This will be about the equivalent of an ongoing blog on the transformation of my broken 98 CAMARO SS, into a 9 second drag car. But first I have to give you a little timeline on the car.

April 1998 - I ordered a brand new onyx Camaro SS to replace my stolen 1996 Vortech Supercharged Z-28. My Z was an A4 car that had replaced my much loved 86 Mustang GT convertible. So I decided to give the T-56 a try, since I did miss my GT's 5 speed.

July 1998 - I installed my first nitrous kit. NOS #5107 dry kit. It was a blast, even though it was not everything that the movies had made up.

1999 - I purchased a set of Nitto's Drag Radials, HP Motorsports SFC, and trailing arms. And switched to a set of 3.73 gears and purchased a Hypertech PP3 for my speedo calibration. Getting a little faster, it was coming out of the hole harder, but only if I slipped and let it out quick, but I couldn't even do one of my patented "side step" of the clutch.

2000-2003 - I purchased a set of Weld Draglite Wheels, complete with a set of MT Slicks and front runners. I also bought various other goodies like an HPM Torque arm, Hurst Shifter and finally a set of Hooker Headers and bullets to make sure I was not just seen, but heard....from a half a mile away.

2003 - Revenge of the Clutch. Yeah, it bit the dust. It went to Induction Motorsports shop for a Spec IV Ceramic clutch, and a Moser 12 bolt. BMR relocation brackets, Wolfe Racecraft Drag Sway, Hal QA1's, Spohn TA. Jeff the part owner of the shop asked me why I was putting in another clutch when all I liked to do was drag race. So I sold the M6, the clutch and bought a complete racing TH400 from Madman Racing. Six weeks later it was finally finished. I had a set of Stage II heads, and a TSP Camshaft kit waiting for the install back at my place. Along with a TNT power ring...oh baby, I'm gonna go fast! I also took delivery of my brand new Bogart D-10's. The speed gods were going to love me now.

The Gods of Speed hate me, and on its first real test run (right in front of my apartment complex) it spun a mother ******* bearing and lost all oil pressure. I had just spent over $12,000 on everything, and now had a broken motor. A motor that had gone through 4 bottle of nitrous and had 14,400 original miles on it. Into the garage it went in April of 2003. Were it stayed until I bought a new house in 2005, loaded it onto a flatbed tow truck and it was relocated to much bigger digs, my three car garage

Finally it was time for the new motor. So I sent out emails to several shops, and got estimates that left me scratching my head a little. One major shop didn't respond to three emails, and well **** it....I'm not going to beg them to take my money. I talked to another big shop and despite my pleading of poverty with only $12K to spend, they sent me an estimate for $19,900 ignoring my "wish list" of using an LS6 intake, Patriot Heads among other things. I sent another email about cutting some of the cost, and never heard back.....GREAT, either you install what you want, or just ignore me. FINE. Speed Inc was another shop that I inquired to the same day the other emails went out.

LARRY AT SPEED INC. ******* ROCKS!! I sent him $5500, and have another $10K sitting in my cars savings account...yes I have a savings account for my car. So after a few weeks, and about a dozen emails, he put together a kickass estimate and made me glad the other shops blew me off. So here it is, on May 5th my car will be unloaded off the trailer in Schaumburg ILL. Larry even managed to talk me up a few grand on my budget. Thank god for tax returns.

TO BE CONTINUED........

 

Speed Inc. should get you back to breaking some parts in no time!

Good luck!

 

Congrats!

 

Glad to hear that your on your way back to the track Can we get some specs on the motor?

 

that $5500,was that just the price of the short block?What did that include.Im thinking of stroking mine in late fall and wanted to reuse my heads and was just wondering what it would cost to have a 382

 

The $5500 was a deposit of 1/3 down. I suggest you email Speed Inc and let them know what you need.


Here are the specs for the entire car including the new motor.
1998 CAMARO SS
Engine:
-382 LS1 Stroker
-12.1 Compression - Diamond Pistons
-Trick Flow 225 Heads 65cc
-Harland Sharp 1.7 Rockers
-238/244 605/612 112 LSA
-BBK 85mm Intake and TB
-37lb injectors

Fuel System
-Sumped and can support 900hp
*Speed Inc.*

Power Adder
-NOS Plate System
-200 hp wet shot

Transmission
-Madman Racing TH400 w/transbrake
4100 Stall

Rearend
-Moser 12 Bolt 4.10 gears

Suspension
REAR-
-Wolfe Racecraft Rear Drag Sway Bar
-Hal QA1 Shocks/Stock Springs
-Spohn Torque Arm w/driveshaft loops
-HP Motorsports LCA's/PHB/SFC's
FRONT-
Hal QA1 Shocks/Drag Spring

Bogart D-10's on MT Street Slicks

 

Holy crap $15K for a 382 with a fuel system or did that include all your other stuff like a 12 bolt and TH400?

 

Im wondering the same thing.Ive got injectors,pump,Rpm tranny,ported fast and tsp heads just was curios on short block/install

 

New exhaust sytem, new 1 7/8 headers, ARP everything, Trick Flow heads, and a bunch of other stuff. All installed and tuned by the shop. I don't have the time or patience to do the big install, just the money for somebody else to do it. This is not a simple long block swap, I bought other parts. Above and beyond the engine packages Speed Inc offers.

Basically about $12,000 in parts plus install fee and dyno time.

 

so basically $3500 for the install and tune.Ive got heads,and all fuel requirements and hedders and tranny just trying to get and idea what it will cost to put in a stroker.
thanks for your help
john

 

Sounds awesome! Did you go with the 85mm BBK intake due to the increased strength over the FAST?

 

Actually your looking at $1500 for the removal/install of the motor. $500 for the fuel system install, including sumping the tank. I have a few other things requiring a few hours of labor (exhaust/hvac removal) and don't for get the State of Illinois raping me for about $1000 in tax. My actual 1/3 payment would of been just under $5000, but I sent them some extra. I would pay them in full. I have the rest of the cash in my car account, and OOOHHH BOY does that money want to go to Las Vegas!!

As far as the intake:
It's a long story, but basically it was what I was wanting over having a composite (plastic) intake. That and the oppurtunity to get one came about when a friend offered his new one to me due to financial problems. I actually wanted a sheet metal intake from Beck, but $2500 was just too much of a bite out of my ***. Great intake, just can't spend that much....for now.

 

$1500 for removal and install is not bad at all.Ive got all fuel, exhaust,heads,intake,just looking for some extra cubes.Ill probly pay a little more since my heads have to come off and go on this

 

What crank are they going to use????