f-body bros, step inside

[Trash man]

i went to look at a 1988 trans am hard top. this is gonna be my street legal race car. to make this short ill list pros-cons, and my vision.

Pros-
rebuilt 5.0 TPI motor
rebuilt tranny
hardtop
cargo cover
body is rust free and str8
analog gauges
clean interior
mostly stock cept for headers and flowmasters
dash pad non cracked
16" GTA style-silver paint rims
a/c car
two owner car

Cons-
Automatic car
some1 installed after market window switchs
sittin 3 years
paint is decent but does need a repaint
tires shot.
tank needs to be dropped and fuel drainned.

Vision-
383 TPI motor
5 spd tranny
3.73
lowered
new paint
remove rear seats and smooth out area
17" rims

is it worth partin wit 1K for? i mean i could swap some parts wit my car(my drivers fend has a lil problem area by the GFX where this one doesnt). they aint in a hurry to sell(wife says other). they first wanted 1500 but i told them they couldnt get that. so what u guys think? too much money for my idea?

[darkz711]

i went to look at a 1988 trans am hard top. this is gonna be my street legal race car. to make this short ill list pros-cons, and my vision.

Pros-
rebuilt 5.0 TPI motor
rebuilt tranny
hardtop
cargo cover
body is rust free and str8
analog gauges
clean interior
mostly stock cept for headers and flowmasters
dash pad non cracked
16" GTA style-silver paint rims
a/c car
two owner car

Cons-
Automatic car
some1 installed after market window switchs
sittin 3 years
paint is decent but does need a repaint
tires shot.
tank needs to be dropped and fuel drainned.

Vision-
383 TPI motor
5 spd tranny
3.73
lowered
new paint
remove rear seats and smooth out area
17" rims

is it worth partin wit 1K for? i mean i could swap some parts wit my car(my drivers fend has a lil problem area by the GFX where this one doesnt). they aint in a hurry to sell(wife says other). they first wanted 1500 but i told them they couldnt get that. so what u guys think? too much money for my idea?

you are gunna try to make a 305 into a 383??

for the money you are planning on putting into the car, you could get a 4th gen LT1 or maybe depending on how muhc you really plan on spending a 4th LS1. An LS1 is gunna be faster than a 383 L98 or 383 from the 305 if thats possible.. but i dunno, if you like 3rd gens do it, im not a fan

[Trash man]

lol no i was gonna sell the motor being since its rebuilt. i wans gonna use a early 350 block and some how get the TPI system to work. i like 4th gens too but my heart has to be wit the 3rd gen. plus in ct, when its 25 years old, i can do what i want cuz i wont have to worry bout emissions

[MN6WS6]

I think the TPI would be what would kill that motor. They can only flow so much, and if I'm not mistaken, if you get anything over about 300-350 HP you'd be lucky. Don't quote me on that though, because I am no TPI guru.

[97LT1Z28]

Yeah, but for only 1K ?? That would still be a fun toy!?!?! I say get it just to play around and to have a "Spare f-body" to drive around while you're doing mods on the other. I am a huge fan of the 3rd Gens - I owned three of them and I loved them all.

[casey02ws6]

If you really want to race it the automatic is not a con - if racing is your plan....I assume drag racing....stick with an automatic.

[Disifer]

Stock TPI intake stops flowing enough air at about 4500-5500 rpms. Dewynter would probably know the exact range. He has a 383 w/ a 5 speed. About 356hp at 4376 and 463 tq at 3700 w/ a 5 speed.
With 3.73 your mileage will probably take a hit. Why not get an m6 and drop 4.11's in the rear, you'll accelerate faster if you don't spin the tires.
TPI's are torque monsters. I've never had mine dynoed (no engine work yet) but any literature I've read says that a 5.0L should get 285-320tq and 195-220hp. Mine's never been over 4600rpm because 1) It has 135k on it and 2) It hits a wall. I think holley makes a TPI kit or maybe I'm just remebering wrong. It should help it breath better. If you're going all out just twin turbo it

More knowledgeable people will be around in a minute to correct any of my mistakes.

[DeWynter]

My 383 runs outa breath at about 5000-5200 RPM. the biggest restriction is the intake base. Replace that with a holly and some new runners and port job on the plenum and you may get into the 6000 range, 6500 if your lucky. TPI is not optimal for drag racing. On a road course it would be ok but you would have to learn to not try to rev the crap outa it and stay in the power band that TPI makes (1500-3700).If you want to make it higher RPM then you need to goto a steath ram(LT1 type intake) or something simular. You could just do a swap to LT1 topend. You can still run the same TPI computer, or swap upto a newer LT1 SFI computer. I have seen it done both ways. Some other things you may want to pick up for the 383 are:
30# + injectors
AFPR (adjustable fuel pressure regulator)
52mm throttle body (optional)
Cam (not like I had to tell anyone)
Better ignition parts

[Trash man]

the only reason i said tpi cuz i still aint sure if i want fuel injection or a carb. and my 88 tbi isnt really a type of car u can mod unless u got some dough to throw at it. this one would be my play car. come out on weekends or ricer nights gas mileage isnt too import as i have a 4 banger i drive most of the time.

[DeWynter]

If all it is for is to play then TPI is great. Thte low end torque is awsome to do stop light to stop light if people did that... Biggest problem you will have is getting the tires to stick to the ground. The TPI is also nice when doing rolling stars as long as you know where to be in the RPM range to take advantage of the power it provides. Its not a screamer but it sure gives you the feeling of the old muscle cars.

[Trash man]

id get the tires to hook, trust me lol

[thenuge876]

I agree the TPI in my car is great, the parts on it are stock and once you get it into the right range you really feel its power so it would be really cool to fit it with a stealth ram, or any porting would help it to breath better because in the higher RPM levels it really has trouble breathing. Edelbrock and SLP also make base-plates and runners so that might be worht looking into.