I have a 79 with a 400 and a 4spd. The 400 needs some work and have 8?' 305TPI. I really want to work on the 400 over the winter and install the 305 without the TPI and wandering if it's too much trouble. I'm not sure what year it is, but it has v-belts and a serpentine belt. It also has steel heads. I am going to install a new timing chain, head gaskets, and the rest of the gaskets before putting it in the car and was wandering if I should buy a gasket kit for a TPI engine or just for a carb. engine?
The engine has about 100k miles and the guy I bought it from several years ago said that it ran good when he wrecked the car(didn't hurt the engine). It will be a daily driver (approx. 200 miles per week) and would like it to be dependable, not really a race car. Should I replace the cam and lifters? If I replace the cam & lifters and it has a roller setup, could I use a hydraulic set instead since I have no intention of using the TPI system on this engine again?
Trying to save money for the 400, but also want the 305 to last awhile too. All comments & suggestions are appreciated and needed! Thanks

I've partially tore the engine down and for 100K+, it's clean as they come. The piston walls just barely have a lip at the top, and there was no buildup or gunk in the heads or under the intake. I found out that the engine is an early 86 model. I have decided to replace the oil pump, timing chain, and all the gaskets.

Will a water pump from a early model engine work on this one? If the orig. was a reverse flow, will a normal flow cause it to overheat?

The water pump will work if you use everything else that goes with it. Seeing how your probably going to redo the 400 you can use all the brackets and stuff from that on the 305 and you knoow its all good because you are using it now. Adding tpi to your Camaro is a job. If its temporary until you redo the 400 then I would just add a carb. Especially if you plan on doing the 400 with one. If the 305 is a 86 it most likely doesn't have a roller cam. Don't believe they used them unitl 87 with the newer style block but I'm not positive. If it does have a roller now you can change to a hyd. but I believe you will also need different pushrods too. I'll take the roller if it has it and you get rid of it. I need that setup. Anyway if you put the 305 in with a carb is a very easy swap and you can use everything from the 400.

It has a regular hydraulic cam. Should I replace it? I do not intend on using the TPI anymore, as a matter of fact I will probably sell it to cover some of the cost. I'm just going to use the carb. and intake and all the brackets from the 400.

You may have to slot the holes in the intake manifold so they will match up to the holes that the T.P.I bolted to. There is a slightly different angle between the two.