was thinkin of going with a crate motor in the future my 84 is carbed so what would be my best setup. i wanna stay on the street, oh yea where i live no emissions

 

ZZ4s always nice. Pretty decent set-up for the money spent

 

For cheap.... the GM "universal replacement" 350 long block ($1200). 45 more cubes than your little 305 and it's rated about 50HP more plus a boatload more torque. All of your existing stuff will literally bolt right on- no gotchas. I've done this swap several times in place of worn out original 305s and it's a solid way to go. It's much stronger than a factory 305 of that era. Plus the basic engine responds well to hop-ups like heads and cams if you want to do that later.

For more money... the ZZ-4 crate engine. Again, all your stuff will bolt on (EGR will not function, however, since the ZZ-4 heads don't have an exhaust crossover). Better get some headers on it- this engine moves too much air to try to shove through restrictive stock exhaust manifolds/exhaust system. Lots more power than your little 305. Much of it higher in the RPM range, but still more torque everywhere than your 305.

Other crate engines are valid choices except they use heads that have a "Vortec" style intake bolt pattern (requiring you to change to a Vortec-style carbureted intake manifold and again, your EGR system won't work). This would include the 330HP 350 Vortec HO engine, the ZZ-430 (430HP with GM Fastburn heads) and the HT383 (high torque 383ci with Vortec-style heads).

 

Will the universal 350 GM engine work with an 88 Iroc TPI/auto? Would it pass emissions (I live in Philly as well).

I would like to keep the stock TPI - I know I would probably have to swap out the computer chip, but would there be anything else?

 

Yes, but with an exception. Your 88 TPI uses an intake bolt pattern for an 87-up type engine. The universal replacement 350 uses an older 86-down pattern in it's heads. Your lower intake manifold would have to be modified to take the earlier bolt pattern. This only applies to the 2 center intake manifold bolts so it shouldn't be a very difficult task for a competent machine shop.

Alternatively, GM sells other engines that already have 87-up style heads on them and you could truly bolt your stuff right onto it.