TA Stage 1 350 Intake - Is it Worth it?

There are a couple of TA Stage 1 350 intakes for sale on the board. Are they worth it in performance beyond weight savings?

I'm going TA 212 cam in a stock 71 350.

 

Some performance, great weight savings. For 200, I'd say worth it if you sell your iron for 100, and are only out a hundy.
Go SP3 for a true performance designed intake.

 

With that cam, porting heads and headers over the intake is my suggestion.

 

If you're running original qjet carb, I wouldn't bother with the SP3.

 

Currently, I'm running the Holley spreadbore Q-Jet replacement. I plan on going to a Q-Jet but I want to change one thing at a time instead of having too many variables to tune around.

I have headers, which is what started all this. Stuck 50 year-old exhaust bolts has snowballed into a freshening. I'm hoping it doesn't turn into a full-blown rebuild!

So, I have headers, getting the cam. Not really planning on porting the heads beyond maybe a 3-angle valve job and a little throat work if the machinist feels up to it.

I'm hearing maybe/maybe not then?

 

I dont think the SP3 has a choke provision, so you'd have to go electric. More $.
That intake "B" for 2 hundy would be worthwhile.

 

I used that intake on my 1st (piecemeal) 350 build back in the 80's (& subsequent full rebuild in the 90's) & honestly I can't say what it was worth, but 1st build was mild (stock '70 SP block/heads, TA Intake, Headers, KB MK II cam, M-21, 3.73's) and the combo made great power. I have to think the intake contributed something towards it besides just the reduced weight.

 

I would just go for a full rebuild and upgrade.
Forged rods and forged 11.1 to 1 pistons, aluminum heads too with an SP3 and a big Holley 850 DP.
May as well do a roller cam too while it’s apart.
It’s only a couple bucks more than what yer doing now
Oh, throw in some roller rockers too!

 

How are those new heads coming along?

 

Haha, yeah, NO!

I'm just hoping to find someone with some big valve iron heads for cheap.

 

Greg, I had stock valve heads, non-ported, & ran 14.00 with Crane cam,(similar to 212), 390 gears, headers, 750 Holley, street tires.
You don't have to get big valves or heavy port work.
The gears really help.

 

maybe we should get the guys that run nhra stock buicks to teach on this site. these guys go 11's in a so-called stock engine.

 

I suspect a lot of that is in the suspension - We tend to forget how big a role that plays but yes, it's be interesting to learn from them regarding the engines.

 

My last combo was 350 with stock bottom end, 10to1 comp. at zero deck, small flat tappet cam, stock iron heads, stage1 intake, holley 750DP, headers, 3:23 gears and a 3200 stall conv. that ran low 14's at 5300ft elev. that usually had a 7000-9000ft DA.
Keith