36 Chevy Coupe Project 85 TPI 305 decision

[anotheridiot]

Picked up a project from a guy in florida a while ago. It has an 85 IROC drivetrain that came with it, TPI, full harness, tranny that came with it, basically complete ready to rebuild and run. Not looking to build an all out hot rod, kinda want that hot rod that you just know is gonna start and take you where you want to go. Dont get me wrong, still want to do a head turner paint job, but for us, thats just labor and materials, its not investing in a new crate motor that will put out more power. I think Edelbrock makes a decent head for this engine, but even that is gonna be an investment.

Has anyone built one of these 305's. I think factory they came with a staggering 210 horsepower. Kinda at least want to make it sound like a hot rod with a lopier cam maybe, we have some bigger accel squirters, I have studied all the porting you can do to that TPI to get more out of that top end, the exhaust ports on the heads are about the size of a quarter, so there is probably meat that can be taken from the cast iron, but how far can you go before you gotta find a genious to mess with the ECN? Port the TPI, nice set of headers, a bit more aggressive cam?

Just looking for some direction, and I guess a kick in the ass to get moving on it. Camaro has the motor and tranny in, new crossmember bolted up, cut the driveshaft and its ready to move on to the next one, maybe one that could get some dollars in for the next project.

[SuperBuickGuy]

why build a 305 when you can build a 350 for 1/2 the money? with that said, the TPI on a 305 is smaller (capacity) than a 350... but still, I get being contrarian but where other motors from the era would be cool and add value to the car; anyone that hears it has a 305 in it will shake their head and devalue the car.

[Beagle]

Dulcich did an article on a 374 hp 305 for not a lot of coin around 2006. Hotrod apparently lost the link with their not quite ready for the internet record keeping... if you can find it, the article is good.

There are a lot of arguments for a 4" bore and not many for the 305 other than you have it already. 305's are like strokers already if you look at the bore to stroke. I remember begin impressed with the torque Dulcich got out of it.

If it's a speed density computer, you'll get away with jack shit nothing before it needs a chip. MAF are a little (not a lot) more tolerant of cams. Porting the heads won't f* up the computer anything like a cam will.

I'd build a carb'd 305 out of curiosity if I had late model truck heads (Vortec) but I doubt I would spend money buying heads for one. On the other hand (efi), It'd also make a good experiment for a Microsquirt or Megasquirt. I'm sure the TPI is not enough for a hard running 350 without $$$ being thrown at it, but it might be big enough for a decent running 305 without wheezing it's brains out at 5100 rpm.

[Loren]

305 tpi would be an excellent and economical cruiser motor w/ great low-end torque except you will always hear the '85 system is to be avoided in favor of an '86-up. Another thing is, you'll have to also avoid telling people what size it is or they'll make a face (practice in front of the mirror...say, "yeah, it's a 350..." until it doesn't sound like you're lying...that will make it all so much easier). A friend put a tpi on a 350-powered Land Cruiser (the SUV-kind) w/ aftermarket controller (I can't tell you if he did speed-density or maf) and said it worked pretty good, again built for the low-end, but didn't get the milage that you would w/ the stock electronics that can run the timing up against the knock sensor all the time. I still keep an '86 tpi 305 around, for something, I don't know what. Maybe one of the Wagoneers. Anyhow they've kinda lost their amazement-value on a street machine in the last few years now but that doesn't mean they don't work good for what they're meant for.

[anotheridiot]

Thats the thing Loren, what they are meant for. Its got decent looks for when you fold up the hood and at least looks interesting thru the louvers. You just figure not lying and saying its got an IROC Z28 driveline sure makes it sound better than it has a 305 lol. Hell, I already did that in the first post. It has a little ford rear end on a 4 link setup, that I am sure can use a 3.73 range gear to make that low end torque feel like more than what it is, lots of mods to the stock frame, Mustang 2 front suspension. I think a bigger throttle body is available for the vette version of the TPI that might work better on the 350. Also have old engines around, I mean old like oil fill thru the intake old, in the 265 range we got with the camaros, along with a complete 327, but pretty sure thats different bolt patterns to the 85 block if I were to try to just use the intake on a better block. Kinda why I am in the feeling out stage. I think a master kit thru Northern is around 350 still with stock cams, pistons and such. At least those older heads look like they might breathe a little.

[Beagle]

85 should be "traditional" manifolding and 2 piece oil seal if I remember right. If the bolts come out of the manifold perpendicular to the heads, it's old style. If they stick straight up, you can always try out porting the 305 heads. It's the small bore on the 305 that limits things, mostly because it limits the valve size. Small valve 350 heads typically kill the compression ratio because of larger chambers.

I can't remember anything these dasy. On TPI - wasn't it just the two center bolts on the manifold and you could mod the manifold to fit old engines on the later models? Whenever it was... lol. I'm pretty sure the '85 will fit a traditional old SBC.

[Beagle]

Oh .. forgot this.

WHERE ARE THE PICTURES? This ain't playboy, I don't buy it for the words!! grin.

[SuperBuickGuy]

305 tpi would be an excellent and economical cruiser motor w/ great low-end torque except you will always hear the '85 system is to be avoided in favor of an '86-up. Another thing is, you'll have to also avoid telling people what size it is or they'll make a face (practice in front of the mirror...say, "yeah, it's a 350..." until it doesn't sound like you're lying...that will make it all so much easier). A friend put a tpi on a 350-powered Land Cruiser (the SUV-kind) w/ aftermarket controller (I can't tell you if he did speed-density or maf) and said it worked pretty good, again built for the low-end, but didn't get the milage that you would w/ the stock electronics that can run the timing up against the knock sensor all the time. I still keep an '86 tpi 305 around, for something, I don't know what. Maybe one of the Wagoneers. Anyhow they've kinda lost their amazement-value on a street machine in the last few years now but that doesn't mean they don't work good for what they're meant for.

LOL @ lying - it should come naturally to a hotrodder ;)

There is that MB Jeep that would be great with a TPI 305 in it.... and Gail has already given you the stamp-of-approval.

See how helpful I am?

[anotheridiot]

Didnt really want to make this a project thread, but I give what I got in return for the appreciated advice.

[68scott385]

It says Project right in the title, and this IS a thread...

just sayin'

[ChevyJosh]

Great PROJECT thread! Keep it coming.

[Beagle]

you can always ask WhiteMonster to move it to projects and rename the title.... he's pretty good about being nice like that.

man, that's sweetness. Have you heard it run?

[anotheridiot]

no never heard it run, thats pretty much how it was advertised, then shipped with the motor installed and body laying on the frame. Down side is the guy that gave up on it did so after having the car sandblasted, left it outside and it sat there during a hurricaine, which explaines the petina. Most of the motor and wiring harness looks like it was pulled from a yard..

I will ask to move it down the road or just let it die and start another, I was just hoping to get some imput on that bitchin IROC Z28 motor and didnt think the project thread would be the place to get advice since one should have an idea of what they are doing before showing progress..

[Beagle]

I probably drive people crazy asking "what do you think about this" ... but it's Bangshift! I wouldn't feel at home if I couldn't ask questions and change my mind 50 times.

[68scott385]

I will ask to move it down the road or just let it die and start another, I was just hoping to get some imput on that bitchin IROC Z28 motor and didnt think the project thread would be the place to get advice since one should have an idea of what they are doing before showing progress..

I think you give many of us too much credit. I've made progress but still don't know exactly where I want to go.