1998 Z28 SS Clone?
02-23-2013, 12:07 PM
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1998 Z28 SS Clone? Hey Guys,
I recently purchased my first project car. It's a '98 Z28 convertible 6 speed. The guy I bought it from didn't know much about it. It looks like the guy before him tried to clone it though. He put SS stickers on the passenger airbag on the dash. Cheap looking. He also added a K&N intake with a scoop. And the exhaust seems to be aftermarket too. The only thing that doesn't look SS about it is the wheels. I'll post pics soon.
The engine feels really good, even though it has 165k on it. The transmission does need a little work. One major issue that I have is shifting into reverse. You have to put a LOT of force to get it into there. Once its actually in the position you have to hold it there until you let the clutch out enough to catch the gear. I've been told that its probably the lockout solenoid that needs to be replaced. Anybody else have this issue with the T56? There are also some minor issues with going into 2nd or 4th. Don't know what that's about. Otherwise, mechanically it seems pretty sound. My grandfather is a master mechanic and is gonna help me every step of the way. The body needs the most work. It's straight, but needs a new paint job, bumper replacements and minor body work. The interior needs some work too. Reupholstering the seats, changing out the carpet, and putting a badass sound system. I wanna put some sort of heat reflector on the chassis. It gets pretty hot here in Texas and I don't wanna have to sweat everytime I drive it. Has anybody tried putting just standard housing radiant barrier?
Some questions I have:
1. How do I identify what SPECIFIC upgrades I have? I wanna know how much power I really have?
2. What are the best bang for your buck upgrades for my LS1? Cams, heads, exhaust, tranny?
3. If I upgraded my clutch and shifter would I have a noticeable shifting difference?
Any help is appreciated guys. Thank you!
I recently purchased my first project car. It's a '98 Z28 convertible 6 speed. The guy I bought it from didn't know much about it. It looks like the guy before him tried to clone it though. He put SS stickers on the passenger airbag on the dash. Cheap looking. He also added a K&N intake with a scoop. And the exhaust seems to be aftermarket too. The only thing that doesn't look SS about it is the wheels. I'll post pics soon.
The engine feels really good, even though it has 165k on it. The transmission does need a little work. One major issue that I have is shifting into reverse. You have to put a LOT of force to get it into there. Once its actually in the position you have to hold it there until you let the clutch out enough to catch the gear. I've been told that its probably the lockout solenoid that needs to be replaced. Anybody else have this issue with the T56? There are also some minor issues with going into 2nd or 4th. Don't know what that's about. Otherwise, mechanically it seems pretty sound. My grandfather is a master mechanic and is gonna help me every step of the way. The body needs the most work. It's straight, but needs a new paint job, bumper replacements and minor body work. The interior needs some work too. Reupholstering the seats, changing out the carpet, and putting a badass sound system. I wanna put some sort of heat reflector on the chassis. It gets pretty hot here in Texas and I don't wanna have to sweat everytime I drive it. Has anybody tried putting just standard housing radiant barrier?
Some questions I have:
1. How do I identify what SPECIFIC upgrades I have? I wanna know how much power I really have?
2. What are the best bang for your buck upgrades for my LS1? Cams, heads, exhaust, tranny?
3. If I upgraded my clutch and shifter would I have a noticeable shifting difference?
Any help is appreciated guys. Thank you!
02-24-2013, 12:37 PM
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It's easy to spot an original SS vs. a clone. Just look at the SPID sticker on the driver's door jamb. You'll see a bunch of 3-digit RPO codes, and if you see one that says "WU8", then it's an original SS (it will also say "Z28", since all SSs started off life as Z28s prior to the SLP conversion). If it does not say "WU8", then it's not an original SS.
I can't be of any help on the T56 stuff. I'm an auto guy.
Only way to know exactly how much power you have is to dyno the car.
Some upgrades can be seen (such as headers/exhaust, and other bolt-ons). Your '98 would have originally come with 806 head castings with perimeter bolt valve covers, so if you see a different head casting number (such as 853, 241 or 243) and center bolt covers, then you know that the heads have been changed at some point and were likely ported/polished. The stock 806 heads could have been modified just as easily, but you wouldn't be able to tell by just looking at the engine since those are the correct stock casting for a '98.
It could have a small cam, and if it's tuned well and has a full exhaust you might not be able to notice it, especially if you aren't used to what a stock LS1 should sound like. M6 cars have an 800rpm idle speed stock, so there isn't always a need to bump the idle if the cam is small and other tuning parameters are optimized (unlike the autos, which have a lower stock idle and almost always require a higher idle for any cam beyond stock).
There are a multitude of potential upgrades for your LS1. Bang for the buck is a relative term, since some people prefer NA and some prefer FI, so your goals and build route will dictate what mods make the most sense and in which order.
I can't be of any help on the T56 stuff. I'm an auto guy.
Only way to know exactly how much power you have is to dyno the car.
Some upgrades can be seen (such as headers/exhaust, and other bolt-ons). Your '98 would have originally come with 806 head castings with perimeter bolt valve covers, so if you see a different head casting number (such as 853, 241 or 243) and center bolt covers, then you know that the heads have been changed at some point and were likely ported/polished. The stock 806 heads could have been modified just as easily, but you wouldn't be able to tell by just looking at the engine since those are the correct stock casting for a '98.
It could have a small cam, and if it's tuned well and has a full exhaust you might not be able to notice it, especially if you aren't used to what a stock LS1 should sound like. M6 cars have an 800rpm idle speed stock, so there isn't always a need to bump the idle if the cam is small and other tuning parameters are optimized (unlike the autos, which have a lower stock idle and almost always require a higher idle for any cam beyond stock).
There are a multitude of potential upgrades for your LS1. Bang for the buck is a relative term, since some people prefer NA and some prefer FI, so your goals and build route will dictate what mods make the most sense and in which order.
