2.5k...

 

2.5k is really nothing when it comes to building an engine. Your best bet with that budget is to buy a low mileage, good condition 350 short block, top it off with stock heads, upgrade the valve train (cam, rockers, springs, pushrods, guideplates), bolt-ons (intake manifold, carb, LT headers), new clutch.

I haven't build many third gens, but I would imagine that would eat up most of your budget.

OR

You could buy my engine/trans, and still have money to spend on headers/full exhaust to match your body. I don't see a cheaper way for you to make ~350 rwhp. My car has trapped 87.20 mph in the 1/8 at Irwindale. You'd still have cash in your pocket when it's all said and done.

 

well im not trying to much i have 2.5k an some more my bro is goin to let me barrow some more maybe like a 1.5k

 

If it were me, I would rebuild the t5(or find a low miles t5 they can be found cheap) and just get rebuild a 350 and cam it get some LT's and a good clutch and some 3.73's and call it a day. It should be pretty quick with that setup!

 

Thats actually an even better idea

 

u can build a carbed 5.3 with a th350 for around that and run as strong as a stock lt1 or better. with stock heads.
u dont need ls c5 or fbody accesories. trust me

 

My set up is not a stock LT1.
And it's backed with a T56...

 

Step 1) borrow a buddies pickup. price- a case of beer.

Step 2) come get jason's engine and transmission. price-gas money ($150?) plus price of engine and tranny=$1650

Step 3) buy some thirdgen headers and exhaust. price-about $1000

Step 4) have it all installed. price-free if you know the right people.

So in short for between $2500 and $4000 you'll have a badass, lower mileage setup that will beat stock ls1's. To me this is a no brainer. Get your *** over here and pick it up.

 

This.

And enough of this 328 nonsense.

A 3rd gen with 300hp is loads of fun!

 

wut about a lq4 set up?

they go for cheap find a wrecked truck.
a cheap fbody harness
you said u wanted to do a ls swap

u can always change the intake and add the fbody accesories for a cleaner set up.


my cousin is getting started on his pretty soon.


you can also sell your tpi set up . i made some good money selling my block . and bolt ons.
people on ebay go crazy for tpi parts lol

 

Oh and don't forget you'd make a few hundred back by selling jason's headers that come with the motor.

 

Add me to the list that says stroking a 305 engine is even worse than polishing a turd. You've spent more money to go as fast as a bolt-on 350 TPI. And a 383 TPI is not a hot set up either, unless you put on a short-runner intake such as the Holley Stealth Ram or TPIS MiniRam. And neither is emissions legal unless you put the optional EGR kit from TPIS on them. The secret to making TPI engines perform is shortening the runners. The long-runner setup is great for making torque on a street car but its no fun if you're always boiling the tires off the line and running out of steam at 5000 rpms. We thirdgenners here in SoCal have found the secret to TPI power, and it involves welding up the roof of an aftermarket Edelbrock or Accel TPI intake and porting the roof so you have more cross-sectional area and a better path for the air/fuel into the heads. For example, a stock GM TPI intake flows about 230 CFM. An aftermarket one from Edelbrock or Accel flows about 250 CFM. My intake after welding and porting flows 320 cfm. Match that with my siamesed SLP runners and I'm making max torque at 4500 rpms and max power at 5800 rpms with a 350 TPI. Another SoCal club member has a similar setup and he's making 382 RWHP at 6200 rpms thru an automatic. He has the grey '89 Trans Am at the L.A. Invasion, if you remember it. He has run a best of 12.11 @ 112, more than enough to beat some good LS1's. We have some 383 TPI's in the club that are only making 330-340 RWHP. The 383 engine is an air-hog and the TPI setup just cant support it, unfortunately.

If I was you, with $2500, I would get a used 350 engine in good condition, hopefully one that does not need a rebuild, find some used Trick Flow heads, and a mild camshaft such as a ZZ4, some Dyno Don 1 3/4" headers (he is my dad) and an Edelbrock TPI intake manifold, and runners, and have everything port-matched. That'll get you more than 300 RWHP and running low 13's in the quarter, about as good as a stock LS1 for less money than the cost of swapping in an LS1.
My T5 tranny lasted behind my previous combo of 320 RWHP and 420 RWTQ until I started running 12 second ET's. Then it shattered shortly after. As long as you only street drive it and are not stupid with it, it'll last. But you should always be saving for the aftermarket T56 just in case.
Or buy the LT1/T56 combo that's being offered and install that. It seems like a pretty good deal.

 

listen to tihs guy, hes on the right on.
i noticed how fast those tpi parts i listed went. when i got my current car.
he doesnt need to use fbody or c5 parts for a clean look

 

The LQ front acc's fit 3rd Gen Fbody's?

 

****** a holmes!
and yours too.
well, the nemess parts do

 

Pics?

 

classified

 

make it fit !

 

a t5 will be fine with a 350. I have a 355 t5 combo. It doesn't become a problem until you start getting traction. If you just floor it with street tires and run it hard you'll be fine. But once u start looking at drag radials is when u have a problem.

Also your t5 will bolt up just fine to an 87+ 350. The 86 and older the only mod needed is the older flywheel.

 

don't waste your time when a 350 would be cheaper and build more power.