HCI THread..Which kit?

EXTRPR50

Founding Member
Oct 7, 1998
370
1
19
I have been pondering the different hci kits from Edelbrock, TF, FRPP, Holley, etc. To those of you with these kits, could you give dynos. if you got 'em?

Which kit do you guys think makes the most power? I have seen the TF and FRPP kit from Late Model Resto. A little difference in price, so what about the diff. in power?
Discuss...
 
Edelbrock advertises their Performer 5.0 kit to make 300hp, Trick Flow (w/Street Heat intake) and Holley (Systemax II) advertise approximately 350hp, the FRPP kit is a kit thrown together by the vendor and FRPP does not advertise a kit hp for it.

My .02 cents is this:

Don't get hung up on the horsepower numbers, because there are a lot of accessories that go into making those numbers (bigger MAF, type of exhaust setup, etc, etc) that the number is not a guarantee. It is an ideal under perfect conditions with a perfectly matched setup.

That being said, I'd avoid the FRPP thrown-together kit and get either the Edelbrock or Trick Flow kit. The Edelbrock will be the most street-friendly with as-good-as-stock driveability and make respectable power. I think it's a great kit for a car that stays on the street 95% of the time and only goes to the track a couple times a year.

The Trick Flow kit will produce more peak power than the Edelbrock, and both the Twisted Wedge heads and Track Heat cam will make more power than the Edelbrock counterparts. The Trick Flow kit is also VERY complete, since they provide rocker arms, pushrods, and other miscellaneous items the others don't come with.

The Holley kit is ok, it makes good power. The intake is very popular (huge ports, high rpm), but I've heard various complaints about the Systemax heads (sub-par valve guides) and most people aren't thrilled with the Lunati cam grind they include. However, from my understanding the Holley heads are good castings (I can't remember if it's Brodix or Canfield that casts the heads for Holley, one of the two I think).

Hopefully others will chime in.
 
Well, they're not...LOL It's good to know the TF kit has extras like pushrods and rockers, etc. I have not heard much negativity about the TF kit and alot of people seem to have it. I guess piecing something together with different parts is usually done. But "I would like to think" that companies make these kits to work with each component together.
 
Well, they're not...LOL It's good to know the TF kit has extras like pushrods and rockers, etc. I have not heard much negativity about the TF kit and alot of people seem to have it. I guess piecing something together with different parts is usually done. But "I would like to think" that companies make these kits to work with each component together.
 
I liked my holley heads. They worked great. And I have heard since I bought mine 6 years ago they made improvements with the heads. That being said for the cash they want for them I would just as soon buy a set of afr's and get the holley intake and a Trickflow stage 1 cam. lol I like to piece stuff together myself.
 
I pieced myn together myself. Well, ed curtis actually give me a list of parts to pick from that I needed, so I ordered my stuff through him. Only exceptions would be the waterpump, maf, injectors, and the heads theirselves. Already had the intake.
 
I absolutely love the TFS kit. TFS makes the most complete kit so far. The only addition that I would suggest for the TFS kit is new lifters. I don't know why they didn't include those. Edelbrock makes a nice kit wich will give you better low end than the TFS. The TFS really screams at 3K+ rpm which for me is where I want it. I don't know enough about the Holley to talk about it but I do know that their intake is really popular with the force induction crowd. I would stay away from the FMS kits. Not that there is anything absolutely wrong with them but for the price there are much better options out there. The GT40 intake on the other hand is a great intake. It has set the standard benchmart for all others to compare to. Too bad they are so expensive.
Kevin
 
Thanx for the replies fellas. I could not find the Eddy kit on their site. I only saw the carb one. I like what I read about the rpm II intake from them. I wonder how it compares to the track heat and holley intakes.