TP = toilet paper
TB = throttle body
IAC = Idle Air Control Motor
Clean the TB SEPARATELY from the IAC, or just replace the IAC.
BALLSS, Fooser, and Moby all have the right idea; get to know your car as is, and clean/maintain/repair/refresh every detail you can easily get at BEFORE you start asking more of it.
Regarding the transmission, change the fluid & filter TWICE - 2X - within 2 months or less, that should get rid of the crud that may've been freed by the 1st change.
If transmission acts any worse after 2nd fluid-filter change, budget for a rebuild, instead of mods; it was probably gonna go when you tried to stand on it anyway.
As for the rest, the idea is simply to try to eliminate the likelihood that something will fail on you and take out something ELSE in the process.
Too many people hate cars because they started out modding before looking for things to fix or maintain, and those things came back to haunt them.
Plus, a good pcm tuner always prefers to work with a properly maintained car that runs well.
They silently despise working on a car that needs work.
A Driver who won't maintain their car often also thinks that the tuner can tune a bad-running car into good running shape - never a safe idea.
Unless you live where winter ambient temps regularly stay below freezing, a 160°F tstat and a BASIC tune are a very wise place to start.
Lots of people, both new and old to the Iron block LT1, don't know or care to understand how much GM held back with the OEM programming.
I only disagree with BALLS once:
I'd do either 3.42 or 3.73 with the 160°F tstat and the basic tune, if at all possible (often it's not; if not, 160°F tstat and basic tune 1st).
Choice between 3.42 or 3.73 depends on how you intend to drive it.
Look for the questionnaire; 3.73 can cost at least $400 more than you think, depending on your intents and purposes.
Better gearing actually makes things easier on your engine & transmission, in addition to more fun, as does a proper tune.
Do not bother with anything from JET.
It bears repeating.
Do not bother with anything from JET.
Also, your engine does not yet need a 52mm tb, a bigger MAF sensor, and a set of bigger fuel injectors.
I said AND not OR because the 3 should go together [with heads and cam that are NOT oem].
Specifically, your original heads and cam do not have enough performance potential to make any 1 of the 3, or all 3 in combination, cost-effective (unless you're trying to prove some kind of point?).
Hold off until you decide on the heads and cam package you set your heart on, THEN get all 3 together.
IFF/ when you need them - not yet - get a 52mm tb, a GM MAF from a Camaro/Firebird/Corvette, and 32lb/hr injectors at the same time.
If you enjoy your car responsibly, you'll be pleasantly surprised how much bang-for-your-buck these cars have in them.
