Evil Opti

Hey guys,

How many of you LTx guys have daily driver 396’s or at least 383’s? Currently im just looking and planning on something big for my LT1 for the near future. I have awhile though. Im just playing with some ideas with a motor build w/ a T56. So wanted to see first hand experience if a 500hp 396 was competent enough to drive like some of our stock 350’s without hurting gas mileage so much that it becomes a trailer queen. If a 396 performs well on the street ill be happy with 500 to the wheels and at least an average of 13 mpg on the street both highway & city. 500 to the wheels will be harder but ill be satisfied with 500 to the crank. By the time im ready for a stroker, I might just be ready for the Gen V LT1.

joelster

500hp to the wheels on an n/a build will require a very large camshaft, big heads, high compression, and it will shake and rumble. Hardly what most guys would consider for a daily driver. A 396 with mild heads, a mild cam, and a blower would get you that number and be way more civil.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

500rwhp and daily driver NA is just a stupid goal, hell not that many solid roller track cars hit that number at the wheel NA.

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (1)

Why a 500hp goal? Just curious? If your looking for a stout Daily Driver just build a Nice short block (355 , 383 , 396 ), arp hardware , some Ai 200cc heads , cam , intake combo and have fun with it as a DD.

Spray it at the track if it doesnt run the ##s you want.

jrwilliams95z28

just buy a c6 z06, instant 500hp daily driver and probably costs the same

Evil Opti

Thanks guys for the feedback. 500hp to the wheels was just a number I was throwing out there. If I couldnt do it NA to the wheels then 500 to the crank is doable, or slap a procharger and easily make 500 to the wheels. Im just planning and juggling options right now for a street warrior, maybe weekend warrior.

Budget wise though in the end what will put a bigger whole in my pocket engine wise? A hardcore LTx build or a wild LSx build & swap maybe with an LS3 block? Dont know how much the V LT1 crates are going for but I am seriously looking into swapping in one when the time is right.


Thanks FTSFDY, 500 crank sounds more feasible. 400+ at the wheel sounds like a good idea then spray a 100 shot. AFR heads, 12:1 compression, Good matching cam, 396 or 383 backed by a T56. Right now I just have bolt ons, and im already getting bored of it. I need something to keep my adrenaline since my body is building up a tolerance from bolt ons and need something that will hurt feelings and vengeance for all the hate talk about Optis.

In all seriousness my next thing on the mod list would be a cam, valve-train upgrade with a converter. Hoping for 330rwhp

SSellers

My 400 SBC is:
10:1 compression
AFR-195 Street Eliminator heads, 75cc straight plug
Weenie hydraulic roller cam, 276 custom ground as 224/224 @ 0.050", 0.536" lift w/ 1.6 rockers, 108 LSA (should've gone wider due to installing crude TBI system with wideband feedback)
RPM AirGap intake
Only 30 degrees timing, plus 10 degrees vacuum advance (hooked to manifold) for cruise. Makes 15" idle vacuum at 24 degrees advance (14 initial + 10 vac).
Pulls a 0.64 OD with 3.42 rear at 1200 RPM and up. Starts making 500 lb ft below 3000 RPM. Very mild engine. Left a lot on the table for the sake of granny-like driveability and daily driver reliability. Routinely gets 18mpg in mixed driving. Going to can with more vac advance since I'm loosing some mpg at cruise due to the limitations of the mechanical curve....only getting about 32 degrees at a 2000 RPM 70mph cruise.

Should be able to get similar results easily on a big inch LT engine.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

500fwhp is not anywhere near 500rwhp though. There are heads/cam LT1s that will put out a bigger fwhp number than that. Hell mine likely does and gets about 18mpg mixed with 4.10s outback and the milder 4L60E OD.

Wicked94Z

iTrader: (26)

I highly doubt you're making 500 HP D-Money

SSellers

He said he'd be satisfied with 500 at the crank with good driveablity WITH A T56 and at least 13mpg mixed. I answered that. What have you done to contribute to that question? I don't mean that as dickheaded as it sounds, but throw out some combos.

BoostedDSM

iTrader: (6)

Cost wise a nice 355 could fit his bill quite easily. Lethal injection made over 500whp with a solid roller 355 setup and AI heads. My goal is almost exactly what his is, 400 plus N/A and I'm going to spray it for track use and street shenanigans. But it will be auto :/ So forged 355 bottom end, AI heads, AI spec'd cam and around a 100 shot. 500whp doable and 400 plus N/A while being DD'able.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

I don't have any dyno slips to prove anything but 4200lbs, 11.5 at 116mph says it is making some steam. That is Mickey Thompson ET Drag Bias ply tires and an Edge converter, neither known for MPHing all that well, but they do net me the 1.5 60ft. times.

Most internet calculators have it over 500fw and a few suggest nearly 500rwhp but I will say that is bull

Evil Opti

Wow those are impressive numbers from a mild cam and compression. Your torque numbers are almost inconceivable. Your power peak & torque peak are basically identical to stock LT1 rpm peaks. I might have to save your build info. lol Thanks Seller. Definitely gave me more insight on a build! How much you looking to make on an aggressive tune?

SSellers

Thanks. There won't be any max effort tuning on this. I fiddle with the timing and TBI setup for driveability and fuel mileage but that's about it. The car is 100% street/cruising/mountain driving. It was built from the rear end forward to cruise the highway at low RPM with a carb in mind so everything was done for torque. The heads just gave the cam a little more headroom.

Like I said, there was a lot left on the table and this is a SBC with a design that in ten years will probably be built only for nostalgia like a flathead. Hell, I was already wishing I had done a big inch LS after a little while but the car was set up for a SBC and I didn't know LS'es so I was skeered. There's not much of a secret to getting where you want....put the best set of heads you can afford on it and pick a cam with your desired operation range and set compression/quench to match.

ABA383

iTrader: (1)

I daily drove my set up for years. It was a mild cammed 383 with stock ported heads with 2.00/1.56 valves. Cam specs are 226/234 .568" lift on a 111lsa. 4.10s with 28" tires and a Vig 4000 converter. 20mpg on the highway. Only made 375 rwhp on a Mustang dyno, but I was never a big fan of dyno numbers as it ran the times/mph in my sig. Was an incredibly simple combo with attention to detail in parts, machining and assembly. The bottom end was a 4 bolt block with Lunati crank, Oliver billet steel 5.85" I beam rods, and JE pistons. And after 18 years its still as John Lingenfelter himself assembled it and still runs as fast if not faster for the new owner. He got 60's down to 1.47, but the junk RPM level V trans didn't fair too well. I can PM you more details if you want...

--Alan

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

500 flywheel is easily attainable on a 396 with the right heads/cam combo and can be as street friendly as stock.

KW Baraka

iTrader: (7)

You are indeed the village troll.....or village idiot.

KW

stumprrp

iTrader: (2)

The old golen 396 i had in my z28, which i regret selling everyday, could of and was sometimes driven every day from may-october. It was right around 12:1 compression with touched up 195 TFS heads, a 236/244 hydr. roller, and a ported intake. It made 446 RWHP and 426 RWTQ with the converter locked up. Great motor. The gas mileage was terrible but the car did weigh 3700 pounds and had a 4000 vigilante stall.

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

I am, however what I state is correct. I should also add, if you know what you're doing 500 flywheel hp is achievable with mild parts. If you don't agree, you don't know what you're doing.

fex77k

iTrader: (2)

I made 585+ flywheel with eagle stuff and some darts Pro 1's and a street roller cam. They aren't mild parts, but they are nowhere near top of the line.