transamws6_97

iTrader: (5)

I agree with the ones above...wait until you are further down the road before getting that in depth into modding...Currently I'm 20 and if you think about it you say you make 4-5k in your job well say you drive the average 12k miles a year and average 25mpg (and thats generous) @ 4.00/gal thats almost 2k alone in gas a year so half of your salary will go in gas...then youll spend quite a bit on misc things such as food/beer/activites. Honestly I wouldn't go past bolt ons...Headers, catback, cai, and some suspension mods would be ideal to hold you over till you get your degree or a better paying job...also these cars do tend to break stuff and regular maintenance I think you might actually be over your head if you only make 4k a year...hell I got paid less than 10/hour this summer and I make like 4-5k alone in the summer so either you must not work many hours or someone is ******* you over

x99ChevyCamarox

thanks for the advice and stories guys. i think im gonna do a le2 package pretty soon because winter is coming up and the cars not gonna be drivin in the snow anyway. from the numbers and track times iv seen from that package its really catching my attention on top of the fact that i currently have $1200 so im not far from the price of the package. then maybe next winter after i save more money i can pull the motor and do a 383 or 396 stroker. what do you guys think?

x99ChevyCamarox

yeah lol i work 20 hours a week at $6.30 an hour so im in the process of looking for something that i can make a little more money at.

texas94z

dont waste your money on your car dude. im 21 now and spent all of my money on a lifted dana 60ed 87 k5 on 35s and now my money pit z28

spend your money on girls and have fun while in high school.

dankl

iTrader: (1)

+1 on that. Hookers Rule!!

j/k

StealthFormula

iTrader: (35)

Dont forgot on top of the package, $200-300 in gaskets, $65 for head bolts, $200-300 for injectors, $200-400 for a TB, $200 for Intake Porting, $200-250 for Rockers, $150 for Studs, Guideplates, Pushrods, $30-40 for RTV and other lubes etc. etc. it ends up going from $1750 to double that, I just learned that this summer lol.

luckyou03

iTrader: (8)

I had an overmodded car at 17 and wrapped it around a telephone pole being stupid.

transamws6_97

iTrader: (5)

and that is doing the work yourself...if you are having a shop do it then i'd prob add around another grand on top of that

Black01M6SS

iTrader: (3)

If you are going to make a 383 stroker out of it later on make sure any parts you buy for it now will be sufficient for the stroker moter later. Buying twice sucks.

I'm just curious. What is wrong with keeping the LT1 that is in the car now? I could understand building a 383 if the LT1 is blown but just going from a 350 to a 383 isn't going to gain you a whole lot unless the heads and cam are able to keep up with the needs of the larger engine. If there is nothing wrong with the engine you have I would work with it and worry about the 383 when you blow up the engine you have.

If you already have headers I would add a big cam and some nitrous. All your high school friends will probably think you are crazy for having nitrous in your car lol. To make a whole lot of power without nitrous you are going to need a nice set of heads and an intake to match which is going to be expensive. I think LT1 stuff is much cheaper but I have around 10k$ in my 402.

Honeslty the money would probably be better spent on beer and girls at your age.

moehorsepower

iTrader: (3)

[QUOTE=dankl;9946040]+1 on that. Hookers Rule!!

Originally Posted by texas94z View Post
spend your money on girls and have fun while in high school.

I agree, I am double your ages and have well over $50.000 invested in my Z28, It becomes a domino affect, You start making more power then you need larger injectors, then a fuel pump to keep up with the injectors, then and ignition box to support the compression, Better Clutch or bigger stall, suspension, tires ect ect..It adds up very quickly.. Even now I regret it because you get to a point of no return, You cant stop buying the other required parts because then you risk hurting the motor and or cannot put the power to the ground, Believe me at 648 RWHP it is tough to hook up.. I could of put my money down on a new Vette and had it almost paid for.. Even a $100.00 worth of hookers is more fun. ( Not that I have done that)

bricez28

capricemgr, what are ur mods, id kill for even close to your hp.

meanredZ

I'm glad to see your sticking with the LT1 I'm 17 as well and saved for a long time to buy this car. My car is gonna get a nice heads and cam package in couple of months and i'm excited as hell. The LT1 is a great engine to mod so don't think you need to dump another motor under the hood. You are still young so small steps key or at least wait until you know you have money for other things like college and so forth.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

EXCELLENT advice!!

