dream LTx build
Look for EXAMPLES, AI has several cars making 500+ at the wheels NA even through non-lockup converters.
I would NOT be looking at a 396, or AFRs either. Solid roller will be a given at this level, sure it can be done with hydraulic too but at what cost???
I would NOT be looking at a 396, or AFRs either. Solid roller will be a given at this level, sure it can be done with hydraulic too but at what cost???
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
From: harrisburg PA
You described the Ai383R that Rick Abare is running. You could order it whenever you are ready with no thought involved.
As for the $8k build, that is a bit of fantasy land. If a ton of used parts were involved you might stay under $15, but shaft mounts can run $1k alone. Conversion of the heads, cores, porting, block work, crank, 4-bolt conversion etc.
No offense to airflowdevelop and I'm not going to search the internet for prices to prove myself right, but $8k is on the low side to say the least.
As for the $8k build, that is a bit of fantasy land. If a ton of used parts were involved you might stay under $15, but shaft mounts can run $1k alone. Conversion of the heads, cores, porting, block work, crank, 4-bolt conversion etc.
No offense to airflowdevelop and I'm not going to search the internet for prices to prove myself right, but $8k is on the low side to say the least.
This is exactly what I am talking about!
TECH Addict
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,153
Likes: 3
Well since you asked... My sig should be a clue.
396, billet 4-bolt, all forged, AFR 227's, welded/radiused/ported LT4 intake (It's not an LTx otherwise
)
Hydraulic roller cam something weird like 226/238-117 (MUST BE STREETABLE)
Twin GT4094R's running 15 psi boost (PUMP GAS)
Should be worth about 1100 hp streetable and reliable on pump gas, smooth idle, and you never have to fill a bottle. I bet I could make it run on the stock ECU and 79 lb/hr high impedence injectors also.
Mike
396, billet 4-bolt, all forged, AFR 227's, welded/radiused/ported LT4 intake (It's not an LTx otherwise
)Hydraulic roller cam something weird like 226/238-117 (MUST BE STREETABLE)
Twin GT4094R's running 15 psi boost (PUMP GAS)
Should be worth about 1100 hp streetable and reliable on pump gas, smooth idle, and you never have to fill a bottle. I bet I could make it run on the stock ECU and 79 lb/hr high impedence injectors also.
Mike
yeah i thought afr's were the best but i gues the tfs pieces are on top ?
500 to the wheels?
Forged, studed 383, solid roller, ported stock (or aftermarket castings), the usual
supporting mods (including a proper tune); call it a day and run a 250-shot to your heart's content.
500rwhp on solids is not as uncommon as you might think.
500rwhp on hyd is going to be a bigger challenge, but it's doable.
I don't advise making peak HP your goal though.
Remember to upgrade the fuel system and read end so you don't break anything.
Consider a trans rebuild/upgrade while you are at it.
Do you need a 396? No.... it'll just cause you more headaches than gains over a 383 (personal opinion)
Do you need AFR castings? No ... but ported aftermarket castings sure do make filling those cyls a hell of a lot easier with a big cam.
Custom grind? .... seems like a wise investment to get the most out of your setup, but certainly not required.
Good luck with the build
Forged, studed 383, solid roller, ported stock (or aftermarket castings), the usual
supporting mods (including a proper tune); call it a day and run a 250-shot to your heart's content.
500rwhp on solids is not as uncommon as you might think.
500rwhp on hyd is going to be a bigger challenge, but it's doable.
I don't advise making peak HP your goal though.
Remember to upgrade the fuel system and read end so you don't break anything.
Consider a trans rebuild/upgrade while you are at it.
Do you need a 396? No.... it'll just cause you more headaches than gains over a 383 (personal opinion)
Do you need AFR castings? No ... but ported aftermarket castings sure do make filling those cyls a hell of a lot easier with a big cam.
Custom grind? .... seems like a wise investment to get the most out of your setup, but certainly not required.
Good luck with the build
Last edited by James Montigny; Nov 15, 2008 at 08:59 AM.
assuming you can get the parts for $8k, will it throw itself together? forget about the nickle and dime stuff, but $8k is a bit optimistic. I get your point about buying right instead of buying names though...
500 to the wheels?
Forged, studed 383, solid roller, ported stock (or aftermarket castings), the usual
supporting mods (including a proper tune); call it a day and run a 250-shot to your heart's content.
500rwhp on solids is not as uncommon as you might think.
500rwhp on hyd is going to be a bigger challenge, but it's doable.
I don't advise making peak HP your goal though.
Remember to upgrade the fuel system and read end so you don't break anything.
Consider a trans rebuild/upgrade while you are at it.
