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Well, I've finally made up my mind. I'm going to ditch the fuel injection and electronic ignition for the old school carb and distributor setup.
For numerous reasons actually. Some good, some stupid, some down right crazy.
I haven't decided on size yet, but it's between 305, 327, or 350. I'm looking for high rpms, and high horsepower. Basically in chasing 200mph in this car, but i also want to be able to turn as well. So I'm ruling out strokers for now.
Here's my reasoning. I'm not made of money, so u don't want to throw $5k into s motor in most likely going to burn up anyway. Old school SBC are a dime a dozen. Parts are cheap, plentiful, and easy as hell to work on.
Second, it's easier to generate lots of power with small upgrades that don't break the bank all at once. May not be as friendly on the street, but I'm not going for creature comforts. High performance is the only end game.
Third, and this is the crazy part, i want to protect my car from any type of EMP. Let's leave the tin foil discussion for another time, but fuel injected cars can/will be toast from an EMP. Sure, everything can be fixed, but not as easily as a carbed car. Less electronics to get fried means more time on the road after SHTF.
Just FYI, the sun has the ability to generate EMPs that can knock out entire infrastructures. We haven't experienced one since the industrial age, but yeah.
I believe the EMP would only fry the solenoid in the starter itself, but not the distributor. I gotta check on this, but either way, 2 very small parts as opposed to a whole PCM among other sensors and crap. This us ask theoretical too, but just spilling the beans on what's lead me to my decision.
Ultimately, i like carburetors and old school motors. It's what i was raised on, it's what i learned a ton on, it's what i like.
So, my next endeavor is picking out a good fuel system to fit in the engine bay. I know there's not alot of room under the hood, and more than likely I'll be chopping up the firewall and cowl area to squeeze whatever is fueling my nightmare.
I'm posting here just to see if anyone has any good info to talk me out of regressing with my 96 TA.
Fitting a carb and air cleaner under a stock hood might be tricky as well as trying to deal with a distributor under the cowl.
A better choice would be a tall, 4wd beater for your EMP apocalypse. You'll need the ground clearance to climb over/get around all the dead computer controlled cars.
I think you need to sell the '96 and get something else with old school in it if that is what your heart is set on.
Trying to mod this car into something old school is going to cost you more than you think. Gauges, fuel system, new hood(there is no way a carb and intake are going to fit under the stocker), painting that hood, rewiring the car, etc, etc.
Why are you chasing 200mph? Trying to outrun the nuclear blast and ensuing EMP wave? =P
Ill bite. The LTx section might as well be called "Racers Lounge Part deux" anyways.
So lets say the EMP hits, be it by the sun or the god damn democrats, where will you be going 200mph with roads filled with fried cars? The tow trucks will be down too. What track will be able to measure your 200mph run? What fuel pump will provide you with gasoline? How will you have money to race when you have to replace every electronic you own? How will you get past man-bear-pig?
You need to forget a small block and go diesel. Not any diesel, it needs to be multi fuel like the old 2 1/2 ton military trucks. And you need to convert it to 4x4, better yet it should be on tracks. You need an assault camaro, because anything called assault is badass. You will need a big cross on it too because then Jesus will part the broken cars littering the streets like the Red Sea. Actually you should make it fly. Put some wings on it, and learn to make propellers out of wood by carving with rocks since all power tools will be gone.
Now the problem is 200mph. That problem is solved if you drive it off a cliff.
Demonsmokr's been smokin' something else.... Dude, you gotta get one of the last V8 interceptors with a big azz blower sticking out of the hood for the ultimate post-appocaliptic wasteland 200MPH capable pursuit special...everybody know that! Otherwise Lord Humungus will run you down with ease in his nitrous powered 6 wheeled truck of DEATH!!!
Test. Having issues posting. Lost 2 long posts, memory only works so well.
EMP was a joke, inside thing with a friend if mine, carb setup won't work how i want it, no room. Was basically trying to be cheap and avoid getting another parts car and hearing the wife be so logical and rational.
Sorry for seeming like a troll. Been busy, now having posting issues.
