I am finally serious about getting my 96 SS M6 running again. I was the original owner, but ran across it in 2009 so I had to buy it back. The car has been in storage and has not run in 4 years due to a bad fuel pump and opti. I have searched the forums quite a bit, but I was looking for some input from those who have stayed with the LT1 community.

Starting with the fuel pump, I have thought about getting the kit through racetronix and using the racetronix pump so I can still use the bucket. I do plan on doing a stroker project next winter. Any advice as to why I should use the Walbro pump over the Racetronix? Below is also a list of I plan on replacing while I am back into it.

-New fuel tank and sending unit due to sitting for so long
-Strange S60w/4:10s, driveshaft since it needs to be done sometime
-New GM opti
-New water pump
-Tstat
-Plugs/wire (recomendations?)
-Cold air kit (Original SS intake broke)
-All fluids/Check hoses

If anyone has any better recomendations or suggestions I would really appreciate it. Please dont suggest an LS1 swap. I already have one and want to keep an LT1. Thank you in advance for the info.

Jeff

 

Take the tank to a radiator shop and have them vat it, good as new!1 Cheaper too. While the tank is out, cut a door in the trunk to access the pump in the future. Get the fuel rails and injectors serviced to eliminate issues at start up. Loctite the screws in the new opti. I drilled and tapped a the weep hole in the water pump and routed a hose away from the opti to prevent future issues. You are lucky , the 96 is one of the best opti's.

 

That's awesome you are the original owner of the car and have been able to get the car back. The racetronix pump is a good setup, I would recommend it, been using mine for a long time and my good buddy has been as well. As for plugs, assuming the car is stockish internal then some NGK TR55's would work well. Keep in mind once you do the stroker motor you will need different plugs to suit that motor better but TR55's are very popular amongst the LT1 crowd for stock, bolt-on and cam only cars. For wires, may not be a terrible idea to consider doing an OTVC kit. Since your original SS intake broke I'd look into running an LS1 lid setup, pretty sure it would clear no problem with the factory SS hood and to my knowledge they outperform the aftermarket LT1 cold air setups.

 

If you use a pump where the inlet is offset all you need to do is cut the internal ribs out of the bucket and it will fit/work.

 

I would find a plastic tank from a 99-02 to save a few pounds and add the extra gallon or so of capacity. Also as stated NGK TR55s but use the $2 ones not the expensive iridium or platinum ones. Change the oil before you try to fire it. For plug wires, I've had success with 8mm Taylor wires, 8.2 or 8.5 is kind of a bitch to fit in stock looms, be careful when routing wires not to burn them. If it doesn't have long tubes on it, I personally wouldn't attempt changing plugs or wires until doing the long tubes, such a PITA. I would grease all zurk fittings, and if you find the tie rods or ball joints or front control arm bushings are bad, replace them now. I would replace the rear control arms with poly/rod end double adjustable units, double rod end rattles eventually and transfers a lot of vibration to the chassis in my opinion, and Strano uses the poly/rod end combo on all his track cars and says there's no advantage to rod/rod. Poly/poly binds bad, get double adjustable so you can center the S60 easier.

I would also go over the wire harness with a fine tooth comb, pulling and prodding at everything AFTER you first try to get it running. If it runs first, at least after you start touching it all, start it periodically to be sure it still starts. Sometimes pulling on things makes them worse, but it'll help find any areas where time was not friendly. I had a wire for the fuel pump give up under the dash behind the passenger airbag and it was a bitch to track down because I had touched everything. All vacuum hoses should be checked as well. Flush the coolant, change the trans fluid, rear end fluid, and bleed the brakes until it all comes out clean. Pads and rotors may not hurt to look at, I will never waste money on new LT1 front pads or rotors again, id step up to 98-02 front spindles, calipers and brakes, all 98-02 had 2 piston calipers even V6 cars.

 

Thank you guys for all the great info so far. I really appreciate it. I made a post yesterday morning with a picture of the car, but it never showed up. All the information I have read is great. Unfortunately there isnt an unlimited budget right now, so I will be doing this in steps.

The engine is still stock. There was a Vortech on it back in 96/97 but I took that off and sold it in 1998. As far as the opti is concerned, I was planning on getting the AC Delco. I have a relative that works at a parts warehouse, so hopefully I can get a good price. It does not have longtubes, I was going to wait until I do the motor next year.

Once again, thanks for all the helpful advice. I look forward to reading any new post. I will make sure to keep this updated with pics when I get started sometime in April.

