I have a 93 Z28. I'm looking to get into the low 10s/high 9s. I'd like to be able to 93 octane for the street (although it doesn't need to be in the low 10s for the street). I'm trying to get a rough estimate of what I'd be looking at spending to get there with this car (and whether I'd be better off selling it and buying something older). I'm mostly interested in knowing what the cheapest this is possible for, while maintaining some degree of reliability/durability (i.e. hooking up a 250 shot to the stock motor is not what I have in mind). It's likely going to need a rebuild/new engine (it hasn't been started in 10 years). I'm open to nitrous and/or forced induction setup. Any idea of what I'd be looking at spending to get it into the low 10s/high 9s? (I will not be doing all the work myself.) Is it possible for somewhere between $15-25k?

 

You could just buy my car for $10,000 and throw a 200 shot on it.

 

Thanks, but I prefer to build something up myself (even if I don't do all of the work), rather than buying someone else's drag car.

 

Well since u dont post any experience let alone your knowledge of performance engines (whats a piston gas port? or what do those tubing vents in the rear do for the heads?) we have to expect u dont have any. That usually means it will cost much more to build a hi-po engine as u will most likely brake plenty of parts on the learning curve.

But a short-cut u can use is to find the weight of your car as u plan to race it. Then google an online ET-weight = HP calculator. Once u resolve for HP needed then u can shop the LT1 engine vendors for a typical engine price.

BTW there are books on the LT1 with proven dyno builds. U should google that too. U know how u use google dont u?

Just my advice is i hope u plan to take plenty of weight out of your car.

Good luck there enthusiast without a profile and post what u find as we're learning too,
cardo

 

While the engine will definitely cost quite a bit that's not the end of it. Since you're talking about wanting a particular ET instead of just a fast car I'll assume you're going to be running this car at the track. That's means the required safety gear for a car like that (such as a roll bar). On top of that you'll need supporting mods; a trans built to handle the abuse, likely a new rear end (some people can get away with running the 10-bolt that fast, but don't count on it), a high stall converter (unless you're planning on using a manual, in which case you WILL need a new axle setup), plus a fuel system that can feed the engine. Once you addressed all of that then start looking towards the engine. A 383 built with nitrous in mind and a top end package from AI or LE will do the job just fine. Since you want to go the whole built not bought approach (can't blame you for that), And picking up RamAir's car is not on your agenda I'd ask him what parts he has on his car. An engine like his with a 250 shot (and a short block built for it) will get you where you want to go. It'll be expensive (something like a junkyard 5.3 and an ebay turbo would probably be cheaper, especially if you got a deal on a cheap LS F-Body), but it's doable for sure.

 

Id say easy 10g. Ramair i thought you parted your car out?

 

I had looked into cutting weight of the car, but it seems like there are substantial limitation there, since I intend to drive the car on the road (i.e. I can't go taking out things like bumper supports). I did pull the a/c though.

 

So how much do you think it would cost altogether to get to the low 10s/high 9s?

FYI- here's a part list of what's on the car now:

-LE 1 heads (flow 262/183)

-LT1 ported intake with 58mm throttle bores

-LE 1 cam (224/224 .573/.566 108LSA with 1.6 rockers)

-ARP head bolts

-Comp 7/16 rocker arm studs

-ARP polylocs

-Comp 5/16 flat pushrod style guideplates

- NGK TR6 plugs

-COMP chromoly pushrods

-CSR Electric waterpump

-3600 Vigilante converter

-3.73 gears, on 10 bolt

-Transgo Shift kit

-hypertech 160 degree termostat

-groty 1 3/4 long tube headers

-BBK 58 mm TB

-1.6 Comp pro mag 7/16 Rocker arms

-SVO 42 lb/hr injectors (too large for this set-up, I know)

-Cold Fusion Nitrous kit (150 wet Shot)

-MSD window switch

-Cold Fusion fuel pressure safety switch

-walbro 255 fuel pump

-B&M trans cooler

-MSD ignition Coil

-UMI Lower Control Arms

-UMI panhard bar

-Moroso cold air intake

-BFG drag radials

-Clevite H main bearings

-Clevite H rod bearings

-Clevite cam bearings

-ARP main bolts

-Total Seal file to fit, ductile iron piston rings

-Moroso high volume oil pump

-GM Tall, polished valve covers

The engine doesn't have many miles on it since the last rebuild, but with the number of years this car has sat, I'm expecting needing another rebuild. How much of this is re-usable depends on what the best route to go is (e.g. if it gets forced induction, either the headers will be replaced or the intake will be replaced, etc.).

