4seatervette

posting because i have all kinds of questions and im sure plenty of you could help me out! The car is a 1993 Z28 A4, mods include...52mm bbk tb, edelbrock midlength headers,moroso CAI, high flow cat, borla cat back, eibach lowering springs, KYB adjustable shocks, z06 wheels, taylor 8.5 wires, hotchkis strut tower brace and some other small stuff.

my dilemma is, i have roughly $1000-1500 to spend...what should i do next? im thinking a cam and gears. gears- car has 3.23's now....is it worth the money to get 3.73's or should i do 3.90's or something? i drive the car often and enjoy being able to cruise on the highway because the closest track is an hour and a half away,(im in indiana) who has 3.73's and thinks they make a big enough difference?
cam- what is the best street/strip cam? cc306, cc503,etc...with my mods, what would be best for me? also, from another lt1 i have i have some gold crane cam 1.6 rr's, trick flow push rods and some beehive springs...since i already have these, i might as well put them in as well, or should i? i am planning on ordering a custom mailorder chip from whoever after these installs...
im trying to run with my buddies and there ls1 gtos and camaros...nobody in my area really runs lt1's or works on them so im relying on people like you to help me out. also if anyone has any parts, let me know! im doing most of the work myself with the help of some friends that wont charge much, so labor is not a big expense.

any help, suggestions, or oppinions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

With that budget you would have to choose cam OR gears. I would do gears first. Maybe a stall if you have the money left. You NEED to do a stall and gears before a cam.

I know a few Impala a LT1 guys in Indiana, they are around you just need to look around and you will find some cars to check out.

FAD2BLK93

Do gears first, have them setup then do cam maybe heads next.

96lt1m6

iTrader: (31)

You need a stall first, 3200-3600 is best choice......
Then do the rest

nitrous2fast

iTrader: (2)

Def do a stall first.... stall and cooler.

stall will help get you into the rpms you need to be at when you need them. Gears help a bit also but there are a few guys running 3.23's and stall and cutting some great 60ft times.

TravisMcGill2000

iTrader: (2)

Id do a 3600 stall, 3.73s and a big cooler. You would be in the mid 12s with ease. Then later down the road do a cam swap.

TravisMcGill2000

iTrader: (2)

I out ran alot of ls cars when i was running boltson, stall and gear.

Rodinator1234

I would do a stall and gears as well and a big cooler, it would change the car dramatically. I would also put to use the 1.6 roller rockers, as well as the push rods if they are the correct length, and the valve springs, with the appropriate locks and retainers and new seals installed at the correct height. You didn't say if the roller rockers are self aligning or not, if not you will need guide plates and new rocker studs. Stock valve springs suck, you will pick up time on a valve spring change alone. Most people don't understand how important springs are, if you are around a pro mod guy's, or any top level drag racing/circle track/road race people they check spring pressure regularly and replace them frequently. My stock springs with 118k on them I could push down off the seat with my hands. Rockers and valve spring since you have them with a little more money for seals and a few tools for the swap if you don't have them will help. Mid length headers are better than stock manifolds, but long tube's are better yet. If you had money left for long tubes it'll help you as well.

4seatervette

How streetable is one of those stalls? And what is a price and good brand? I can have the gears bought and completely installed by my local speed shop for like $360...I didn't think that was bad, that's a motive 3.73, install kit, and oil and whatever else.

TravisMcGill2000

iTrader: (2)

There very streetable. I drive my 3800 stall on the street all the times with no problems. You want a big tranny cooler to keep the temps down tho. Good stall go between 450 to 800. Yank, vig, circle d, and edge are all great convertors. Its 1 of the best mods you can do with a auto.

warriorcustoms

iTrader: (10)

As said Stall , Gears & a Big Cooler Then do Heads & Cam Youll think youve gotta totally new car before a H/C install Springs do help But if your gonna do it all at once or right after just get em matched to your new cam on another set of heads Not so much down time then You really need a rebuild & ARP fasteners if its a high milage motor Otherwise youll end up blowin it up after all that 100k = rebuild Yeah they go longer but its not recommended Youll need injectors & a better tb an AFPR helps & if you dont go wild you can just bump the pressure to about 60lbs & call it good Just stick to a plan or youll end up like many & be at a 396 or 383 in a hurry lol Sorry for the book ASK ME HOW I KNOW LOL Im buildin a 396 & it was supposed to be a stock bottom end or 377 Itll snowball if you let it Believe that Ive also got 2 NX kits too

97Z28SS

iTrader: (5)

Unless you're going to drag race often I would do a 2800 stall with a big B&M cooler with the built on fan. Then get Motive 3.73 gears and a T/A girdle I would also add some sfcs, trailing arms and torque arm to help get the power to the ground.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

The "need" for a big cooler is grossly overstated and an additional fan for such is simply rediculous unless maybe road racing.

Maybe you should take some baby steps and come into the 90s then in a couple years maybe the 2000s and the the 2010s and in maybe 5 years or so you could be current.

hawk584

iTrader: (1)

since you are the one who's asking 4seatervette i would give you my opinion and suggestions but i would 1st need to run then through 96capricemgr., he's knows everything so if you want my opinion he'll give it to you for me

Dave357LT1

96capricemgr ur a dick. Does someone **** in ur cornflakes every morning? A big cooler is needed. A fan not so much. I drove my vig without one with a temp guage and it would be normal until you flashed it once then the temps would spike. I converted to 6an lines and a flexalight 10"x20" cooler and it stays cool. I dont have my ac condencer and it sits infront of the rad and the fans on the rad. seem to pull enough air across the fins.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

My car came with an L99 so it only had the in radiator cooler when I did the stall I put a modest sized TruCool plate cooler on and if anything once the outside temp is down in the 40s I have to put cardboard over the cooler to keep the tranny warm enough even in warm weather it only goes into the 190s if hotlapping.

Modern converters don't build that much heat and lockup basically makes it a non-issue at cruise speeds.

I should say that if you were to try and street drive an 8" converter that would be another time I think a separate fan may be a reasonable idea.

StraightTimeStirrups

What is considered a Great 60Ft Time with stock 3.23 Gears?