LT1 Goals
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LT1 Goals Hi,I'm new here but need some advice. I own a 1996 Pontiac Trans Am with the LT1. My goal is to get to around 500-600 HP at the wheels without the use of nitrous;however,I don't opposed forced induction.I was wondering if you guys could help me by telling me what would get me there.My Budget is around 10k.
Thanks for your time
Thanks for your time
What is your experience level?
You understand you are talking a 10second car and will need to spend a fair amount of coin on safety equipment to play at the track.
Car bone stock?
Budget really wont cut it, spend a couple grand on an axle, couple-3grand on a tranny and half your budget is gone before you added a single HP.
You understand you are talking a 10second car and will need to spend a fair amount of coin on safety equipment to play at the track.
Car bone stock?
Budget really wont cut it, spend a couple grand on an axle, couple-3grand on a tranny and half your budget is gone before you added a single HP.
Oh and you are going to want to ignore anyone who starts talking displacement specific and then generalizes the more important items. A blind eye to displacement doesn't work as well as most believe. Yes displacement can help, so long as you understand it is not the most critical piece.
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Obviously there is a lot more too it. I'm not claiming I'm the smartest at this subject I was only throwing a suggestion. There's way more than a built tranny and rearend that goes into building that kind of car. Yes you'll need those but he's asked for some advice so I shared.
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From: Maricopa, AZ
LM7 Turbo, 4L80e, 9".
Might not happen for $10K though.
594hp 5.3L-$4K
Built Trans- $3K
Rear- $3K
Total- $10K (going on the cheaper side)
But you still need suspension, cage and other safety required items, fuel pumps, wiring, plumbing, cooling system, exhaust, etc, etc, etc.
Might not happen for $10K though.
594hp 5.3L-$4K
Built Trans- $3K
Rear- $3K
Total- $10K (going on the cheaper side)
But you still need suspension, cage and other safety required items, fuel pumps, wiring, plumbing, cooling system, exhaust, etc, etc, etc.
Last edited by hrcslam; May 4, 2014 at 10:13 PM.
Obviously there is a lot more too it. I'm not claiming I'm the smartest at this subject I was only throwing a suggestion. There's way more than a built tranny and rearend that goes into building that kind of car. Yes you'll need those but he's asked for some advice so I shared.
Yes there is a LOT more than just the tranny and axle and that was exactly my point.
Say another $1000 in exhaust, $500 in fuel system. Not familiar with suspension prices for the f-body but let's say another $800, $100 CAI, say $500 in repairs are found.
Haven't gone into the engine and haven't addressed tires yet.
$10k can easily disappear into a heads/cam car making 480fwhp.
Of course someone will pop in and tell us how they built a whole 700hp car for $6k including initial purchase price but if someone has an issue with my prices please be specific.
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SFI certified crap is expensive there is a long list of NHRA requirements. Yeah, you can build something fast for $6k but it's no good if you can't use it... unless you want to run it on the street. Death is likely.
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Unless you can weld, prob ain't happening for 10k.
Turbo and kit: easy 5k
Motor: 4-5k if you go used
Trans/verter: 4k
Rear end: 3k
Tune: 1k
And we haven't even touched suspension or wheels/tires.
Turbo and kit: easy 5k
Motor: 4-5k if you go used
Trans/verter: 4k
Rear end: 3k
Tune: 1k
And we haven't even touched suspension or wheels/tires.
600 RWHP NA? Aint gonna happen..This a street car, track car, Have you ever had anything with 300 RWHP..You know how many (Novice) customers I've had that say they want 1000 RWHP and then they ride in a 400 RWHP vehicle and say, that was scary fast...
Most will **** themselves at 600hp. lol
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From: Raleigh, NC
Your best bet is probably a stock crank 355 build with a static compression of around 9:1, a good blower cam, some decent ported heads and search up a used Vortech S-trim.
Of course you'll need to upgrade the rear, tranny, clutch, suspension, etc. to handle all that newfound power. You'll easily spend 15-20k on a setup like that once it's tuned and the inevitable bugs are worked out.
If all you have is 10k, I'd say you should back your goals off to something in the mid/low 400rwhp range....something attainable with a NA heads/cam or stroker setup. And even then you'll need to upgrade the driveline unless you plan on always staying on street tires and never leaning on it too hard.
Of course you'll need to upgrade the rear, tranny, clutch, suspension, etc. to handle all that newfound power. You'll easily spend 15-20k on a setup like that once it's tuned and the inevitable bugs are worked out.
If all you have is 10k, I'd say you should back your goals off to something in the mid/low 400rwhp range....something attainable with a NA heads/cam or stroker setup. And even then you'll need to upgrade the driveline unless you plan on always staying on street tires and never leaning on it too hard.
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Rebuilt 355 reusing stock crank and a used procharger on an LE2 setup is probably as cheap as you're gonna get 500rwhp without nitrous. For 600 that extra 100rwhp will be expensive. I would look into a forged crank as well, which at that point a 383 makes sense...then you need bigger heads, bigger fuel system, etc. It starts spiraling out of control.
Even for the 500rwhp 355, 10k wont cut it after factoring in trans, fuel system, tuning, etc.
Even for the 500rwhp 355, 10k wont cut it after factoring in trans, fuel system, tuning, etc.