Dave Harrington came to use wanting to build a strong reliable pump gas combo making 500 hp at the rear wheels (about 575 hp at the crank).  The main stipulation was that Dave wanted to do this with Fitech’s Tripower EFI!  Dave saw our article where we adapted the FiTech Tripower to an aftermarket STOCK Pontiac Tripower intake.   We have done a fair amount of testing with this intake over the years and definitely felt this would be a challenge on account of the intakes small / limited port window and small port volume.   In order to help with one of these limitations, we manufactured a set of 1.25″ EFI to Pontiac Tripower adapters.

Before adding the EFI Tripower we started with what we knew….  The build is based around a Kauffman Performance MR-1 aftermarket block and topped off with a set of 85 CC KRE Aluminum D -port heads ported to 290 cfm.  (the Tripower intake prohibited us from using the 310 cfm KRE D-ports).  We then topped the combo off with a Performer RPM intake and a Pro Systems HP 1000 cfm carb for initial engine break in and tuning.  With the Performer RPM and Pro Systems HP 1000 carb the combo running on 93 octane we posted 583.7 hp at 5200 rpm and a tire shredding 652.3 ft lbs of torque at 4400 rpm!  We could get this combo to idle down to 750 rpm and it pulled over 13″ of vac.

We then added the EFI Tripower setup and after letting the FiTech system warm up we made a few pulls.  Our final 300 rpm pull netted us 571.7 hp at 4800 rpm and an impressive 666.6 ft lbs of torque at 4200!  What we found very interesting was that the average power numbers (which is typically what we try to improve upon when tuning) went UP using the EFI Trips over the 4bbl combo.

From 3600 rpm – 5300 rpm here are the numbers:

4bbl combo average torque 630.5 ft lbs – average HP 532.5

EFI Trips combo average torque 635.0 ft lbs – average HP 534.9

Our final test was adding our EFI Tripower air cleaners bases, lids and a K&N style filter.  We wanted to see how much power we would lose by adding these items and we were pleasantly surprised.  Peak numbers were 658.9 ft lbs of torque at 4200 rpm and 570.9 hp.  That’s right…. we lost 7.7 ft lbs of torque and .8 hp!  Not too shabby….

The long and short is, it will be VERY hard to keep tires on this car!

The engine uses the following components:

• Kauffman Performance MR-1 Pontiac block 4.250 bore
• Eagle 4.50″ stroke crank
• 290 cfm 85 cc KRE D Port heads
• Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold / Stock aftermarket aluminum Pontiac Tripower
• Eagle 6.7 rods w/ full floating pins
• Moroso Oil pan
• Melling Oil pump with TIP SD-Oil plate installed
• Total Seal Rings file fit
• Federal Mogul Rod and Main bearings
• Ross Pistons
• Druabond Cam bearings
• Tin Indian Performance Custom Billet-TEK valve covers
• Trend Pushrods
• Custom Ground Tin Indian Performance Hyd Roller Camshaft
• Johnson Short Travel Hydraulic Roller Lifters
• Tin Indian Performance Billet-TEK valve covers
• Tin Indian Performance Complete Gasket Set with TIP-RM300 Viton ® rear main seal
• Cometic head gaskets
• MSD Ready Run Billet Distributor
• Taylor Wires
• PRW stainless roller rockers
• NGK FR5 Spark Plugs
• ARP Head Bolts
• Flowkooker Water Pump
• KRE Timing Cover
• Pro Race Balancer
• Pro Systems HP1000 cfm 4150 style carb / Fitech EFI Tripower
• Tin Indian Performance 4150 to RPM 1″ spacer / Tin Indian Performance 1″ FiTech EFI Tripower adapters with mounting bolts and studs – TIP-EFI-TRIPS
• TIP-EFI-TRIPS-ACL13 – FiTech EFI Tripower air cleaner bases
• TIP-EFI-RET – Return spring and bracket for FiTech EFI Tripower
• TIP-EFI-LINK – Linkage for FiTech EFI Tripower
• Tin Indian Performance Pontiac fuel pump blockoff kit
• Engine balanced and blueprinted
• Dyno Tuned before delivery