Also, I realize it'll need a cage for the track (no idea of what that's going to cost though).

 

So do you think $15-20k would be entirely reasonable for low 10s/high 9s?

 

I would say that 20k will get you enough power for 9s.

Toss on another couple thousand for safety and suspension equipment.

 

I used to think the same way. What would get my hawk in the 9's. Then they closed the last drag strip here and I said **** it and left the car in the back yard for 13 years. Then I spent 10 grand getting it to run again and I still have no idea have fast it goes in the 1/4 mile.

 

A good motor build - $5K-$7K
A better rearend- $2K-$3K
Suspension- $2K
Trans- $2K-$3K
Wheels-$1500-$2000
Nitrous-$1K
Extra ****- $1K

I'd say $20K as bare minimum.

 

S60 3000 plus shipping
Transmission 5k
Converter 1200
Suspension to hook
Trailing arms 250
Tunnel mount Ta 550
Drag sway bar 600
Panhard bar 200
Relocation bracket 90
Shocks depends on brand 500-2000+
Tires 700-1200
Wheels 600-3000
Nitrous 1200 plus retard box and 2 step
Tuning 600-1000
Engine 5-10k depends on parts and machine work
Fi 5000-10000 depends on procharged,turbo and what extra you get ie meth/alky
Roll cage 4000 min possibly more
Harness and helmet 1000
And all the odds and ends and broken parts happen it comes with racing and modifying cars.

Its always cheaper to buy something and make it yours over time.there are good deals everywhere and imo to spend over 10k on a lt1 is a poor choice, you will never get that out. And. Everyone wants lsx powe. So selling a ltx is much harder to get anything for it. With tge mount of uupgrades and cost its a much wiser choice to build something that every company builds parts,contiunes to build for.

Used ls3 complete with tranny 8000 throw a s60 in and be way ahead of most ltx builds. Nitrous or fi it and be making big power reliable and cost effective vs the ltx.

 

5.3 and a turbo. Its cheap and effective!

 

Or a 4.8, its cheaper and effectiver-er!

 

"If you have to ask, you can't afford it." -J.P. Morgan

 

That makes it a little easier to figure out what it will take to get your car that fast. Do you have an ET with that configuration? A lot of your nitrous parts will definitely carry over. You'll probably need a new trans, figure around $2500. You can get a 9 inch build for an F-Body for around $2200. You can run drag shocks as well to give yourself a better launch. It sounds like you want to rebuild the engine anyway, so a 383 built for a big shot of nitrous should be enough. You'll also need more fuel pump (you can add a second 255 gph). I'd also talk to LE about sending your heads back to him and see if you can't get them ported to his stage 3. I doubt it'd cost you $20k. Figure around $10k. Maybe a little more for a cushion. The problem with an ET like that is you could get extremely lucky. I would also not rule out more weight savings. Even if you plan on driving it on the street you can still pull the bumpers. Replace the rear hatch glass with lexan. Swap the stock seats for a Kirkey. Any weight you pull off the car means less power you need to make. Like others have said, a 5.3 and ebay turbo would end up being cheaper, but there'd be more work involved with the swap.

 

He's already got a converter, and some of the suspension parts covered. Plus his car already has nitrous. You can pick up a drop in 9 inch for about $2200 shipped. There's no way a roll bar will cost $4k, and $1k for a harness and helmet? . I thought he was starting from scratch too, but he has some of the parts to get it done. I think the goal of mid to low 10's is what you should aim for. 9's make this adventure much more difficult.

 

Gonna need a bigger cam, converter, def shocks all around, beefed up trans and rear. Safety is meh, you can set your car up and do 1/8 mile pulls, then let it eat **** and do full 1/4 get your time and get thrown outta the track for the day

 

If he wants to run 9's he will need a 10point cage thats 2400 installed
A good simpson harness 400-500
Helmet 650 for a good one.

The converter he has now will need to be swapped for a much better triple disk and a higher stall for the new cam he will need ro reach the goal.