darkhorse38 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Just wanted to drop in and introduce myself! My name is Patrick new to this but not totally new to racing. I have done Lemons before, track days and most recently the past two years I took up dirt track racing and felt good with the results considering my budget and experience. I recently purchased Randy Wright's 91 Z28 as a very complete roller, just needed an engine, steering column and some wiring After some cleaning More cleaning I was going to build a fresh motor and run a carb, but I stumbled across a running 89' TPI Vette engine. Came complete with everything to make it run [ECU/harness/sensors/etc] for $700 and figured I would give it a try. Now I'm in the process of finishing the dash and all the wiring [trying to make it very clean!] & waiting on a flywheel so I can bolt up the trans in the next few days and having a running, driving car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtisinger Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Welocome to CMC. I sold this car to Randy. Glad to see it headed to the track soon !! If you need any help let me know......Derek......661-747-5796 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FBody383 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Welcome. CMC is great racing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsmith350 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Good to see another third gen in the mix! Welcome to your new addiction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsmith350 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Might want to someday invest in redoing the front half of the cage. In a frontal side impact your legs are in the crumple zone. Much easier to build in front of the dash but not as safe. Just a thought. See Matt White or Glenn for cage suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkhorse38 Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 Welocome to CMC. I sold this car to Randy. Glad to see it headed to the track soon !! If you need any help let me know......Derek......661-747-5796 Thanks Derek I will give you a buzz sometime - I will probably need help with the suspension when I get to that point Might want to someday invest in redoing the front half of the cage. In a frontal side impact your legs are in the crumple zone. Much easier to build in front of the dash but not as safe. Just a thought. See Matt White or Glenn for cage suggestions. Thanks! Yes this was actually part of the reason for the dash removal [other than wiring]. We are actually going to beef the cage up a little this weekend - adding a dash bar going between the a-pillar uprights & underneath the steering column to tie the two sides together as well welding in plates in the footwell and adding some bars there for foot protection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmc38camaro Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Welcome Patrick. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you unfortunately have some rules issues related to your engine combo. The 89 Corvette engine is an aluminum headed 350. You are adding a f-Body TPI unit. The rules don't allow for the 350 TPI or for aluminum heads in a 3rd gen. Thought it was best to point this out before you get too far into it. Your options are to go to a 305 TPI or either a carbed 305 or 350. I have a 305 TPI and would suggest the carbed 350 is cheaper and easier. Contact me via a private message if you want details on my 3rd gen experience. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmc38camaro Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Patrick, I took a second look. Those aren't 89 heads, everything 87 and later were centerbolt valve covers. The head and block casting numbers will tell you what you have. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkhorse38 Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 Patrick, I took a second look. Those aren't 89 heads, everything 87 and later were centerbolt valve covers. The head and block casting numbers will tell you what you have. Mike Yeah I've been a little fishy about what I was sold but it was one of those Craigslist deals. I mostly just went with the setup because it was cheap and I got to hear it run [and it had good compression and oil pressure] before I bought it. The only markings on the head say ATCH 8 01 and the block is a one-piece rear main later casting [ends with 727]. Where in the rules does it say a 5.7 TPI is not allowed? It says any 5.7 in a OEM stock configuration, were the IROC's not 5.7 TPI? Either way, I dove in to this knowing it was not fully compliant [did I mention it came wired with a Mallory 6AL?] I just needed something to get it moving so I can get some seat time on the track, it's been way too long since I've been on a non virtual [i play a lot of rfactor] road course. Here's to hoping I don't blow up a perfectly good T5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 5.7 TPI is not allowed as it never came in front of a manual trans. The issue w/ the 5.7 combined w/ the TPI is it makes way too much TQ and not enough HP. Anything you do to help the HP makes the TQ problem a bigger problem. Should have dropped a LT1 in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmc38camaro Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 The 727 block is a 1986 350. They came in either 2 or four bolt models and is one of the earlier one piece rear main blocks. The easiest way to find the head casting number is to pop a valve cover. If you are lucky you may be able to see it through the grommet on the front of the left valve cover or through the breather opening on the back of the right valve cover. Also look for a stamping on the block just ahead of the right cylinder head. This stamping provides information on what type of vehicle the factory installed it in. