getting the combo right on a daily driver 1963 impala

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
[quote="63impala"]recently acquired a complete FIRST tpi intake.
Came complete with affordable fuel injection ecu, wiring harness, distributor, fuel pump.

I have a 383 sbc long block, just your run of the mill first gen 350 bored .30 over with stock cast iron heads.(No cam)

I would like to put the two together and use it in a current project build.

I only paid $500 for the intake setup and $500 for the long block. So you can see this is a budget build.

With out getting carried away I would like to see if its worth to invest a little more money to complete this engine.

The car is a 1961 impala. Strictly street use. The car has a stock 3.08 posi rear end and I have not decided on a transmission or torque converter yet.
Now how about a cam recommendation.
Opinions and thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks [/quote]



for the younger guys that don,t instantly remember what a 1963 impala looks like , heres a couple pictures I found posted else-ware.
two of my friends in college owned and drove 1963 impalas, one had a 409 4 speed the other was a 283 power glide until we built a much improved 11.1 compression ratio 327 ,and once that was installed we learned a great deal about why you needed a higher stall torque converter, with a power glide transmission, and why adding a 4.11:1 rear differential helped, performance, but not gas mileage... luckily sunoco 240- 260 gas was less than 40 cents a gallon in most of the late 1960s.... but to be fair most of us were making about $100 a week BACK THEN... about equal to $500 a week now, but you could buy a serious 427 big block engine over the dealership counter for about $2000 back then,roughly 16-18 weeks take home pay, which by comparison was probably cheaper in weeks worked vs engine cost than today, if your a 19-21 year old guy into cars... but the engine you buy now will have seriously improved components as tech has improved... back in the day 500-hp was impressive, now 700 hp is fairly easy.
1963imp2.jpg

1963imp1.jpg


flat tappet or roller?
(being a low buck build I suspect hydraulic flat tappet)
that first intake is one of the best TPI intakes made
https://firstfuelinjection.com/
PDRM1966a.jpg

youll need a ecm control and the injectors , and wire harness, Id suggest you Switch to a newer aftermarket ECM that does self learning
a set of rather less expensive heads , with high velocity ports, to increase your engines mid rpm power would certainly help

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-79895

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mll-h8002k

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-5089


http://www.cpgnation.com/forum/thre...y-self-learning-efi-system-please-read.25608/

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/self-tuning-efi-systems/

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/fuel_injection/hp_efi/hp_harnesses/parts/558-503

http://documents.holley.com/efi_selection_chart62914.pdf

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/fuel_injection/hp_efi/hp_harnesses/parts/558-200

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...MIh6Tz9M_k2gIVgYRpCh0wogqXEAQYASABEgLdYPD_BwE

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/calculate-fuel-injector-size.1200/

and what rpm/power band? would you prefer,
keep in mind I'd strongly suggest matching the intakes designed 2000rpm-6000 rpm
and Id want to know the car weight , rear gear, and transmission used, tire height, and anything else you can tell me about the exhaust, headers intended use of the car,
if it was my car,if it was my car Id want a 200r4 transmission, and a 2200-2500 rpm stall converter with over drive,
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fti-esrl338027
the car will be much better on mileage and fun to cruise
on a cam ,Id go this route
http://www.cranecams.com/product/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=23970

https://transmissioncenter.net/product-category/gm/200-4r/

https://www.transdepot.net/2004R-Performance-Transmission-Stage-2-650HP_p_16.html

built with that intake,related parts, transmission,and cam it would be fun to drive and dependable
your never going to make a fast race car out of that heavy of a car, but you could rather easily make the car fun to drive, unexpectedly quick, yet build so the cars easy to drive and has no bad habits.
Id want 28-30 lb injectors, this gives you the capacity required if you decide later to get a nitrous system installed , without going over board on injector size in n/a operation.
too do that,engine build correctly, you want instant off idle torque and decent mid and upper mid range torque, and a 350 that breaths well, that intake and cam would do that if you have a low restriction exhaust and decent low restriction headers or exhaust manifolds., especially if you had a 2000 rpm stall converter and a 3.36-3.73 rear gear.[/quote]

have you considered swapping to a BBC engine, a very mildly modified 454 would do amazing things to the cars performance and most likely at lower cost than rebuilding the current combo with parts required, especially if you can find a donor car/truck.motor home
\ about 50 years ago, I had a 1965 LEMANS
that needed a transplant
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-resulting-from-an-engine-swap.898/#post-3239
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-regret-selling-whats-yours.15912/#post-95697
 
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Rick your 100% correct, :D , good catch,
I looked at the guys posted name.. "
"63impala" but there is really not anything that would, change much in the
recommendations

for those young guys un-familiar with a 1961 impala

61impala1.jpeg

61impala1.jpg

61impala2.jpg

Grumpyvette, I'm thinking exactly what your thinking.

your never going to make a fast race car out of that heavy of a car, but you could rather easily make the car fun to drive, unexpectedly quick, yet build so the cars easy to drive and has no bad habits.
to do that, you want instant off idle torque and decent mid and upper mid range torque, and a 350 that breaths well, that intake and cam would do that if you have a low restriction exhaust and decent low restriction headers or exhaust manifolds., especially if you had a 2000 rpm stall converter and a 3.36-3.73 rear gear.


So lets work with that.

Car weight: 3445lbs
rear gear: 3.08 posi
transmission: 700r4
tire height:28 inches
Exhaust: block hugger headers with 2.5" pipes flow master 40 series mufflers
 
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