JohnS Z28

iTrader: (1)

Well, like everybody else, i want to be FAST. Nevermind, I want to be faster than fast, retarded fast. I also want daily driving, and the ability to give some z06's and 5.0's a run for their money. Money is also an issue, when isn't it?

So when i first go the car i was so hype about someday running some pacesetters, an ls6 intake, and duals, very daily friendly, but doesnt quite hang with the big guys.

Next i thought heads and cam? A little less of a DD, but still only keeps up. Also hard to say investing that kind of money is worth 400 HP tops

I dont want nitrous, sorry, not interested in the idea of not having power ALL the time.

I considered bigger cubes, 383, maybe a 370 or 408, but then shot it back down because of daily driving.

Lately I've been eye balling a single turbo setup, ac loss isnt a MAJOR issue, and i feel like my stock block and rotating assembly can hold 450ish RWHP safely, Its an M6 so obviously ill need fuel, clutch, tranny, and rear upgrades.

So whats more ideal for a DD while retaining a budget, and making ponies? Im very mechanically inclined and can also weld, I also have the red-headed stepchild 98 LS1 OR is modding a DD just not ideal in its entirety?

bww3588

iTrader: (49)

Bigger cubes will make more power more street friendly. Stroker kits do not always mean track only, unbearable drivers. You can build a very street friendly 383, 370 or 408 and still whip the **** out of new mustangs and such. A 370 with a set of ls3 heads, intake and decent cam will make for a power house and still be decent to drive on the street.

Even better, if your budget allows for a 408...500 at the wheels would be fairly easy and still be very driveable.

Now...you should also know that with all that new found power will come new found weak links such as your clutch, rear end, drive shaft...etc. make sure you factor all this in or you will spend more time on the hook than behind the wheel.

KCS

iTrader: (20)

Heads/cam LS1's are making more like 460-480whp, generally speaking. Like bww3588 said, consider the entire car and getting that power to the ground. No point in having an 800hp engine and a rear end that snaps at 500hp.

2000PewterT/A

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

Hey man where in Lansing are you? I'm probably like 20 mins from you. I have a pretty basic HCI build if you want to check it out

Sales@Tick

iTrader: (3)

Go turbo and don't look back.

Troy5061

iTrader: (19)

^^^this!!

JohnS Z28

iTrader: (1)

Ok so i have been pretty set on turbo for a while, Until i can afford a nice kit the plan is to just get things ill need later. Obviously budget is my main concern, my car is completely stock right now, except a lid.
So i wont be getting longtubes or duals this winter if im going turbo, my goal is a mild street build for turbo, somewhere along the 450 or less RWHP range. Mostly stock internals.
I figure i can throw in a LS6 cam for cheap? Itll give me a little bump without spending a ton more on a custom cam. Probably do pushrods/oil pump/timing chain at the same time?

I havent decided on springs yet, any suggestions? LS6 or LS9 springs will be cheaper but Will the seat pressure be good enough for boost? or should i just skip on buying different stock things and get different ones? and which?

I also like my ac...but truck mani kits get rid of that, so if i bought an aftermarket kmember like P.A racings, and the PTK knock off kit would it go together easier? I've already read the write up on it and i dont think its too much work, but obviously i dont want to buy shitty party that wont last. Same thing with using a ON3 or just getting a pt76 turbo.

Will probably be using a ls6 intake or a BBK SSI if i can find one cheap, I was also thinking 243's? And can i reuse stock rockers for a boost application or no way? And can i just transfer all my valves to whatever heads im using? Deciding on 243's vs 317's?

Also just curious how high i can rev it with an ls6 topend and better springs and pushrods etc.
I Dont plan on putting anything like forged internals in it soon, just a nice clutch and maybe a 9", i just want a really fun street car.

wildcamaro

iTrader: (15)

With ls6 top end you'll be making power up to 6250 rpm, but more cam would be better, but if going turbo the ls6 is a nice budget cam where the lift/duration isn't super high so the valvetrain will be stable with the boost...I would prob get some 317 heads and get your compression ratio right around 9-9.5-1 and the turn up the turbo lol...only thing holdin me from turboing something is the fact I can't tig weld and don't wanna pay someone too! You do got an advantage there...

redtan

iTrader: (5)

If you want DD friendly and make big power, a turbo setup is pretty much your best bet.

Sure you can build a big 408+ to be streetable, but it won't make the power that you want and can do with turbos. And if you make that power, it won't be streetable.

A nice forged stock cubed motor with a mild cam and some boost on top will drive like stock and make 500+rwhp. I don't think it would be too fun to drive around a ~400 cubed motor making 500+ at the wheels, not to even mention the kind of fuel economy you would get in today's world of $4/gal.

bww3588

iTrader: (49)

More cubes = more power, more tame. There are many many many 500+ rwhp big cube cars that are driven every day. Making 500 at the wheels is very easy with a 408.

HCI2000SS

iTrader: (2)

You say this is a daily driver correct? If so I would consider things like total mileage, miles driver per day/week, is it driven in the snow, etc...Depending on the answers to those questions, I would strongly consider my next move before dumping a ton of money into the car

redtan

iTrader: (5)

Not saying that you can't DD a big cubed car, but you can't compare it to a stock cubed stock cammed turbo car as far as practicality.

Also, just cuz it's big cubed doesn't mean it's more tame. It's all in the cam, and in order to make the same power a tame turbo build can do you're going to need a big cam which again = less driveability. Yes 500rwhp is easily doable in a 408 with aftermarket heads/intake, but you can't be doing that with a "tame" cam in the 230s.

autogeek23

iTrader: (13)

i knew i was doing heads n cam on my car. before i started. i bought a <$1000 dd.

glad i did. helped me save money for parts for my trans am. broke the diff,the diff again,an axel, and had something to drive while it was down.

but if you are gonna dd the project. best of luck to you.

Sales@Tick

iTrader: (3)

With a LS6 cam you'll be dead at 6000rpm for peak power and you'll want to shift it there. With the LS9 cam you can peak around 6000 shift it at 6000-6200. With an aftermarket cam you could spin 6800rpm all day long at 500rwhp and not stress the internals.

Answers to other questions in red.

supersick99z

iTrader: (66)

Daily drove my heads/cam car making 420hp for 4 years and never had a single problem. What you consider a DD is up to you. A decently build heads/cam that will put the power ON THE GROUND will upset mustangs and vettes. Not to mention, how much STREET racing are you planning to do? I wouldn't plan my build hoping I may see a mustang or something on the way to work. Set a budget, decide what fits in that budget, and then build your car strictly following the budget. Like autogeek^ said, things will go wrong that you didn't plan for so if you **** away all your money going top notch it won't be so fast sitting in the driveway. None the less good luck

JohnS Z28

iTrader: (1)

Dang, now I'm leaning towards a mild h/c/i build because a) I have a blazer for the winter or backup dd, typically only sunny days and I hardly ever street race, so why would I sink the money for turbo into it? but then again sinking about 2k into a h/c kit is an entry level jy turbo system

supersick99z

iTrader: (66)

Haha! It's a hard decision, but trust me from experience I know that you better save some money because nothing will go 100% perfect. You'll break stuff during install or other things will break shortly there after and the little stuff can nickel and dime the hell out of you!

chevybayboy

iTrader: (6)

Now that's the truth

bestlude

iTrader: (4)

well said