The only thing I would add is possibly attending a "performance driving school" in order to learn how to safely drive the power your car already has. Today's F-bods have a fair amount of power, and PLENTY enough to get you in trouble.

Be safe out there!

CamaroRacing12

iTrader: (5)

just do the simple bolt ons to the motor already in ur car.... their is a lot of power in a stock LT1 u just need to learn how to utilize it with the simple inexpensive mods that u can do in ur driveway... my car has never seen a dyno, and i have never ever touched nething internally, never taken a valve cover off and look at what i've accomplished i got my car when i was 16 i am now 19 and have one of the fastest bolt on only LT1's around... just set longterm goals, manage ur money, make sure u have enough to finish the project and thensome... u could have the nastiest F-Body in the world but if u cant afford to insure it and fill the gas tank then she will just sit in urdriveway alll summer long

petechapter50

iTrader: (1)

if you want to make some extra cash and you think your good with cars try and working on some of your nabours cars for extra cash. i did it all the time when i was in high school. since my auto class let me bring in "my" car on fridays i would bring peoples cars in and work on them for cash.

madness410

iTrader: (1)

hey man if you want some heart to heart advice of someone whose been there read this..

im 19, turning 20 in a month. my first car was a 1996 honda civic which i modded out because i loved it and it was my first car. i worked every free second to get the money to buy mods when i wasnt in school. i had and at the time it is what i wanted, but looking back on it now?...why did i do that?! dude i passed up so many times chillin with friends, girls, etc. etc. just to put stuff into my car? listen to other guys on here that say dont drop too much money into your car because they are right. enjoy your high school life dont spend all of it working, im in college now and now i understand high school life is priceless, you'll never get it back. plus a trans am is all you need to be a cool kid in high school, you dont need a built up big block. head to college, get a full time job, pick up an apprenticeship whatever and once u make 30 grand a year start modding. thats what im doing..

i just bought my camaro a few months back and i worked my *** off for it, and im still working alot to maintain it, insurance, gas, parts, etc...and now im double thinking it. i noticed i pissed away my high school career and now im doing it to my college career. just food for thought...good luck in whatever you do man

Black01M6SS

iTrader: (3)

OP, look at the times this guy is running with a bolt on LT1. I'm sure the older guys you know are probably telling you that you need a big block or stroker motor to run good but this guy is running 12.6's without doing any internal work to his LT1. Do a little research and look at the times most of those old school muscle cars actually ran. You might be a little more impressed by the engine that you already have.

kierstyn

iTrader: (5)

Honestly you need to do the mods that lead up to your goal and suspension should come first! My first mods as follows boltons, clutch, moser 9in, Suspension still stock tourqe arm tho, Slicks. and I picked up a nitrous kit one of the best mods I have done to any car! Its all money in the end but I learned real quick you can add all the power adders you want if you dont have the suspension parts to hook the car it dosnt do any good! I went from running 7.90s in the 1/8th with 1.8 and 1.9 60fts to running 7.40s with a 1.6 60ft with just the few suspension mods I have done so far!

Sunset01SS

iTrader: (4)

I couldn't afford my 4th gen Camaro until I was 27!
Be happy you have the car. Just take good care of it and enjoy it!

I wouldn't put a lot of money in it because many young drivers wreck their first few cars anyways! Also, since I own both an LT1 and LS1 car with the price of LS1 cars getting so low I'd leave the LT1 stock and save the money to buy an LS1 car.
I know all of you in this section will hate me for saying that. Sorry, but the LS1 is a much more efficient and powerful motor.

Kmaroman

iTrader: (1)

well put by white ws6 believe it or not many women don't know jack about car's. I was with a friend of mine a few day's ago he introduced me 2 these 2 girl;s. There friend had a stratus SXT and the guy really stressed his voice to make sxt sound badass it wasn't even a stick it was an auto. I so wanted to burn his *** with my camaro, but i know how bragging about your car can sometime's be a turn off. Later that i meet a guy driving around in a green TA the 93 to 96 model with the different front end. Had an lt1 sticker where my z28 rear sticker set's it looked sweet i talked to the guy at a stop light it was an A4. I asked him how many import kid's try and race him up here, cause isaid it's alway's fun to burn there ***