dforristall

iTrader: (2)

Update - 2012-05-30 - Just got back from some doing some tuning and a few dyno runs. Results - 477HP and 464ft/lbs torque. Video is at the bottom of this post of the last dyno run.

UPDATE - 2012-04-23 - Added a quick walk around video of the car running Pre-dyno. I can't wait to get this thing tuned!!!

Hello All,
I've been reading posts here for quite sometime, so I figured I'd post and send back the results of of my efforts and the information I found here.

I have an 02 Trans Am WS6 with about 70K on the clock. I work in Iraq as a contractor, and my dad is a retired GM Master tech. Last year I figured while I'm over here making and saving money, it'd be a good idea to keep my dad of the streets, and put him to work on my TA doing some upgrades. So I started browsing some of the treads here gathering information for my own build.

Thanks to all the members that took the time to contribute their time and knowledge by posting info that assisted me and my father in the build. Young at BYUNSPEED.com was awesome!!! and helped me with figuring out some odds and ends pieces while we doing the build. Thanks soo much to Young and all his team for their knowledge, support, and great prices on all their products.

The car is almost finished now. I drove it while I was home in NOV 2010. We have some fine tuning on the ECM, and some fit and finish to do on the paint and the exterior. Other than that she's pretty much done. I'll be taking her in for a dyno session or two when I return to the states for good.

Here are some pics of the build as it moved along:

Here is the stock vehicle before the build -






During the build -
Parts start arriving...






Drop out the old motor:









New LS3 Crate Motor with Cam, valve train, headers, 102mm Intake, and TB:









New Tremec T56 Magnum, Strange Engineering 12 Bolt, and full BMR Suspension - To Include:
BMR "Street" Lower Control Arms, Tubular, Adjustable
BMR Full Length Torque Arm, Adjustable
BMR Torque Arm Relocation Kit w/ Manual Transmission
BMR Sway Bar w/ Polyurethane Bushings, Hollow, 32mm, Front
BMR Sway Bar w/ Polyurethane Bushings, H...ollow, 22mm, Rear
BMR Lowering Springs, 1.25" Front & 1.25" Rear
BMR Panhard Rod w/ Polyurethane Bushings, Adjustable
BMR Control Arm Relocation Brackets, Weld-In
BMR Subframe Connectors, Boxed
BMR Swaybar Brackets & Hardware, 3" Axle
BMR Tunnel Brace
















New Brakes - Z06 rotors, and CTS-V calipers with Gen 5 Z06 18X10.5 rims and 295/40/R18 tires all the way around.












The finished product -















2012-04-23 - Here's a quick walk around video of the car running Pre-dyno. I can't wait to get this thing tuned!!! I'll try to get someone else to take some videos of me letting her loose later this week or next.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YCPF5EmPSs

2012-05-30 This was the last dyno pull where it went 477HP and 464 ft/lbs of torque.

[URL=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcZe1qF5BgY[/URL]


Again, Thanks to all that submitted their info on wheel and tire combos, transmission and gearing info, The Z06 brake and CTS-V brake installations, and others that assisted.

If you have any questions on specific parts or info let me know.
Thanks!!!

'02TA

Car looks great and must be a blast to drive now. Good to see a Florida f-body getting treated so well. I'm in broward so if your down south maybe iI'll see you at the meets

dforristall

iTrader: (2)

Yes, She's definitely a hand full now. lol I don't have the motor fully broken in yet, so as I was getting ready to leave to come back to Iraq for work she was just getting stronger and stronger! I'll dyno it as soon as the motor is broken in when I get back home. I went back and re-sized a bunch of the build pictures so the post is a little more manageable. I wanted to include a lot of pics, but maybe I went overboard?? ;-)

JustAFooL

iTrader: (45)

Definately not overboard.. Thats what we like.

Nice touch with the car. I came in the post expecting to see a motor swap, not a totally new car! Everything you did was top notch it appears. Great job man on the build. I'd also like to thank you for serving our country over-seas. Takes a special person to do your job and me and my family greatly appreciate it.

