First I want to say hello, this is my first thread, ever, hope to meet some cool people here.
Bout 2 years ago I had to sell my '95 Z28 cause I had a daughter, and we needed more room. Recently we have decided that we wanted a larger family car. I saw this as a golden opportunity and purchased a '96 Buick Roadmaster which has an iron head LT1 in it 260 hp at the crank, 219.6 whp, 15.98 ET. I am purchasing LE2 heads, and cam, putting shorty 1.75" headers, and full dual exhaust probably 2.25"-2.5", as well as upgrading ignition to MSD and a 52 mm throttle body on a edelbrock intake. I should be sitting 410 bhp - 450 bhp after tuning. It will still be a tank. Maybe this is the wrong place to ask, but what things would be advised to maybe shed some fat off it without jeopardizing it's functionality as a family car, or it's safety? Long explanation for a simple question. Sorry.

 

all I see is sleeper. If you have the budget you run a quiet OEM exhaust tube/muffler behind a reasonably sized (pair) of turbochargers, and use a cutout for those maximum performance days. You can squeeze 500rwhp through a very quiet exhaust with super ease, on a mostly stock engine.

 

I have a T56 swapped Roadmaster sedan and also helped a friend build up another Roadmaster sedan he scooped up for $325. Both cars have very similar mods. Mine made 295whp on the dyno with only the trans swap and bolt-ons. These cars respond very well to mods because they are extremely choked up from the factory. Even though the compression ratio/heads/cam are different, the difference in power between b-body and f/y-body is marginal with similar mods. Even though the b-body cam is smaller, the iron heads have a slight flow advantage (although I wouldn't do any work to them).

Here's the gist of my setup:
1995 Roadmaster sedan
T56 swap with F2B kit and Clear Image crossmember
Summit G-9001 long tube headers
2.5" Summit X pipe, Dynomax super turbo mufflers (quiet), dumped before axle
No emissions at all
3.73 gears and posi
DIY cold air intake (home plate delete w/hockey puck, 3.5" pipe from elbow to MAF with 3.5" to 3" coupler, swiss cheesed stock airbox with Spectre filter)

By far, the best butt dyno mod is gears and weight reduction. Plenty of emissions systems, power options, dampening weights, and sound deadening to rip out. The T56 with tubular x-member also saved me a ton of weight and mine sits around 4000 right now (although there's plenty more I need to rip out). These pigs come with awful gear ratios from 2.56-3.08 from the factory so they are slow as crap off the line so gears really wake them up without any real compromises. An auto with 3.73s will only turn 2100-2200rpm at 70mph. The T56 needs 4.10s or higher (I will be regearing to 4.30 or 4.56).

LE2 aluminum heads are a good investment, but to choke your motor up with shorties is a mistake. Long tubes or bust (Summit or Flowtech). The tri-y's seem nice but won't net you any power over the cheapo ones. The stock exhaust system is also 2.25" dual and steps down to 2" beyond the muffler. A 2.5" dual is plenty for your needs.

Also, don't bother with the MSD ignition, expensive throttle bodies, or Edelbrock intake. The stock ignition system is good, the throttle body will net you a tiny bit but can make tuning a PITA, and the Edelcrap intake is worse than stock.

 

Forget the intake and throttle body, especially the intake, it's been documented as worthless unfortunately. LE2s, long tubes for better scavenging, and a tune are the ticket. Plus stall and gears.