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkhorse38 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Duh! Forgot the #'s were under the valve cover. They are 8878487 with a date code of "A-30-1" Can't find much info about these heads, just checked Mortec too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsmith350 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 5.7 TPI is not allowed as it never came in front of a manual trans. The issue w/ the 5.7 combined w/ the TPI is it makes way too much TQ and not enough HP. Anything you do to help the HP makes the TQ problem a bigger problem. Should have dropped a LT1 in there. Ditto! Glenn, you wanna look at the picture above and your feeling on that being considered an 8 point cage since it terminates into the floor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmc38camaro Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 They are 8878487 with a date code of "A-30-1" The date code part is pretty clear: January 30th in a year ending in one, most likely 1971. I couldn't find much about these heads either. For most Chevy heads the last 3 digits are the only thing that matters and there are a couple of other 487 heads I could find. The 487 head came with either 1.94" or 2.02" intake valves and were decent low compression heads for the day. The good news is you have a runner and can get on the track and get some practice in. The bad news is you will need a new bullet before you go racing. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 5.7 TPI is not allowed as it never came in front of a manual trans. The issue w/ the 5.7 combined w/ the TPI is it makes way too much TQ and not enough HP. Anything you do to help the HP makes the TQ problem a bigger problem. Should have dropped a LT1 in there. Ditto! Glenn, you wanna look at the picture above and your feeling on that being considered an 8 point cage since it terminates into the floor? Call me Ross. I don't understand what your getting at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FBody383 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Where in the rules does it say a 5.7 TPI is not allowed? It says any 5.7 in a OEM stock configuration, were the IROC's not 5.7 TPI? Your best "friend" is the CMC rule book. As you keep reading it over and over, do it with this in mind: "If it does not say I CAN then I CANNOT" Also, get with your local AI/CMC group and let them guide you along as time/funds allow. Everybody will want you on track in a safe car getting track time as you knock off rust/finish licensing, whatever. The series directors contact information is at the end of the rules - call or email them too if you have questions - there are no stupid questions, just unasked ones that can cost time/money. This is a national series and, personally, I think the rules enforcement has been getting more consistent over the last couple of years. BTW - where are you? Maybe I missed it in an earlier post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkhorse38 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 I am in Santa Cruz, CA. I've gone through the rulebooks a few times, I was actually just completely unaware that the T5 and the 5.7 never came together from the factory until you all said something. I'm gonna leave the current setup in the car, run some HPDE's [thinking about Chumpcar too] and take a stab at it next year. Not sure if I mentioned it but I have some parts to start building a compliant engine [i have a 305 and a 350 block, edelbrock manifold, brand new stock HEI distributor I kept as a spare for my dirt car] just gonna spend my time to do it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dustin M. Posted February 11, 2014 Members Share Posted February 11, 2014 Having no experience with either, I'd lean toward the carbed 350. I imagine a TPI 305 would exibit the same too much torque/not enough hp if you tried to legally get it to the limit (and would get real wheezy up top whereas the GT40(P) 5.0 Mustangs can pull 5500-5700), and I know our only RM 3rd gen runs a carb'd 350 setup and makes the numbers. Since you come from the dirt track world, I imagine you're no stranger to a carb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cozog1548534733 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 350 is a better choice over te 305, long term. Ask Bob Denton, Den34 (MW Dir.) or Bryan White roadracerwhite (ex. MW Dir.) about your engine build choices. They have loads of experience with both in CMC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al F. Posted March 8, 2014 Members Share Posted March 8, 2014 welcome aboard Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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