COSPEED

iTrader: (331)

snake charmer

iTrader: (118)

thats an awesome setup bro . loving all the suspension mods . got good trns mount even the torque arm mount . lots of goodies . cant wait for track and dyno numbers on it .

59 camaro

iTrader: (29)

nice set up, what happend to the oem hood

ez2cdave

Can I "borrow" your Dad for a few days ?

I promise to feed him and take good care of him !

LOL !

Beautiful job on a beautiful car !

Dave F.

jim ravencraft

Hi,
very nice craftsmanship. Your father will cheerish these moments forever.
I have many memories of our builds. Tell dad how much you love and appreciate him and don't forget mom. May god bless you and your family.
Jim

dforristall

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, I do appreciate it. Hopefully this is my last year overseas so I can come home and enjoy the car! lol :-)

Thanks, I'll def post dyno numbers when i get her there. We're estimating she's at about 550HP from the motor at the moment. It handles great!, so will need to find a road coarse to open her up on.

Hi, the OEM hood is at the body shop still. I traded it to them for some of the paint work. I can see if they have it for sale if you are interested. They are in Venice, FL.

Thanks Dave. lol He's down in North Port FL, and does work on the side. He's really reasonable on rates, so if you're in the neighborhood let me know.

Absolutely Jim!!! I loved doing it with him too. I even had have him signing the car now, and then the paint guys are going to clear over it so it stays put. Like an artist signature. We're also planning to take my original LS1 and transplant it into a Colorado Xtreme as the next project.

StrobinSS

iTrader: (13)

Great build! I like how you can barely see the side exiting exhaust.

dforristall

iTrader: (2)

Thanks man. The trans support is the lowest point underneath, so we had to stick with 2 1/2 inch pipes to keep just up from that. I wanted to keep the exhaust nice and short. So right in front of the rear tires seemed the best/easiest way to do it without going fully custom and spending a couple grand on it.

BMR Suspension

iTrader: (6)

Nice build!! Great pics and great documentation. Thanks for using BMR parts. I am sure that you will be happy with this set-up.

Are you close to Tampa? You should bring the car by the BMR shop after you get back to the States.

dforristall

iTrader: (2)

Hi Allen, I'm happy so far! I only have about 500 miles on the car with the setup so far. I'm still breaking in the motor, so once that's done, I'll be able to dig in a little harder and see how she really performs. ;-) I'm only about 40 miles south of Tampa, so I'll definitely bring her by the shop once I'm back in the states. Thanks!

MonmouthCtyLS7

iTrader: (6)

Sick car !

WS6sleeper

iTrader: (1)

Beautiful car brother, gives me a lot of motivation to seeing your ride Feel like I almost have the courage to paint my sail panel and mirrors too lol Did those V brakes require a spacer/adapter for the vette wheels?

dforristall

iTrader: (2)

Hi, yea, I really like the look with the sail and mirrors painted black. The body guys wanted to take it a little further and do some two tone on the rear spolier, but I haven't thought that one through yet.

Yes, with the V brakes I had to run a 15mm adapter to space out the rim spokes from the caliper. It only clears the caliper by about +/- 1/8 inch. From other posts I've read they say you want to go 3/4 of an inch, but then I'd run into space with the 10.5 inch wide rims I'm running. Plus if you space the fronts out 3/4 you'd probably have to space the rears out as well just to keep it symmetrical. With only 15mm no one notices. I haven't had it super hard into the corners yet to see if I can flex a rim enough to clip a caliper, but the edges on the caliper are angled, so if it does, it should just scuff it up.

If you run something other than the OEM Vette wheels you may not have to use spacers. The OEM Vette wheels have a 56mm offset, so if you run a smaller rim with a lower offset you may not have to run them. Also, with the Z06 rotors, you have to run at least an 18 inch wheel.

WS6sleeper

iTrader: (1)

Awesome. Thanks for the info and again beautiful car

6.0-Blazer

Great build! It's nice to buy all new parts! It's cool to brag about how cheap your horsepower is but I would trade the bragging rights anyday...lol

ez2cdave

Which hood is on the car in the "after swap" pictures ? Raptor ? Superhawk?

Thanks !

Dave