alright ive got an 87 camaro currently tpi. after i install my vortech heads i need a new intake. possibly looking at selling my tpi intake and fuel rails for 200 bucks i have 300 already i should be able to find a stealth ram setup for vortech heads. but id also need to get some programming done as far as a new chip. or i could dump all this tpi stuff for probly around 300? and get a good carb setup, im looking for around 400-450 horse what would be the easiest way to get it? carb setup or hsr? id have about 500 for a hsr and 600 for carb and fuel delivery. im michigan registered so i dont need to worry about emissions. thanks

 

if your going to be driving this on the streets a lot, I would go with the hsr rather than the carb. You lose quite a bit of mpg's when going to a carb, but on the other hand you will get a few more ponies out of the carb than the hsr. Its a toss up

 

U kinda already answered your own question.HSR!Im doing the same build...vortec roller,lt1 cam,vortec heades ported and an HSR ported.Should make some good power.Now i dont think im gonna get 400 hrs lol but...

 

well it s going to be a driver but my work is about 2 miles away, i live on a military base in tucson and frankly i dont trust anyone off base to be around my car so i wont be taking it out to often lol. i need to sell my tpi system regaurdless id be able to sell it quicker for more money with the full setup. how much computer/sensors can i cut out with the carb i know you can get a computer from some of the older camaros but you can also gofull mechanical. dunno ive thought about everything ive been trying to figure out a color to paint this thing for the last 2 years. took me 20 mins to name my first born child...

 

700 bucks? keep saving and pick up an LS motor...hell even the 5300 series LS motor. Way easier to get that 400 horse out of an LS motor. Building a new performance oriented top end on a 20yr old shortblock in my opinion is asking to start throwing bandaids at problems. Not to mention that camshaft is rather anemic and the vortec heads need to be modified for decent lift numbers. If youre going to gut the wiring harness; get an LS pullout with the harness and modernize your car.

If you insist on using the TPI, no problem there, Id suggest the FIRST (brand) tpi manifold. A little more spendy? sure BUT its powerband seems more suited to useable street power instead of a top end charge.

All this is peeing up a rope if your suspension is thrashed and your brakes are shot. refresh those pieces first, then contemplate your motor.

My recommendation is LS swap, followed by a FIRST setup (with a comp cam using the new XFI lobes, a fresh tune and some headers) and lastly one of the holley -ram intake manifolds (with an LT1 hot cam-watch the pin on the end of the cam, you may have to adjust it inward some- and some midlength headers and a port job...and a tune). These arent exactly the cheapest; but you havent mentioned headers, new plugs, new/rebuilt dizzy, coil, wires and adjustable fuel reg and possibly new injectors. Honestly, you need to probably have a grand at your disposal to have this done properly regardless of what direction you take. You could easily yank the intake for a Performer RPM($150), snag a rebuilt Edelbrock Thunder carb($200), throw in a new xfi rollercam($225) and some NO2 ($200) and get some speeding tickets. However your mileage will suffer and if you get sent to some smog ****'s at some point youre screwed. Thanks for your service BTW

 

appreciate the in depth response. ive got 24lb injectors available for 75 bucks good plugs and wires already there the problem is programming/tuning i woudnt be able to do my self. im getting offers on my full tpi setup i think im going to just go carbed and work towards an ls1 later when i find a good deal. i had a 1998 ls1 camaro i decided to sell in my infinite wisdom to save money on my dream car since they are a bit more costly to modify. think id have to modify the heads for a decent carb setup?

 

alright so im looking at getting a vortec style edelbrock preformer RPM intake and a holley 750 electric choke carb with vac secondaries. my only issue is on the vortech heads cam lift isnt sposed to exceed .450 should i invest in some comp cams beehive springs in order to get higher lift or just find a cam to go with the vortech heads as they are? if so anyone got a good cam recommendation? i know most poeple on here us 600 or 650cfm carbs for their 350 i went to some websites and from their simmilar builds the 750 seemed to free it up a bit.