ok guys, ive spent HOURS reading about everyones tpi setup. at first i decided to go with the mini-ram 100%. than i continued to do alot of reading, now im thinking that if i have to rev to like 7000 to get max use of the mini ram ( i like the numbers of the mini ram ) im not going to rev that high, so why not go with the LT1 intake? right now im totally stumped on which intake to use. i hope the 383 will have as close to possible to 400rwhp before the nos shot. i havent made a decision on heads, cam, rods, nothing. your imput to convice me which way to go is very much appreciated. dont worry about cost, but i want to keep it minimul

 

If money is no object, ACCEL's Super Ram is among the best out there and can support well over 400 horsepower.

 

Tyler-88 I'm not saying it's not possible but if you're looking for 400 rwhp, then you better think about 500 - 550 hp at the flywheel. I'm not up on the driveline friction losses but just keep that in mind. It may be more or less, just ask, somebody here could give you some ideas.

 

The LT1 intake will have the same characteristics as the Miniram for less then half the cost when it's all said and done.

 

you guys think 400rwhp would be too expensive to do? or should i just build a 400hp engine? if the lt1 has the same characteristics as the mini ram, why the *** awful price difference? i know vette lt1's are mad power, but ive never driven any type of tpi car. would i be better off to cheep out and go lt1?

btw, john, what are the numbers on your 383?

 

I have no dyno numbers. I do have a best ET of 13.44 @ 105mph, that was with a sick non-shifting tranny(700R4).

 

The LT1 will give you better power and much better breathing intake than any stock TPI. I don't believe in buying aftermarket EFI setups. Aftermarket parts to replace certain stock parts is one thing but not buying a whole aftermarket setup. You can get performance numbers like the SuperRam and Miniram put out with about half the cost. Of course the rest of the engine will play a major factor in your performance as well.

Just a little bit of advice. If you're going to produce 400hp or more and plan to use slicks at the track to put that power to the ground, I would highly highly recommend something other than a 10 bolt rear end. 10 bolts are weak and depending on how far over 400hp you go, you could snap that rearend on your first run.

 

This is all based on personal opinion.

If I was making a 383...

It'd be the super ram.

I'm a fan of torque... If I'm building a drag strip car, then Mini ram, otherwise it's a LTR setup or Super Ram (preferred)

 

LT1 Intakes arent lacking much torque at all and in fact they make up for it greatyly with the upper RPM breathing just ask millican or RCR

 

i dont think my car will ever see a race strip. i only want it to kick serious as.s at redlights. its just something to be like "oh, you can reach 160 by that corner, i can reach 185 " like a real fast 0-60 car is what im after really, maybe something that could theoritically hit 11's on a drag strip. from what ive read though, a mini ram sounds better for my situation. but like you guys have said, why pay so much more for not a whole lot more under the hood...

 

No no... mini ram is worse for you. You want a super ram or a LTR setup. But you'll have a hard time getting it to hook. Mini ram needs large cam, and high stall to make it run good. These are bad for 0-60 and street driven car

 

NOT TRUE. Both intakes (Miniram and Superram) can be made to make comparable numbers depending on the head and cam selection. The Miniram (and LT1 intake) promote a flat TQ line with an ever increasing HP line. There are no "Peak TQ humps" like TPI (or to a lesser extent the Superram). But it's a heck of a lot easier to install.

I am installing a Miniram with professionally ported Aluminum L98 heads and a cam of 214/222* @ .050 with .488/.509 w/ 1.5RRs. This setup was in my friend's 350. I can tell you there was no TQ loss over my L98 TPI and that engine would rev much higher and produce a LOT more HP than my L98. It was a much nicer setup to drive than my basically stock L98.

Currently, my friend upgraded his engine to be a 383 with a Miniram, AFR 195s (with Competition Porting option) and a 222/230* @ .050 (I forget the lift with the 1.6 RRs he's using), but that engine produces so much TQ that my friend cannot give the engine full WOT (withthe best street tires he can fit on his car) until he is well into 2nd gear or he just breaks loose - and we are STILL optimizing the tuning of his eprom. We figure there is more HP left in his setup.

People (who don't have a Miniram) would like you to think that a MR makes NO TQ. That is NOT TRUE. They make a flatter TQ line, but the slight (and it is slight) loss of TQ is only at the "peak".

What people generally see is the Miniram on a 350 with large port heads and a monster cam - of course that engine will have low bottom end TQ. But I have met enough guys with a Miniram on small-port/high velocity heads with smaller cams and it makes lots of low-end TQ and STILL revs like crazy. Besides, if you do loose a little too much TQ, you can always make up the difference by going 3.73s and/or higher stall.

Go with the Miniram and/or LT1 intake, especially with a 383. You'll thank me when you go to install it (or remove it). It also allows you to more readily change the cam (since the intake is not such a bitch to remove). People make the mistake of concentrating their build around a cam (so they only change it once) when they should switch cams if they are not pleased with the TQ characteristics. With a Superram, I can see why they are reluctant to try another cam.

The ONLY cavaet, is the Miniram is not emission legal. That would be my main reason for NOT selecting a Miniram (if you are subject to emission testing). I cannot comment on the LT1 (for emissions), but if I hadn't already purchased my Miniram, I would be looking at that.

Ask John about how much TQ he lost by going to the LT1 intake over a stock L98. I am sure that if John were to dyno his engine, it would make the stock L98 look sick; both in TQ and HP.

 

what heads are you intending to go with?

i personally think a good way to go is vortec heads (i have a set on eBay now), and a ramjet intake setup. You can make 400hp with the right cam easily on a 383, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper than going superram or miniram.

 

i have no idea which heads im going to go after. all i know is that its going to be a good set of heads, i was recomended towards a set of afr 195's, but than again i dont know ish about engines. from what you guys are saying, the lt1 can be be made to produce the same amount of power as the mini/super ram setups. if thats true, i just might as go with the lt1 intake..right? heads and cam will come next, but i just need to make a final decision on an intake. heh, i just want to kick *** in street races

 

Ok..next logical question is what has to be done to an LT1 intake to use on an engine with the conventional (rather than the reverse flow LT1) heads? This may become an upcoming project for me

 

My Lt1 Intake Swap

 

wow, that only seems like abit of work...
john..what are some prices you can get me on for an lt1 intake with fuel rails. you port the intake for me and make it so i just bolt her on the heads and than mod my coolant lines. i have a good ffeeling that living in a small town, this will cost me a fortune to get done and i just dont have the time.
cut a canadian in on a good price

 

I don't have any intakes, probally won't either. I tried at one time but with all the price wars and high bidding going on I couldn't score any at a good price. After all, they used to be cheap till i run the tech article now people are asking alot. You provide the intake and e-mail me for mod pricing.