larger one? If so, which size, and other then the big "BBK, SLP, or EDELBROCK" plate on the top, (replaced with a black/silver Formula plate) does anything else make them look aftermarket? Of course an SLP airfoil stuffed in there where noone can see. Other then replacing, can anything be done to free up air through the ducting?

Ignition will be an MSD 6, MSD GM blaster coil, 8mm wires (does anyone make those in flat black, or are there any adverse effects of spraypainting them with black primer?), and Delco Rapidfire plugs.

Exhaust will be SLP 1 and 3/4 headers, dual catco cats, 3 inch pipe, and SLP muffler.

The nitrous will be NOS 5150, I believe it is, the 150 TPI designed shot. I'd like it to be hidden if at all possible. Any ideas on that? If not, that's no big deal, it almost makes a car sleepier if it's got the bottle but doesn't need it.

The only visible things in the end should be the runners, headers, TB top plate, and hopefully just the NOS plate if someone looks closely. The rest of the NOS might be visible, too, but hopefully not.

I think that pretty much covers it. Obviously, my weakest area is the valvetrain. Any tips at all there would be great. Thanks for all the help you can dole out!

-Reno

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89 Formula 350
"This is how you remind me of what I really am..." - Nickelback

 

I've seen a guy who works at http://www.totalengineairflow.com/
run 13.00 at 107 mph with an 89 Formula, T-5, larger cam(don't know specs), stock TPI, base runners, plenum, heads all ported by him. I forgot his name, but ask for the guy with the red formula with the stock intake.

They are porting my heads and superram as we speak. I'd let them do the work, since they've done it before.

Don't let anyone tell you you can't make power with the stock heads. LPE and MORE use the ported L98 castings and get cars into the 12's and lower. It all depends on the combination.

 

Thats a lot of stuff, but looks good to me. Here is my 2 cents.

I really don't think SLP and budget normally go together. But generally they are the best quallity for the money.

I believe TPIS (www.tpis.com) sells stock TBs ported to 52mm (stock is 48mm) that should be big enough since you are not supercharging.

I have seen nitrous systems in books that are run on the inside of the runners or the underside of the manifold. Great for a sleeper, P.I.T.A. to work on.

Looks cool, keep us updated.

 

I know SLP isn't budget, but if I gotta buy, I'm buying the best. All the more reason to keep the rest cheap. Anyone have an alternate address for the Total Engine Airflow place? Their website isn't working...

-Reno

 

Your plan sounds 'sound'. Guess it gets down to how much you want to spend and how far from stock you want to stray ? This is important to consider -- alotta people don't think about it until you encounter some drive-ability issue that you and the mechanics can't seem to track down because of the degree of modification to your system (it can be a real nightmare as the shop hours pile up $$$ ...).

Anyway, my .02 cents worth is on the ignition. I have used Jacobs Omni/Street/Mileage Master setup on an '88 Formula and plan to use it again on my latest '91 Formula. I found the MSD did add some wizbang to the ride but lacked the punch of the Jacobs system. The Jacobs system has been in my experience the REAL DEAL and definitely effected the system overall in a positive way. I used it on a 305 and saw only about 12-15hp but VERY noticeable torque improvements (20-25lbs ?) and clearly visible fuel mileage increases. Check them out www.jacobselectronics.com.

RP.




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'91 Formula Firebird G92,WS6,5-speed,3.42 a ton of fun to drive.

 

You won't need a bigger throttle body. I would not worry about the crank. Wait till you see the cylinders before deciding if boring is neccesary or not. Smaller headers will give a little better gas mileage but with 1 3/4's you are all set if you decide to go with a higher rpm setup (ie miniram).
Gold rockers are good (any other choice?) and would wait until you select a cam to see if you want 1.5 or 1.6 ratio. You might want to do a little machine work on the heads so you can use non self alligning rockers and then your not limited to $300 rockers.

As far at the n2o you can plumb nitrous and gas lines on the underside of the manifold and then exit it straight back and no one would ever see it. There is a great example of this on page 88 of David Shelby's "Camaro Performance Handbook".

 

You won't need a bigger throttle body. I would not worry about the crank. Wait till you see the cylinders before deciding if boring is neccesary or not. Smaller headers will give a little better gas mileage but with 1 3/4's you are all set if you decide to go with a higher rpm setup (ie miniram).
Gold rockers are good (any other choice?) and would wait until you select a cam to see if you want 1.5 or 1.6 ratio. You might want to do a little machine work on the heads so you can use non self alligning rockers and then your not limited to $300 rockers.

As far at the n2o you can plumb nitrous and gas lines on the underside of the manifold and then exit it straight back and no one would ever see it. There is a great example of this on page 88 of David Shelby's "Camaro Performance Handbook".