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need advice on a cam!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 05:48 PM
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Default need advice on a cam!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i need advice about a good middle range cam. i have a stock 2002 ls1 trans-am ws6 with 51,000 miles on it. i am planning to do cam first, then wheels and tires, and then start on more hardcore engine mods. i am dreaming about a twin turbo for my trans am (ws6). anyway i need advice about cam specs, and what would you guys recommend?

i dont want a little cam. i also dont want a real BIG cam. but i want something thats more on the high end of the middle range. i have a good understanding about suspension and car audio, and alot of other stuff. but honestly i really dont know much about engine specs. and i am brand new to the ls1.

so any advice would be greatly appreciated. just remember im new so please explain everything clearly.

thanks guys!
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 05:59 PM
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You leave a lot of questions to be asked like the goal for the car once the cam is in? is it a daily driver? How high are you willing to spin the motor? Do you even have the supporting boltons yet?
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 06:25 PM
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its daily driver! and probably gonna stay that way for awhile. my goal is a street car with some serious horsepower, like 700+ hp. what kind of bolt-ons would support a cam?
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 08:45 PM
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Lol, I think you need to check a sticky or 2 before you jump into the ocean.

A safe Daily Driven 700rwhp+ car will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $20k just for engine modification and other odds and ends. You will not be able to do it very easily on your stock bottom end....As a matter of fact, I suggest that you don't. You would be better off going with a larger CID to obtain some sort of stomping ground for a turbo.

Anyway, headers and Intake would be the best place to start, followed by a catback. But you say that you want a turbo....this is where the fork in the road is. You must decide if you want N/A power, or if you want the FI power. N/A 700+ would cost you so much money I don't know if it would really be worth it. There is also no way in hell you could daily drive that. It would be a 440+ CID with full-on race heads and a solid roller cam setup if it was going to be anywhere near an easy task.

500 is reasonable and respectable out of a stroker setup.


PS: Knowledge on car audio is not going to get you anywhere on your 700 dream.
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 08:50 PM
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Originally Posted by fastgm_silver02ws6
its daily driver! and probably gonna stay that way for awhile. my goal is a street car with some serious horsepower, like 700+ hp. what kind of bolt-ons would support a cam?
No offense but if you dont know what boltons support a cam then you should not even be thinking of a 700 HP car yet. Sounds more like another 1000HP dreamer to me.

Anyway start off by reading a lot here. Start in the external section to learn about the boltons. There is a lot to be learned to make a high Hp car. You have to match everything together the right way to build a car that makes power everywhere, ya cant just slap parts on and expect power(unless you spray! ). There is also tuning that is required when you start heavy mods. Read up here and use the search function, it is the best friend of a newb. Dont be afraid to ask questions but be ready to get flamed if you didnt search already since almost anything you could ask has already been discussed before. Good luck.
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 08:59 PM
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Well, I take some of what I said back after Brad reminded me of Nitrous. You can make a forged motor, and spray a 450 shot and probably be right at your goal.
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 09:05 PM
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Read the stickies. Use the search button. Learn, and do the legwork on it yourself.
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 09:29 PM
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We are on-fire today for hitting the newb cam threads and such!
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 09:32 PM
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Oh yeah, and how the hell are you gonna do the cam first and then move on to "more hardcore engine mods"? I always thought that the cam was the most hardcore mod out there for a naturally aspirated motor. I mean the cam does only control 90% of the engines characteristics.
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 09:33 PM
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Originally Posted by orangeapeel
We are on-fire today for hitting the newb cam threads and such!
Ya know.
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 09:35 PM
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Originally Posted by brad8266
Oh yeah, and how the hell are you gonna do the cam first and then move on to "more hardcore engine mods"? I always thought that the cam was the most hardcore mod out there for a naturally aspirated motor. I mean the cam does only control 90% of the engines characteristics.
I suppose he was thinking forged bottom end...yeah, that explains it...

After all, a cam swap is pretty inexpensive and simple as far as internal engine mods go.
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Old Jan 15, 2007 | 09:40 PM
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Originally Posted by blkZ28spt
I suppose he was thinking forged bottom end...yeah, that explains it...

After all, a cam swap is pretty inexpensive and simple as far as internal engine mods go.
Oh ok, that explains it then. Forged is pretty hardcore since then it can handle huge shots of N2O
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Old Jan 16, 2007 | 03:48 PM
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lol. thanks guys. i know alot of generalities about cars.but i dont know alot of specifics. up until a year ago i was into more show than go. so i know how to drop a car, car audio, painting (im real good with that one), esthetics, etc. i have switched gears and i want a monster street car.

after reading yalls replys i guess i should ask a whole different question.
so i guess i'll start a different thread.

thanks guys!
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