 

Good choice on opti, I think you are on the right track, just be smart when troubleshooting if it doesnt start.

definitely get the injectors and rails cleaned i bet they are gummed up bad.

 

Thanks again. Here is a few pics of the car.

 

Your car looks great. The '96-'97 SS's might be my favorite looking 4th gens. I also like the SN95 Cobra in the background, one of my very good friends had a mystic '96 that we cruised around in during college so I have a soft spot for them. One of these days when I get more garage space I'd like to buy the same two cars.

 

Thanks man. Good eye, I was wondering if anyone would notice the Cobra in the background. They are fun in a different way. It is a bolt on car with 4:10s. I am actually driving it today.

 

New opti and wires? From my standpoint, that's throwing good money after bad.

I have one of these about to go on my '96 Impala;

http://www.torqhead.com/buy-24xlink-...egory=14327802

Since you asked for recommendations........

KW

 

Nice car.. Now sell me those floor mats!

 

I completely understand about the opti advice, I did I ask. I guess I have been pretty lucky. The original opti has made it this long, so I will give one more a shot.

The floor mats, I wish I bought a few sets when I saw them on clearance from SLP in about 1998. Mine are ok, I have pretty much given up on finding a set of them in neutral. I did buy an extra set for my 2000 SS, but that one has ebony interior and they are still available.

 

Kept in excellent condition, unbelievable!

 

I actually just sold my 96 SS for this very reason. As much as I loved the car (I bought mine in 2009). It has just reached a point that everytime I look at it all the litlte flaws deter me from enjoying it as the build quality although good for the time was just not designed to hold up well for 20 years.

After pricing out new paint, seat covers, plastics components throughout the interior, and the H/C setup that it would take me to get near a 400 RWHP street car I was looking at well over $10K. This didn't even cover the hard to find parts such as the Floor Mats and Shifter **** which I may never get a better condition one and mine were reaching the point of no return.

This being said I quickly realized that I could get into a different platform car with a lot more power for a lot less than $10K after selling the car. I absolutely love the 96 SS and was about in tears when I sold it as it was pretty cool being one of GM's only plaqued/tracked cars and mine of which was one of the very few that was pretty much fully optioned by SLP but sometimes the rarity of the car actually made it a curse.

I probably should have kept the car but like you had it hoarded away in a storage barn for 4+ years pretty much (except for when my DD took a crap for a few months) and finally reached the point of which it was either spend a crap load of money restoring it let someone else. I unlike you chose to move on but hope to be in the position you were someday and find another.

Anyway good luck and I greatly look forward to following this thread.

 

Sorry to hear that you decided to get rid of the 96. Usually it takes a few years before you realize if it was a good decision or not. I know this car is going to cost me alot more money than it will ever be worth, but I dont think I will ever sell it.

When I sold my 96 for the first time, I was happy to walk away from it, and I never thought I would ever buy it back. That was until I happend to just stumble across it one day 11 years later while checking craigslist, which I never did back then and I dont why I even did.

These cars are getting pretty old and it is getting very hard to find good replacement parts. If this car didnt have a sentimental value, there is no way I would be spending this much money on it. I guess I am just trying to say not to worry about it. If it is truely meant to be, you will run across it again. Luckily all the SS's were numbered, keep all your old cars VIN#s. It is kind of fun to do a search once a year to see where they are at.

I have been away for a while, but I do plan to update this thread as soon as I get started. The car is out of state now, but I will start working on it as soon as the roads are clear. Take care guys.

 

I hear you. I have a 96 TA that I got in 1998 and spent my youth driving it all over the place. I put it in storage in the early 2000's and left it there until this past year when I moved it into my garage to restore/fix it back to where I wanted it to be. If it wasn't for the sentimental value, there is NO way I would do this with an LT1 F-Body. Good luck to you on your progress, and the car looks to be in great condition.

 

I really enjoyed reading your post and seeing the pictures of your progress Gangly. It looks like you have made some really good headway so far. I hope to begin my project in about a month. I want to make sure the roads are mostly clear before I take the car out. I am glad that someone else is also bringing their LT1 back to life.

 

Man, it brought the biggest smile to my face when I started it last night. Just wait, you'll experience it too and know it was the right way to go when you first hear yours start up again. The 96-97 SS's were by far the best looking Camaro's for a several decade period so I'm excited to see your's up and going too. Best of luck!

 

Been out of the LT1 scene for years but always good to hear original owners getting there car back after a sale...good luck w/ it.