MyFirst01

I have an 01 trans am with 107,XXX miles on it. I just sent it to my friends shop last week to have pacesetter headers, new trans mount, and new plugs put in. The speed bug has already set in and I want more from my car. I already have

Granatelli lid
aftermarket MAF
LS6 intake (stock)
3.23's
MT drag radials
and a few other minor things.

Im sure I will have to get new heads also since my engine has 107,XXX miles on it, but Im looking for something that will give my stock motor more "power".

Yes, its an open question but I dont want a radical cam that is extreme or anything like that. Maybe something that can get me into the low 400hp range. Now im on stock motor, and I want something I can throw in and forget about. Im not sure where to start so can you tell me what a good cam that would make me have more power and get-up-and-go that Im wanting. I also need a good heads package to go with it (heads, valves, springs, lifters, rockers, etc...) I do not want to change anything else on the car. Maybe new intake, fuel rails, and injectors but I don't want to buy anything major.

Again, it is an open question but any info to get me in the right direction is appreciated.

z99ls1

iTrader: (12)

Are you manual or auto? Might as well get a heads and cam package. I would recomend getting it from texas speed. If your 6-speed a torquer v2 and ls6 heads would get you 425ish hp and be good for dd. You might also need new injectors.

MyFirst01

Nope, its an auto trans.

z99ls1

iTrader: (12)

So how big of a stall do you have?

MyFirst01

yeah... thats the thing... I don't have one because I was told I "don't need one because they will tear my transmission to bits." Anyways, I have tried and begged to get a stall and external trans cooler, but no matter how hard I try, I can't buy one because my dad won't let me for some reason thats way beyond me.

A.R. Shale Targa

iTrader: (2)

Trying to get 400 rear wheel ponies AND not having a stall converter is like
going to the titty-bar with a pocket full of food stamps. I'd suggest sending
your heads to Advanced Induction for a cnc port and freshen. Have him
suggest a cam that will compliment the heads and build off idle power since
you have no converter...Just guessing around 212-214 intake duration and
218-220 exhaust. Also some 3.73 or 4.10 rear gears will dramatically help
your cause.

MyFirst01

I was thinking about having my heads ported... but yes I also think im going to drop the money on some 3.73's. They cant be more than $600 right?

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Even an ls6 cam should not be recommended with a stock converter. It will push through the brakes and is a pain to drive. Anybody tells you different, they haven't drove one. The girlfriend had one and I hated driving it. A good friend sold me a 3200 converter at a killer price and I jumped on it. Made the car so much more pleasurable, as well as fun, to drive.

BTW, it is not a stall, it is a converter.

You need to stop thinking about a cam until you can mod the correct way.
If you can't do a converter right now, do everything but a converter and a cam. Would be bad *** to have a stock cam car with a set of AFR 205s IMO. Would have some serious ***** down low.

973800CamaroRS

iTrader: (3)

Your dads gonna let you get a cam and heads but not a stall converter that's kinda weird? But realize that if you get to big of a cam when you shift from park to drive it will stall. Remember you will possibly need a new tune !

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

You have 3.23s already... The swap isn't worth the negative trade offs IMO.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Hit father is getting fed bull **** lines from some "pro" trans shop and whoever friends it is with 9 second ls1s.

MyFirst01

I know... My dad is starting to be a big pain in the ***. Just because my friends that own a transmission shop have never had stall converters means that I can't get one. I would be paying for it anyways. But I haven't told him about my plans for a heads/cam yet. But yes, you guys are right. I need to get a converter before I get anything else. Until he says yes, im dead in the water.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Does he ever drive the car?

Never mind... Not going to tell you to go behind your fathers back, don't even consider it.

MyFirst01

Nope I do all the driving. Whenever I bring up getting new parts he thinks i don't need, he gets pissed at how he tries so hard to do all these things for me and my car. Well, maybe if you actually let me get some parts that MADE A DIFFERENCE, you could have a valid argument.

MyFirst01

But the trans shop does have a 9 second LT1 trans am.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Dad makes the rules.

A drag car built by a shop and only running 9s is not impressive and shows nothing about how knowledgeable they are when it comes to modding, enough money will make anything go fast.

MyFirst01

Yes thats true for both cases. But the trans shop has been through it all when it comes to drag racing. They have learned from experience and apparently they told my dad, who told me, not to get a stall. But everyone else keeps saying a stall is the thing to have. I don't get it...

But hopefully my car will be done sometime this week and maybe I can take it to the track friday night.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Sounds simple to me... A few guys, that learned from experience.... VS a website full of guys that have learned from experience.

Like I have said, they are wrong.

MyFirst01

Maybe I should buy a stall, then take it to my dad and show him what I bought. But, if my transmission doesn't hold up, he wont pay to fix it.

s346k

iTrader: (4)

my experience with stall converters and the stock 4l60e..

4000 stall speed
transgo "full race high stall" shift kit
b&m 24gvw cooler

i put 40k miles on this setup, sold the car, and it is still on this setup with a total of over 60k miles. i made over 300 passes at the strip (low 1.6 60' spinning on a stock bent tq arm), lord knows how many street launches, a few 3rd gear rev limiter burnouts and thousands of miles driven to drag strips around the state, where i raced.

if you aren't a total moron with the stock **** it will last. if you already have 323s, don't both swapping gears. 373s aren't worth the $/gain and anything steeper will put you in OD before the traps with any amount of power, which is not good on the trans, at all.