Hello all, new to this forum, have been chatting on cammaroz28.com, and got recommended here.

I need some help compiling information for a local engine shop to stroke my engine.
I have a 94 z28, and a spare lt1 sitting in my carport that I would like to be rebuilt and stroked.
They will do everything except port and polish the heads as they can't do that for whatever reason, but I may just end up sending the heads somewhere else and have them do the engine alone. I have used them before and they are relatively cheap, very pristine work and they have a guarentee of 24 hours return for most of the jobs, very quick and clean work on the flywheel and heads for my girlfriends car.
I want to obviously use forged internals, and I intend to get at least 400rwhp but would like up to 500, and I don't plan on FI.
I would also like some help picking a suitable cam, and any other advice I can get on things here and there that will help.
I'm sure I will need to do some work on the intake, and I'll need injectors and all that too im sure.

So for the rebuild and stroking I'm sure I can just give them a nice forged 383 stroker kit that they can use, but what else besides that should I tell them?
And any modification specifications? I know you have to bore the cylinders 0.030 over, and you have to do some internal work for the crank to turn properly, right?

I am new to the whole car scene entirely, didn't even have my license until last year. I was a nuclear mechanic in the navy and worked with all these systems the car uses, just on a giant scale to where I have some trouble seeing it all work together so small, but I'm getting the hang of it.
Aside from the engine work I intend to get a stronger drive shaft, probable an 8.8 rear end and better axles, I am taking advice on this as well, and i want to put c5 brakes all around, along with 18 inch wheel, 7.5 wide in the front and 9.5 in the back, and I want to get long tube headers and a better exhaust pipe, mine has been converted to straight pipe and the cat removed, but it looks like a botch job.
I have also got a whole cart picked out of suspension pieces and parts, the front end kit and drive shaft loop and swing arm kit from UMI.
Thanks for any help with this. It's definitely going to take me some time so I'm in no rush, and the engine is probably going to have to wait until last for me to get the car itself ready to handle it.

 

For one, what is the highest horsepower car you have had, reason being, some people have no idea what a 400 RWHP feels like, just so you know, if you've ever driven a stock Z28 they ran pretty good and with app 235 RWHP for an automatic. Youd be surprised on the stock parts for a 400 HP motor if you didn't stroke it, my stock crank held up to 722 RWHP, the rods with ARP rod bolts are very good ect.500 RWHP may have some drivability problems if its a daily driver.

 

It sounds like you don't really know a lot about these engines. I don't mean that as a crack, just after participating in your thread over on the Z28 forum, it seems to me like you're still learning. (A big tip is the preference for a shop that has a 24 hour guarantee. Fast - cheap - correct. Pick two. ) Since you want to change the guts to all forged pieces, your spare LT1 in the carport is only going to save you $200-$400 on the build because all they're going to use is the block, main caps and rear seal holder, and that's assuming the block is 100%. If you want a 4 bolt main, that margin gets even smaller.

I would not even consider installing a mail-order kit unless everything has been balanced and thoroughly inspected. Most kits are not balanced correctly. My suggestion would be to get a shortblock (or longblock) instead of overseeing a build you're not 100% up to snuff on. Then get Lloyd Elliot to supply you with H/C/I to match.

This guy is generally thought to build the best LT1 short blocks:
http://www.ellweinengines.com/

Another option (longblocks):
https://golenengineservice.com/lt1-performance-engines/

As Moe said, a 500 rwhp car (600 crank) is probably going to be challenging on the street. You'll need a solid roller cam, lots of head, and lots of compression (11:1 +). If you're not comfortable wrenching, maybe consider either dropping your power goal a bit, going f/i, or going LS. It's far easier (and safer) to get that sort of power out of an LS engine.

 

^^^^This

Op, FWIW I bought a 383 forged 4 bolt main short block from Golen. Have about 35k mi on it now.

I would encourage you NOT go to the shop you mentioned for the 24 hr special using some off the shelf "383 kit"

 

My motor was build by Golen in 2004. I used it as a daily for years, and beat the **** out of it. It still runs fine, but I'm about to tear it down for a fresh up and more power.

 

that is the absolute last thing i would want to read on a sign or have an employee tell me when it comes to a shop. thats like a tattoo parlor saying "any tattoo, in and out in 4 hours or half off" which i have seen, and promptly walked out.

 

People have been using stroker kits for years. So long as it's a quality manufacturer. Everything still needs to be checked and weighed by the machine shop anyway that's part of the job you pay them for if they're reputable. The only way to ever enjoy your car is just do what you want to it so long as it's in budget and reasonable. Listening to everyone's opinion at the end of the day will just give you a headache. I remember in my early days I would ask stuff and get "You'll shoot yer eye out" responses. If I had listened I would of never had as much fun as I did learning about my car and wrenching on it. If the shop has a good rep, warranty's their work then I don't see why not.