performance upgrades

[SUPERSUB87]

ill soon be getting my first check this week and i would like to do something pretty sweet to my stock 350. i have about $700 that i can spend on the beast. so i have quite a few options. these are the three that have been running through my mind lately. anybody who has done these mods please speak up and let my know what you think about them.

1. vortec heads, new intake manifold to work with the heads.

2. edelbrock shorty headers, new camshaft, intake upgrades

3. nos system that works with factory tbi setups (a little crazy)

4. if anybody has any other ideas please let me know.

 

[dyeager535]

I think you'll need more than $700 to do #1 right. Probably more like $1K.

number 2, I'd not waste time with shorties, I'd get full length, but not ones that hang too low. Pretty good thread a couple days ago about hedman's that fit great.

Number 3 I'd probably go for a tranny upgrade first unless you've got something other than a stock 700R4 in there.

 

[SUPERSUB87]

i have a sm465 with a new clutch so the tranny is fine. i know i would need a little more for #1 but i could at least get the set and get the whole package together.

i wanted shorties because i have a bodly lift as well and didn't want anything that would interfere as i have heard that it seems to be a problem.

i also like the fact that all i would have to do with shorties is get a new y- pipe fabbed up. (i already have a new exhaust on the sub.) i mean if the hedmans would fit with the bd lift than i'll put it into consideration.

the nitrous just sounds balls out fun. and since it is a whole kit that is made for the 5.7 w/tbi makes me want to give it a shot. literally and metaphorically speaking. i could also buy a new camshaft to compliment the kit. since the kit is in the $500.

 

[wheels87k5]

If you upgrade with nitros and a cam, will you have to also upgrade the ECM chip to match it? Or does the upgraded chip come with the Kit?

Just wondering because I put in a rebuilt 350 longblock in my 87 K5 and it's bored .030 over. and stock. I'd like to put in a cam to go with the headers and dual exhaust but wasn't sure about upgrading the chip.

Didn't mean to hijack....I'll look it up on other threads.

 

[bogginboy]

headers have nothing to do with a body lift from my past... just run true duals instead of a damn y pipe... what a waste that is... id go with the cam and long tube headers with a nice healthy set of 2.5 pipes to amke the thing breathe better for the cam....

 

[gmc4cw]

don't blow every paycheck as you get them. you'll never get anywhere with your build or your life.

if you want to bump up the horsepower save up twice the amount you think you need to get half the power increase you want. to do it right you want stuff that works together. just slapping parts on it every time you get a paycheck will not gain you as much as if you built something from scratch.

you can buy a cam cheap, but don't forget to get all new stiffer valve springs. along with all new gaskets and an oil change. all the little stuff adds up and makes a job cost twice as much in the end.

 

[RustyBlazerMan]

Be carefull with the cam. I put in a Edelbrock cam which supposedly matched the Edelbrock TBI manifold I installed and the truck never did run right with either the stock ECM prom or one from supertech. Ran hot and backfired alot. Eventually, I found someone at Edelbrock who said that I should go back to a stock cam, and the truck started running better. You can get a custom chip made but I was told by one of those guys that they can only accomodate so much lift / duration.

I run equal length hedman headers into dual cats and mufflers. The engine breathes well and sounds great.

 

[SUPERSUB87]

don't blow every paycheck as you get them. you'll never get anywhere with your build or your life.

if you want to bump up the horsepower save up twice the amount you think you need to get half the power increase you want. to do it right you want stuff that works together. just slapping parts on it every time you get a paycheck will not gain you as much as if you built something from scratch.

you can buy a cam cheap, but don't forget to get all new stiffer valve springs. along with all new gaskets and an oil change. all the little stuff adds up and makes a job cost twice as much in the end.

i know what you mean and that is not what i plan to do. i just haven't added anything to the burb in awhile so i wanted to fix it up a bit with some go fast goodies. i don't plan to ever bore the engine or add a stroker kit or a supercharger. just some inexpensive alternatives.

as for the question regarding the nitrous system and the ecm. the kit bypasses the computer control by only going off at open throttle.

 

[wheels87k5]

Ok....I'm still learning about all this upgrading and lift kits. I'm.....I'm a noobie. There, I said it.

And thankfully, with all the great help on here, I've learned alot. I've spent alot. I've been under the hood alot. And I've put my chores on hold, alot.

But in the real near future, this K5 of mine is gonna get dirty for the first time.

Good luck with your SUB.

 

[SUPERSUB87]

haha i know what you mean about the noobie thing. me too. and thanks for the good luck, im going to need it. and with two other projects moneys tight, but the sub was and is my first project so it gets the most love out of my wallet.