I just bought my 87' Iroc w/ 305 V8.

I just want to add some punch to her....nothing huge. But with a budget around 1000$, and no desire to go near Forced Induction what little things can I do?

I'm not a car guru....I know what parts are...but not which ones are good or how they work.

The car is all stock.....so I'd like to get to around 300HP.

What should I get? If you can name specific parts I could ask my local auto shop I would really appreciate it.

Headers?
Heads?
Exhaust ?
Intake?
Cams?

I don't have to upgrade everything....anything that would help gas milage and get me to abround 300HP is what I'm looking for. I'd like to get to around 275-300HP with as few mods as possible....

Thnx in advance

 

Well, Getting some Hooker Long Tubes or shorties with an off road pipe (no cats) and a cat back of your choice is a good start. I suggest a hooker cat back but to really have the best flowing exghust possible id put a cut out on their too. You'll feel a differance with the cut out open! That should be close to your $1000 buget if you have someone do all the work for you. From there when you get a buget to spend on your car again id mod up your induction system and get a march underdrive pulley. From their you should get some susspenshion mods. The cheapest things you can do to get started is a cat back, K&N filter, cut out and pulley. I hope this helps

 

i'd start off getting a good set of hedders and free flowing exhaust. then you might want to look into getting a set of vortec heads and intake.in my opinion the best bang for the bucks head you can buy.

of course theres always nnnnaaaawwwwssss

 

Is it a fuel injected TPI or a carb? Either way, you're going to need to change the heads and cam to get 300 HP.

Start with headers, a high-flow cat, and a 3" cat-back exhaust system. That'll eat up your $1000.

 

Knowing what you're starting with usually helps...

If you don't know, just get the 8th digit of your VIN:

H = LG4, carbed motor, 165hp supposedly...
F = LB9, TPI motor, 190hp with an auto tranny, 215hp with 5spd.

I would agree with the full exhaust for you $1000 as well. Won't get you 300hp, but hey... There's a couple free mods you can do on the TPI that'll yeild some benefit on the intake side. Sure there's some tweaks for the carb setup too. Post what ya got...

When you order everything, buy the parts listed for the 86-90 305 and 350 TPI single cat cars, even if you have the LG4. That'll get you the 3" inch stuff you want, since you're changing the whole exhaust it will all go together nicely...

Order you stuff from Jegs or Summit, don't go through a local shop or you'll get gouged...

I'm money limited, so I went with Edelbrock TES headers ($330ish Summit/Jegs), a 3" catco cat ($100ish from Summit), and a Hooker cat-back ($275ish Jegs). Already had a flowmaster cat-back on my 86 IROC so I went with the same set of headers and cat with that car. Technically the SLP headers are better, but they're up around $500 by the time you get done with em. I believe one of/both Hooker and Hedman offer some decent headers with y-pipes for our cars for around $300ish as well.

 

Thanks guys...I have a TPI....I figure that going all exhuast/headers like you mentioned would be the best thing to do first...because new heads/cam won't perform as well w/o a better intake/exhuast.

 

port and polish your intake and runners, or whatever it is you TPI guys do

get a full exhaust - does it need to be emmisions legal?

do the free mods.

 

1.)K&N air filters $26 ea. Summit Racing(KNN-33-2008-1)two required.=$52
2.)Remove both MAF screens.
3.)Port the plenum behind the lower half of the throttle blades.
4.)Buy world Products "S/R Torquer-305" 58cc heads.(Jegs 955-042650-1)only $628 a pair complete!!! Gain about 30hp over stock! I think they'er neccessary to reach 300+hp...
5.)Flowtech Shorty headers. (Summit Racing $85...)
6.)Dynomax Super 3" cat...Jegs (289-15143=$130)
7.)3" cat back exhaust(from $200-$320)
8.) 255LPH fuel pump $100
9.)Crane Powermax Hydrolic Roller cam CRN-104225 @Summit Racing$259(reuse roller lifters.)

 

If you can do your own work.... I would wait on the exhaust and go with the NEW VORTEC HEADS AND MANIFOLD.....

that would be 1000 well spent on getting you 300hp net...

then buy a cutout until you save more dough for the headers and catback....

you should gain a easy 20-30 RWHP....which would put your 305 above 200 RWHP maybe even like 215 RWHP...

this is poer you can see at the track or running against a buddy who has a stock car with headers and catback.... YOU WILL SPANK HIM!! quietly

You may only get 10-15 RWHP with you 1000 exhaust job...

But with the heads and intake first then the headers and catback you will gain more...15-20 RWHP....


Get your car dynoed to get a base line ...that will set you back about 75.00 if your lucky you will make 180....

you get the heads and intake...then add the exhaust later...you shoulld dyno about 225-230.....more than a L98...

that puts you about 300 net hp using a 20% factor

stock auto LT-1 make about 230-240 rwhp

 

Do everything in my sig and then follow the link at the end to port and polish your 305 heads. They rock when done right, will be pretty darned close to Vortecs and only cost HALF as much