93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

So I've owned 5 4th gens and Z06...then had a family and got out of the newer stuff, daily driving and Trailblazer SS with minimal mods. I have a pro touring 73 Firebird but really nothing "fits" like the 4th gens I've spent my adult life driving and modding.

So up the street this 97 Formula goes up for sale and it looks like a decent car, 2k...I go to see it and it has been abused. Only 100k miles and starts and runs OK but has all the signs of a blown head gasket and the interior needs work.

Anyways I was walking away and wanted to save the car and said dude if you get to the point where you have to salvage it let me know (he said the place that was showing it wanted it off his property. Next day a deal was struck for 600 bucks.

Already have the interior parts from the classified and ebay ordered. Now the head gaskets. I did heads and cam on the original "Wicked1" but its been a long time since I've been in the LT1 world...like 11 years.

I'm thinking of getting it running right and seeing what I have before going too crazy. So maybe replace both head gaskets, ARP bolt (in case I decent to go crazy later) and some decent springs if I decent to cam it later.


So Felpro makes this kit for 94 bucks at advanced auto. Its not saying it fits the 97 though which seems weird. The 93 just has a few differences up top....

http://www.jegs.com/i/Fel-Pro/375/HS9966PT-2/10002/-1

Will this fit the bill. Any recommendations on springs? I've been reading about Alex springs as a good buy for the mild cam I would probably run.

After I do the heads and clean it up I hope I have a good car...if I do I'm thinking of doing a "Streetfighter" look, wings west, ram air hood, black ZR1 wheels, and satin black. I think it would look great on a LT1 formula.

Wish me luck and thanks for reading!

bufmatmuslepants

iTrader: (3)

go with 0.026 gaskets from summit to bump compression to 11:1

Low N Slow

iTrader: (4)

I don't know why that gasket set wouldn't work. Valve springs is one thing I wouldn't go cheap on, a broken one can cause a lot of damage.

How do you like the TBSS? I picked one up for a DD and love it.

VAformula

iTrader: (8)

That gasket kit will work, and I would go for the alex springs, never heard anything bad about them and the price is unbeatable.

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

+1 on this

VAformula

iTrader: (8)

Why don't you get the Felpro gasket kit (without head gaskets) for like 64 bucks shipped? (that's what I found it for, do a google search) and then get different gaskets

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

That sounds like a great idea...do u have part number? I'll order the parts up this weekend!

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

Love it except for the gas mileage. Mine is Silverstone too, I converted it to 2wd, tranny is built, ls1 fans, 3200 stall, fender well intake really woke it up!

VAformula

iTrader: (8)

Fel-Pro CS9966 Conversion Set

PM'd you also.

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

Cool thanks for the help. Got the parts ordered for the head gaskets. I need to slow down a bit, I've been ordering all kinds of interior crap and I should make sure the rest of the car is good before dumping money into...

I did do this little project. The interior is pretty trashed although the door panels, seats, and dash are decent. I have a 23k mile console on its way and am looking at finding trim and replacing trashed stuff. The switch panels looked awful, its like they spray painted them black and sprayed some chemicals on them. The switches themselves are filthy and full of gunk..I'm surprised they worked.



Being this is starting out with a limited budget and trying to get a respectable winter Daily driver together I took some 3m Nic film I had left over from a gauge project on my 73 and wrapped it. Turned out decent the wrap is the quality stuff (still kinda ricey but oh well) I have alot of it so I may use some more on things like the door sills and radio trim....



Here is the gauge panel I did in the 73..

DisturbedTA

iTrader: (3)

Looks good!

englundjd

i run the LT1 spring kit in my car, there a single spring w/o a dampner, comes with all the hardware. they are cheap and they function well. I wouldnt run a real big cam on them tho cause they are only a single spring and rated for .595 max lift.

They do have options for springs with .650 lift and they also have dual springs

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

Thanks, for now it would just be stock cam. But if I do decide to do a small cam and tuning later it would be nice if they were already in there...figure its a good idea to swap new ones in no matter what while the heads are off.

Wish I knew the car better I'd pick up the LT4 heads in the classifies and do a cam now if I knew the transmission, suspension etc was all good.

BizZzatch350

iTrader: (33)

Glad to see you back, Sean still keeps us updated with the 93 you sold him.

BoostedDSM

iTrader: (6)

Not to thread jack here, but I've been debating getting some of the 3m stuff and doing my interior up a little. Never wrapped anything before, how hard is that stuff to use for a newbie?

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

Its not too hard..if you have a heat gun its fairly forgiving. I'd take something small like an outlet cover and practice a bunch of times. If you don't stretch it too far you can re-use the same piece in your practice a few times. But I say go for it. I think I'm going to try wrapping the whole car in black satin.

Your hands are going to hurt

defaultexistence

iTrader: (11)

Alex springs here, 6,000miles on em' so far
Cam spec .555/.561 @.050 236/238 110lsa
W/1.6 RR's spinn' to 6,800rpms on occasion ..
Use felpro performance gaskets and bump the compression! Have those heads surfaced and checked out for problems