| The Origins of the TPI terror- |
| Back in 1993 March of that year, I purchased a white base model Corvette. It was equiped with an automatic and L-48 motor. The ododmeter read 55,000 miles, although I doubt it was correct. The expression to describe the vette was vanilla- very plain and very white. My original plan was to keep it factory as much as possible. The problem with an original car as I figured out, was that I was putting the same tired parts back on it and getting much the same results- towed back to the shop. A Corvette was an expensive habit for a highschool kid with a part time job! The brakes, transmission, fuel tank, carb- they were all repalced within the first 6 months. I think the techs at the dealership drove that car more than I did. Every cent I had went to getting it running although it didn't run consecutively. Or consistantly for that matter. The first repairs were to the wheel bearings and bent tie rods. Seemed someone in the past decided that tie rods made an excellent place to put a jack. Right up to the point where they bent and wore tires out at an incredible rate! The next was a transmission that leaked from the main seal, along with brakes leaking more fluid than in the system as a whole. My favorite malady was the spun balancer. This was the performance parasite that made it sickly slow. The elastometer out lived its usable life and spun making. This made timing marks utterly useless. The original timing called for 6 degrees TDC. It was set at eight (according to the where the balance was now) and still ran like a dog. Never one to persue "tune by feel" as an accurate method, I did however realize I must do this in order to figure out where it needed to be set now. 12 degrees was actually the point where the timing would need to be set to optomize performance. This made a world of a difference. The car litterally screamed in performance compared to how it used to run. I replaced it soon after though to be sfae. I grew very tired of replacing part after part on that car. It seemed original parts just weren't cutting it. The performance was dismal compared to later model cars and just got worse as time went on. Carburation and 15 inch wheels shod with 255 / 60 series tires were just as archaic as its three speed transmission. 13 milers per gallon was truly hideous compared to the 19 and 25 that most modern muscle cars enjoyed. I had to make a choice - leave it original and endure the marginal level of everything or modify it and enjoy ever mile. So, I broke from the pack of normal Corvette people and decided to start from square one with what I didn't like. I wanted to replace everything that was wasn't going to cut it. I wanted more power. The first thing to go was the fuel delivery system. Spring 1995 The first significant modification was the fuel delivery system. Holley had just released the Pro-Jection System. This was a two barrel TBI with analog controls. It was a dinosaur of an EFI system compared to late model cars, but it worked. It looked like a carburated system when equiped with the factory air bonnet, which helped provide a semi-stock look. Ultimately, it was old tech TBI and analog at that. There was no way it could compensate for changes in temperature, air density, or altitude. It was very primitive as for fuel injetion. The after market was just getting fuel injection where the average guy could afford it. May 1996 That spring brought new paint to the car. I wanted to go for something different. White was just not to be the color for that car. So, the little white vette rolled into the paint shop. After nearly two weeks of painting and repainting, I picked up my black Corvette. I also had the original rear bumber replaced with an '82s. I had it mounted without a seem to the rear end. I always knew the car would never be worth what a low mileage pace car would be. I didn't care, because as far as I was concerned the '78 pace cars were slow, mechanically unreliable, and just technologically inferior to even the worst late model Corvette. I had already tainted the original car with TBI and a new color and I really liked it better being non-stock. It started easier, had better gas mileage, and was an over-all vast improvement to an otherwise base model '78. I decided there was no turning back. I was going to build my Corvette how I wanted to. I wanted to use the best technology on the market. I did however want to be cost concious of course! June 1997 In the summer of '97, I found a deal that I couldn't pass up. A 1989 Camaro Z-28's complete TPI system for cheap. Some guys from a salvage yardhad tried to put it down onto to Camaro with TBI. Needless to say, the harness didn't fit so they shelved the whole manifold. They were asking for $100 for the base plate, fuel rail with all eight injectors, runners, upper plennum and throttle body. I just couldn't pass that up. So I kept it under the sink in my apartment fot eight months while I saved up the money to put it onto my vette. March 1998 I finnally installed the TPI with a painless harness, eight LT4 injectors, and a Street Chip from Tuned Port Specialties onto a new GM Goodwrench crate motor. The new GM Goodwrench series of motors have great potential for modification and cost nearly $1100, so you can't beat the price. I decided to build the TPI system utilizing the most inexpensive parts - so its a speed density system based on the 1991 Z-28 Camaro platform. The Corvette system uses a weather proof computer and costs twice as much. The Camaro system uses the same GM Multi-Port computer found in the Beretta and every other multi-port car. Without a MAF, the cost of the aquiring all the senors was about $300. This TPI system would not handle cam changes as easily, but most after market companies can burn a new chip for very little money. To add some room for the new TPI, I installed an L-88 hood. January 2002 A 700R4 now resides behind the TPI motor! This transmission is incredible! At 70 mph, I am pushing only 2,200 rpm. Its great to be on the interstate and actually get the gas mileage and performance of the overdrive. I don't race this car and I never will- so having a bullet proof TH-350 capable of out lasting a 700hp motor is not worth the money. The enjoyment factor is sooo much higher with this transmission. I also decided the two tone doeskin and brown interior had to go. My black vette sports a black interior complete with leather 79-82 seats. Triple black looks soooo evil. August 2002 Removal of the 65 amp alternator and replacement with a 105 amp from a 91 Corvette. This is really easy- swap pulleys, solder on a new plug, and install with 4 gauge charge wire. It really works well to power the Halogen H4 lights. I have upgraded to these by simply replacing the originalk glass bulb with a capsule and removeable H4 bulbs. These lights are really bright. They are even better when ALL 4 bulbs are H4 series. You say that the high beams are 2 post? You're right- you just have to remove the low beam post to get them to fit- but what a difference! November 2002 -6AN fuel lines! I have finally entered the present. Ditching the rubber-and-clamp 3/8 lines felt great. I had to grind off the factory fitting on the rail and replaced it with a 1/4NPT to -6AN with a 45 degree socketless hose fittings. Oh, I also upgraded to a true speed density with the removal of the 9th injector and the fuel line to it. I also found that a metric freeze plug fits well in the provision for the cold start injector. The original TPI inlet lines that were squashed must have really starved the engine for fuel. I really do notice a marked improvement at high RPMs. Also, removing the cold start injector must have helped too. I didn't know if it was actually leaking, but removing it from the rail was probably a good idea anyways- since its a speed density system. January 2004 SOLD!!! Well, the car was done. It was complete and I was happy with it |