Do you need a 396? No.... it'll just cause you more headaches than gains over a 383 (personal opinion)
Do you need AFR castings? No ... but ported aftermarket castings sure do make filling those cyls a hell of a lot easier with a big cam.
Custom grind? .... seems like a wise investment to get the most out of your setup, but certainly not required.
Good luck with the build
Forged, studed 383, solid roller, ported stock (or aftermarket castings), the usual
supporting mods (including a proper tune); call it a day and run a 250-shot to your heart's content.
500rwhp on solids is not as uncommon as you might think.
500rwhp on hyd is going to be a bigger challenge, but it's doable.
I don't advise making peak HP your goal though.
Remember to upgrade the fuel system and read end so you don't break anything.
Consider a trans rebuild/upgrade while you are at it.
Do you need a 396? No.... it'll just cause you more headaches than gains over a 383 (personal opinion)
Do you need AFR castings? No ... but ported aftermarket castings sure do make filling those cyls a hell of a lot easier with a big cam.
Custom grind? .... seems like a wise investment to get the most out of your setup, but certainly not required.
Good luck with the build
The longer stroke "compresses" the power curve, which allows you to run a bigger cam without revving to the moon.
But the .100" increase between a 383 and 396 has very little effect there.
Longer strokes expose more cylinder wall (closer to the edge of the casting) and require
more block machining (breaking into the water jacket) and possibly having to machine the rods to avoid the cam.
Neither spells instant death, it's just a whole lot of hassle.
If you WANT to run a 396, go for it. Just don't expect it to be a huge improvement over the 383.
There are guys running 4" strokes (408CID) and doing just fine.
(The 408's stroke is .250" longer than the 383's; you see a huge difference in the curve)
Make sure that you stud the mains (2 or 4 bolt) to contain the pressure created by the N20.
The last thing you need is for the bolt to stretch enough to allow a spun bearing
Studs use the stock coarse thread to get into the block, then a finer thread to allow better clamping force.
I'd do the same with the heads.
CPT does excellent work, good choice
9" should do just fine.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever
Verdad Gallardo
give me 12 grand and i'll send you this turnkey....
made 486 RWHP thru a 4400 stall converter and a TH400/9" combo... Put a T56 behind it and you're talking an EASY 530-540 RWHP.... The 486 was a very conservative tune with a lazy cam (motorwise) that RIPS on spray....
Car just made 822 RWHP spraying it.... 11.5:1 AF Ratio and gorgeous plugs after the pull too.... and we haven't pulled out the BIG jets yet.....
like others have said you can throw parts at it but a car has to support BIG horsepower so when you say dream LT1 you have to budget for dream fuel system, dream tranny, dream rearend and dream suspension.... don't forget dream cage that will save your dream *** if you put it into the wall at 150 plus... This car has complete fuel system 83lb injectors, FAST XFI, etc..... TH400, 9", 12 point cage, window net, etc..... all that **** adds up quick... you can build a motor like this for cheap but you'll drop it in a death machine if you haven't budgeted for the rest...
made 486 RWHP thru a 4400 stall converter and a TH400/9" combo... Put a T56 behind it and you're talking an EASY 530-540 RWHP.... The 486 was a very conservative tune with a lazy cam (motorwise) that RIPS on spray....
Car just made 822 RWHP spraying it.... 11.5:1 AF Ratio and gorgeous plugs after the pull too.... and we haven't pulled out the BIG jets yet.....
like others have said you can throw parts at it but a car has to support BIG horsepower so when you say dream LT1 you have to budget for dream fuel system, dream tranny, dream rearend and dream suspension.... don't forget dream cage that will save your dream *** if you put it into the wall at 150 plus... This car has complete fuel system 83lb injectors, FAST XFI, etc..... TH400, 9", 12 point cage, window net, etc..... all that **** adds up quick... you can build a motor like this for cheap but you'll drop it in a death machine if you haven't budgeted for the rest...
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 10,023
Likes: 6
From: LT1 land...the "409" of the 90s!
You mean you can't just bolt on the holey grail AI heads and run 8s? that's what I keep hearing 
Shoot me a call man.
Shoot me a call man.
give me 12 grand and i'll send you this turnkey....
made 486 RWHP thru a 4400 stall converter and a TH400/9" combo... Put a T56 behind it and you're talking an EASY 530-540 RWHP.... The 486 was a very conservative tune with a lazy cam (motorwise) that RIPS on spray....
