Scoobie

iTrader: (8)

As many of you saw, my stock LT1 threw a Rod and was trashed.

The Heads, Block and Crank checked out. My Father in law is paying for the 355 and I am paying for the labor thus far and after. I am on a pretty tight budget with labor and what i've already sunk into this car in the last 2 months (over 3 grand) and so here is my question.

If you had 600.00 to put into a completely stock rebuilt .30 over LT1 (I have Kooks L/Ts, SLP dual/dual and the Stock SS induction), where would you put it? I've spent a little, this is where I'm officially at today. Would you do the cam now or would you put in some Forged Pistons? I went way overkill on my LS1 347 with a Lunati Rotating Assembly because I road race it, this car will be my street cruiser to shows and out with the wife. Either one will eat the remaining budget. This isn't be all end all. I stll have a small budget each month to mess with this car, but what would you do now that it's being rebuilt. What I've already spent is below.

1,000 - 190.00 for PCM for Less Tune = 810.00 (Tune pending my mods)

1. PAC 1218 Springs - 140.99 Shipped
2. COMP 787-16 Retainers and COMP 648-16 locks - 75.20 Shipped

Current Balance 593.81

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

Honestly I would save it for the time being. You never know what might arise and you might find yourself needing that $600.

But if I had to choose cam or forged pistons at this point the answer would most definitely be forged pistons. Once those are done the bottom end is finished. The cam can be swapped at any time but not the pistons (without obviously serious work).

marqusb

i would go with the forged pistons and rods as that would be the weak link in your bottom

BOLO

iTrader: (40)

As mentioned, cam or any part of the top end can be swapped anytime. The shortblock, do it right the first time. GL.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

Are you having the bottom end balanced/blue printed at all? As the others mentioned, while the block/bottom end is apart, I'd be tempted to do upgrades there as it's a lot more work to get into the bottom end after it's assembled/in the car.

Also, with a little sturdier bottom end (especially balanced and blueprinted), you could theoretically turn more RPM's, which could open some doors for options when/if you go to do heads/cam some day.

BALLSS

since you are already spending $ on .30 over hyper pistons....than spend more on a forged set. They should'nt be "$600 more" than you are spending now. Should be in the neighborhood of $300 more than hyper

with that said hyper pistons in a street car that won't see a power adder or track use but just be driven by wife and to shows as you say than the hyper pistons are OK (stock pistons are hyper). you could then drop in a mild cam since you have the springs and tune built into your budget. Many small cams to pick from off the shelf. Crane 227, lingenfelter 211/219. Both work with stock heads but offer more "power/TQ" than stock

you are having your stock rods resized with ARP fasteners?

djjab57

iTrader: (17)

As most have said I would get the better pistons and Rods so you dont have to pull the bottom end back out. Next you can add to the top end, Cam Heads Ect