If you had left out the whole EMP thing, you would get reasonable responses. Carb has been done, but if you go carb, you might as well ditch the LTx, and just go sbc, since the sbc has way more aftermarket support. If you are chasing 200mph in the standing mile, you need 900-1100hp in a 3400lb f body, which in an LTx isn't really going to be reliable enough to outrun man-bear-pig repeatedly. 200mph in the 1/4 isnt happening on an ltx in an f body period, or probably an ltx in any chassis other than an airplane. If you want 200 on the post EMP deserted unlimited length roads, you need less power obviously.
Which post apocalyptic world do you need 200mph in? Standing mile? 1/4 mile? Dirt roads? Salt flats? Are there zombies involved?
Last edited by bufmatmuslepants; 12-16-2015 at 05:47 AM.
No zombies. 200mph through city streets littered with broke down cars, obviously! Ha! Kinda the course the discussion with my friends at work went.
If i went carb, i would ditch the LTx altogether. But, looking more, taking measurements and comparing them to my buddy's 2nd Gen, it just won't work for the setup i want. I'd have to lower the motor in the engine bay, which there's only maybe 3" to get after extensive fabrication on the cross member. Just won't work.
Now, if i could fine an 86+ corvette with the 6 speed, would be a different ball game!
Basically, i was trying to get the most bang for my limited bucks at the time being. The EMP business was for ***** and giggles. Like yall have said, would need an older pre-85 car or truck. Would also go diesel for that as well.
So, my dreams of saving money in this build are shot down. So i just need to keep searching for a Chevy Express or GMC equivalent. These seem to be cheaper than trucks, and would get more from the scrap after in done.
I've already gutted quite a bit from the interior. Maybe 150# so far. There's more to be shed. But don't have any dash ideas yet. I know i can get this car under 3000#.
In reality, if i can get to 200mph on salt flats, that would be awesome. I've gotten to 175mph in a mostly stock 96 z28. Was on a 5+ mile straight. Speedo was pegged past 150mph, and i was pacing a Ducati. He took off after a bit, and i caught up to him at the freeway. He said he was pacing me about 175 before he took off.
It's my dream to break 200mph in any Firebird. One that may never come true, but I'll keep dreaming until it happens, or i die trying!
So, to recap, EMP protection is not economically feasible. Gotta find an alternative way. Maybe incase the car in rubberized lead? Then I'll just need a 500 shot or so of NOS, and I'll be good to go! Just gotta find somewhere to refill my tanka after the EMP. Geez, preparing for Armageddon is kinda tedious. Just never ends.
Carb is out. Just gotta add more to savings and wait to find a cheap van to gut. Then i can start building the motor.
What about converting an LS to carb? You still need to keep the PCM for ignition, correct? Or do they have a mechanical conversion for this as well?
I've only seen one conversion in person, and they kept the PCM and coil packs. Just going over all my post-EMP options.
You can do an sbc as carb, you just need a low profile distributer (will suck to service) and a cowl hood. I would stay with the stock PCM, with the lt1, put the money into forged rods and pistons, and do a 200 shot. Or do an AI heads/cam package or AFR 195s or something, shoot for a 355 with 425rwhp NA and a 200 shot. Or do a 5.3 instead of a 6.0 since they are cheaper, or a 4.8 and check out Denmah's "giving hotrodding back to the people" threads on building megasquirt turbo junkyard motors. You can squeeze 600-900hp out of bone stock 4.8s and 5.3s with Chinese turbos.
I was thinking of the 5.3 as well. But even junkyards here are over priced for unknown motors. I don't mind getting something ragged out because I'll rebuild it anyway. But I'm not gonna pay $1500+ for a motor sitting on someone's garage floor, warehouse rack, whatever. I've found trucks and vans in the $2k range that run and drive. That's good reassurance compared to the crap shoot junkyard motors.
I'll keep searching, but my work schedule sucks. I work nights, and just don't have the time to goto as junkyard before work, most are all closed on Sunday and close early before i get off Saturday.
Most give me crazy prices over the phone, so i don't even bother. Been watching Craigslist like a hawk for something good to come up.
Sorry if I'm not all serious all the time. That's too stressful and makes you bitter.
12-14-2015, 07:44 PM
Finally decide on an engine. 
Otherwise Lord Humungus will run you down with ease in his nitrous powered 6 wheeled truck of DEATH!!!
