ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

Hi everyone, I'm the proud owner of #37 1999 Firehawk Formula 6spd; completely stock except for long tube headers and a tune (and all the SLP goodies that came form the factory) that now has 145K miles. I got a great deal on a spare LS-1 from my buddy who works a dealership ($150!), so I want to start building a budget friendly 383 with ported heads/cam/possibly intake in my spare time to swap in within the next year. Goals for the car are 425-450RWHP, very good street driveability, lots of torque without revving the **** out of it. The car will only see the track a couple times a year if that. I want to get a package deal on the rotating assembly and heads/cam combo. The stroker kit I have my eye on is the 383 rotating assembly offer by Texas speed & performance:
"Our 383 cid rotating assemblies come standard with a forged Eagle 4.00" stroke crankshaft, Eagle H-Beam 6.125" connecting rods with ARP 8740 rod bolts, and Mahle -6cc dished pistons, wrist pins, and plasma moly piston ring set." (about $2K once balanced)

For the top end package I was thinking about getting their Stage 1 LS-6 CNC ported heads and a baby cam along the lines of 228/228 .588/.588 (about $1600)

My questions are does anybody have setup like this from them? Can I get a better value for my money anywhere else? How does their head package compare to say; LE2 or Advanced Induction ported heads? I'm hoping to keep the budget on this project under $5000. If anybody out there has built a 383 LS1 on a small budget and has any tips or recommendations for me it would be appreciated. Thanks!

slowride

iTrader: (3)

I'm building a budgit 383 for a friend using callies lsc rods/crank and mahle pistons. Was going to use the scat i-beams, but they were out so they sub'd the lsc rods. Got everything from the WS6 store guys. Probably be around $1500-1600 not including the bearings and balancing which you might want to get from the machine shop if you're getting the clearances set.

Going to use some old DRM ported ls1 heads (flow 280ish) and a mid 220 duration cam as the owner does not want any drivability issues and does want torque right off idle. I'm guessing it will make 440/440 to the wheels when done. Also using a comp xe grind cam to keep valvetrain maintenance down. It should rip for a street car with stock gears, etc.

bamaballa205

iTrader: (12)

With a 383. I would stay in the mid 230's range on the cam. You won't really loose any bottom end and it'll be a blast driving around town.

garygnu

nice build up.I would look at the torque v2 cam,the longer stroke and extra cubes can handle more duration and still idle nice.if you can afford more look at PRC ls6 st 2.5 heads or trick flow 220 heads.maybe look at a vengeance racing head/valve train pkg also.for $25 more you can get a custom cam.

Detoxx03

iTrader: (14)

Why is that?

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the tips everybody, does anyone know what is the biggest cam you can put in a 383 and still pass emissions? The car will need to pass emissions for 3 more years until it is exempt here in NC (at least 15 years old).....so I need a cam that can pass until, then. I figure I can always upgrade to a bigger cam down the road once emissions is not an issue.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

^ No clue on the emissions. Is it the sniffer test or a plug in?

Talk to PatG. My car is the same way. I don't see the track much, but it's a street car. He spec'd me a great cam that is VERY underestimated. I've pulled on MS4's before and I'm only running worked over 243 heads. Great low end, great street manners and it still screams up top when you want to go that high. It's a great low end cam.

Get ahold of PatG and have him spec you a cam. He'll charge a couple bucks, but it is well worth it! I trust his opinions a lot now.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

It has to pass a sniffer test

slowride

iTrader: (3)

Run cats and no cam overlap. Basically something in the mid 220's should pass, but don't quote me on that. It won't be hard to make your power numbers with heads, stroker, small cam and good bolt ons.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

After doing some research on the cam selection guide, looks like the tried and true "TR 224-114" - 224/224 .563/.563 114 LSA is about the biggest cam to still pass emissions easy. (I have a catted Y-pipe after my longtubes already)

Thunder Racing Custom Camshaft
"TR 224-114" - 224/224 .563/.563 114 LSA 1700-6600 RPM Power Band. Excellent mid-range & high RPM power. Requires computer tuning on automatic transmission cars. Due to the fast ramp rate of this camshaft, the use of 1.8 rockers is not recommended.

Would this cam with ported heads and 383 stroker make my power goals? On their website, the same cam with 112 LSA made 398 RWHP from 319RWHP baseline on a stock 346ci LS1....ported heads and 383 cubes should be good for an extra 50hp right (450RWHP)? Anybody running a small cam 383 combo with real world results?

PREDATOR-Z

Where you have to spend some $ is a great set of heads. I would forget the 383 and put the crank $$ towards better heads.
An AFR headed 347 will achieve 450 rwhp while passing emissions with the right cam and attention to detail such as tune and install protocol.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

If I go that route (aftermarket heads instead of 383 stroker) how much is the difference in torque lower in the RPM band? 20-30 lb/ft? Ideally want as much torque as possible; but I see your point of making the same horsepower cheaper by just doing heads and cam. Just wondering how much torque will I be giving up with just a small cam and aftermarket heads vs. 383 with ported factory heads with the same cam?

PREDATOR-Z

It is not a matter of cheaper, it is a matter of a combination of better parts.

Fbodyjunkie06

iTrader: (10)

Go with the EPS 222/226 cam. I think that it will make an easy 450rwhp/425rwtq.

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

OP are you sure Charlotte has a sniffer? Even when I lived in Raleigh they just did a visual and checked the PCM for codes..... Go look at this link. They don't put anything up your tailpipe and mine just passed with an 18* overlap cam.....




EDIT: OOPS http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/vehicle_ser...uirements.html

slowride

iTrader: (3)

I'm all for the best heads possible, but don't think a well set up mild aftermarket heads/cam car will rip as hard (torque wise) as a well set up ported stock casting 383 mild cam car. Now you could run the better heads for now and upgrade to a stroker later if you need more grunt I guess.

I'll have the results of the build I'm doing for a friend in a few months and respond back. He needed to go into the bottom end anyway as it had two spun rod bearings so we did this budgit stroker for a little extra money than refurbishing the stock stuff. He wanted to get rid of the stock pistons and needing to get the rods resized and new bolts you might as well get a budgit set of aftermarket rods(which is needed with off the shelf 383 pistons).

180ls1

iTrader: (4)

this!