Can anyone in the forum give me a ballpark figure on what kind of power you can put ina convertiblewithout putting in a roll cage and using the best subframe connectors I can find and not hurt the car . Everyone in my car community says I had better leave it alone. I know that they are weaker than a hard top but I thnk they should be able to handle more than 195 horses.

 

if youwant horsepower , then go get a hard top or a T-Top, but id say 350 horses safely with a convertible.

 

If I would have wanted a hard top I would have bought one. Iam not wanting to build a race car out of it I would just like to make a respectable street car.

 

next question, are you building the 305 thats in the car or are you getting a 350 or larger, cause your gonna have loads of money for 300 hp in a 305 when you can buy a 350 that almost has 300 hp stock for way less then souping up the 305

 

I thought that I would go with a 350 I know that there is no better or cheaper way to build horse power than cubic inches. I meant to go to the garage and decode the engine that is in it because it has me puzzled the harmonic balancer is thin and solid like a 350 and it appears to be the original balancer.

 

Your year model came with 3 engine packages, 2- 305 the L03 and LB9 and 1-350 the L98, I dont know if that will help you, if it and auto its most likley a 305. As for the car being a conv I would link the sub frame. There are many kits or you can take it to a tubing shop and have them weld it together with 1/2 inch tubing.

 

You need subframes even on a 305 TBI Convertible.

350's never came in Convertible 3rdgens d83z28cross.

 

yep, the 350 tpi was even too much horsepower. anything more than 210 hp will need subframe connectors. anything above 300, i'd say some sort of lateral brace behind the seats. and 350 and up, a 6pt cage should work

 

Does anyone have detailed pictures of a six point cage that will still let the top function.

 

it all depends on how you or the fabricator makes it. its possible to get one made that wont interfere with it at all