I am doing a lot of reading on the TPI factory intake manifold. I am getting a lot of mixed reviews on if putting an aftermarket intake is any better than the factory intake. Is going the aftermarket intake worth it? Or is just a port/polish of the original the best bet?

Let me know what you guys have done and how it worked out!

 

The TPI was designed for the 305 engine.
What other mods are you planning on doing ( Heads /cam / etc ) that might justify a different intake ?

 

Easy answer is all the above

I am wanting to keep the car as original as possible and would eventually like to do either a 383 stroker (keeping the TPI), or swap the TPI for an LS1/LS6. I just started working on the car after its been sitting for 8 years or so, and am needing to make my mind up

Deciding which engine I go with will drastically change the intake decision. I won't be able to go with the bigger engine (currently have a 305) for a year or so, but still would like to do some minor performance upgrades ($$ and time wise) until that time. Especially if they will transfer over to one engine or the other.

 

Won't pick up much with the aftermarket TPI on the 305 (that's the route I went too but I have ported heads, bigger cam, and other mods to my "little" 305) but it will serve you well to do so if you get a 383 one day (my plan).. The LS swaps are juicy but way too expensive for me to justify spending 10-15k on an engine/tranny swap.

 

If a larger engine is in the pipeline most on here would say not to waste any $$$ on the 305
Any intake big enough for a tuff 383 is going to be too big for a stock 305 and vise versa

 

Not much to gain unless you are changing the valvetrain ect. You might shift your HP curve higher up but not add much power if you go with a larger dual plane or air gap.

If you are changing the heads and cam, you can def benefit from the increased flow of a better intake.

 

On the intake by itself doubt it would keep up wiht the aftermarket especially if it had work done to it.

Just not much info out there on this..

Have an Accel I just ported that Im going to have flowed getting a fixture made for it. Not the most extreme example but shold be decent and will be doing a stocker far as I Can in the next few mos, flowing that one too. When done Ill post up. Problem is porting isnt all the same. What one guy gets the next wont depending on how its done. And does everyone really need it probably not.

Id say for a mild 305 go after the stocker will all ya got IF you got or will be adding supporting mods to help it work.