Car just made 822 RWHP spraying it.... 11.5:1 AF Ratio and gorgeous plugs after the pull too.... and we haven't pulled out the BIG jets yet.....
like others have said you can throw parts at it but a car has to support BIG horsepower so when you say dream LT1 you have to budget for dream fuel system, dream tranny, dream rearend and dream suspension.... don't forget dream cage that will save your dream *** if you put it into the wall at 150 plus... This car has complete fuel system 83lb injectors, FAST XFI, etc..... TH400, 9", 12 point cage, window net, etc..... all that **** adds up quick... you can build a motor like this for cheap but you'll drop it in a death machine if you haven't budgeted for the rest...
made 486 RWHP thru a 4400 stall converter and a TH400/9" combo... Put a T56 behind it and you're talking an EASY 530-540 RWHP.... The 486 was a very conservative tune with a lazy cam (motorwise) that RIPS on spray....
Car just made 822 RWHP spraying it.... 11.5:1 AF Ratio and gorgeous plugs after the pull too.... and we haven't pulled out the BIG jets yet.....
like others have said you can throw parts at it but a car has to support BIG horsepower so when you say dream LT1 you have to budget for dream fuel system, dream tranny, dream rearend and dream suspension.... don't forget dream cage that will save your dream *** if you put it into the wall at 150 plus... This car has complete fuel system 83lb injectors, FAST XFI, etc..... TH400, 9", 12 point cage, window net, etc..... all that **** adds up quick... you can build a motor like this for cheap but you'll drop it in a death machine if you haven't budgeted for the rest...
give me 12 grand and i'll send you this turnkey....
made 486 RWHP thru a 4400 stall converter and a TH400/9" combo... Put a T56 behind it and you're talking an EASY 530-540 RWHP.... The 486 was a very conservative tune with a lazy cam (motorwise) that RIPS on spray....
Car just made 822 RWHP spraying it.... 11.5:1 AF Ratio and gorgeous plugs after the pull too.... and we haven't pulled out the BIG jets yet.....
like others have said you can throw parts at it but a car has to support BIG horsepower so when you say dream LT1 you have to budget for dream fuel system, dream tranny, dream rearend and dream suspension.... don't forget dream cage that will save your dream *** if you put it into the wall at 150 plus... This car has complete fuel system 83lb injectors, FAST XFI, etc..... TH400, 9", 12 point cage, window net, etc..... all that **** adds up quick... you can build a motor like this for cheap but you'll drop it in a death machine if you haven't budgeted for the rest...
made 486 RWHP thru a 4400 stall converter and a TH400/9" combo... Put a T56 behind it and you're talking an EASY 530-540 RWHP.... The 486 was a very conservative tune with a lazy cam (motorwise) that RIPS on spray....
Car just made 822 RWHP spraying it.... 11.5:1 AF Ratio and gorgeous plugs after the pull too.... and we haven't pulled out the BIG jets yet.....
like others have said you can throw parts at it but a car has to support BIG horsepower so when you say dream LT1 you have to budget for dream fuel system, dream tranny, dream rearend and dream suspension.... don't forget dream cage that will save your dream *** if you put it into the wall at 150 plus... This car has complete fuel system 83lb injectors, FAST XFI, etc..... TH400, 9", 12 point cage, window net, etc..... all that **** adds up quick... you can build a motor like this for cheap but you'll drop it in a death machine if you haven't budgeted for the rest...
400 to the wheels is very doable with heads and hyd cam on a stock bottom end.
Nothing extreme and lots of very streetable setups out there.
LMAO
Yes, every one of which is doing so with a solid roller cam, not much of a challenge in that.
Not to say Ai doesn't make decent stuff, but (as TwoFast4Lv pointed out) it's nothing magic.
Nothing extreme and lots of very streetable setups out there.
Not to say Ai doesn't make decent stuff, but (as TwoFast4Lv pointed out) it's nothing magic.
You mean you can't just bolt on the holey grail AI heads and run 8s? that's what I keep hearing
pm me you # again. my cellphone shot out of my pocket on a rollercoaster... it's permanently MIA....
put that on hold till christmas, christmas 2020 that is. j/k whats the gas mileage u get in that just wondering
My dream LT1? Well as long as we are dreaming....think you can make 1000 hp on pumpgas? This might get there.
383
SB2.2 heads
Matching intake
Hyd roller
Monoblade
4340 bottom end
9 to 1 comp
AND a 88mm turbo, WOW would that be fun or what?
But, 500whp with a stick or an auto is two VERY different animals.
500whp with an auto DAMN sure aint happenin with 8 grand. Not all motor anyway.
383
SB2.2 heads
Matching intake
Hyd roller
Monoblade
4340 bottom end
9 to 1 comp
AND a 88mm turbo, WOW would that be fun or what?
But, 500whp with a stick or an auto is two VERY different animals.
500whp with an auto DAMN sure aint happenin with 8 grand. Not all motor anyway.
Last edited by FASTFATBOY; Nov 16, 2008 at 06:53 AM.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 10,023
Likes: 6
From: LT1 land...the "409" of the 90s!