LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

After sitting in my garage collecting dust for about two in a half years, I'm finally getting my 36,XXX mile 2002 Z28 A4 up and running. Nick (owner of Straightline Performance), Chris Bradley, Brandon Hammond, myself, and a few others have been putting in long hours after work in order to get this together.

Here's a little history on my long over due project. I purchased the car in 2004 from a friend how was going to trade it in on a 2004 CTS in October of 2003. I had 16,XXX miles on it at the time. This was going to be my daily driver because I had a 1997 Trans Am project going on at the time. I took the car to US 41 where it ran a 13.02 @ 113.8mph with only a SLP air lid. On our Mustang Dyno it put down 312rwhp with a mild tune and SLP lid.

As much of us are, we're never satisfied. So I picked up some used Hooker SC Long Tubes, a Yank SS 4000 converter, and a LG G5x3 cam. Installed all that good stuff, made 393rwhp on our dyno, ran a 11.7 @ 116mph at US 41 with a 1.55 60'. On my second pass, it pulled a 1.50 60', but only ran a 12.4. Something was definitely wrong. 6 of the 16 valves springs had shattered the outer spring. Time for a rebuild. . . .

My first goal was to convert the car to a manual since I really missed banging gears in my 2003 350Z. So I traded everything needed to do this with somebody looking to do a swap. My next goal was to use twin GT35R turbos on stock displacement motor. So I dropped my block off at our engine builder at the time, who had it for over a year without ever assembling the anything. Then within a week it was done. I had it sit for a while, while trying to save up for everything else that I needed, when Alex (Sprayed01) asked me if I would consider selling him the motor. I got back to him and worked out a trade where I got his LS6 short block out of the deal.

My first inclination was to just put a cam in the car and call it done, then sell the car. Well, being in the performance business, it's easy to come across deals. Soon one deal led to another and so forth. . . .

Here's how the car stands currently. It's a 347cui LS6 with forged and coated pistons, H-beam rods, Rollmaster Dual Roller timing set, and Mellin HO oil pump from P.E.R. in Plainfield (our current engine builder, thanks Randy!). TEA Stage 2 LS6 heads milled to 59cc with upgraded springs (heads flowed 323 IN/262 EX @ .600). Cam selection is a 24x/24x, .620/.622 @112+2 by Comp Cams, I'll give the full specs based on the results. Cooling is done through the stock radiator and Meizer electric street water pump. Intake starts with a FASTTOYS.NET lid, through a 2002 Z06 MAF on it's way to a FAST92 Intake and throttle body. Fueling is done by a Racetronix hotwire kit and fuel pump, and Lucas/Delphi 42lb/hr squirters. Exhaust is handled by Kooks 1 7/8" Race long tubes, Kooks Off road pipe, and Corsa cat back (Thanks Gus!). The trans is an RPM Level 4 T56 with some upgrades, and an LS7 clutch set up. For now it's going to be on stock wheels and suspension. I hope to get that changed in the spring.

The installation and conversion went really smooth for the most part. It's really nice to have all the major pieces for such a project. On a side note, my original motor that the first engine builder built, was supposed to go on the engine dyno. I had given them all the accessories and bolts, everything neatly labeled in little plastic bags. When I got everything back, I got the long block, the accessories, and what I thought was all the bolts. So I spent most of the time picking through a bucket of misc. bolts trying to find matching ones for whatever was needed. That and the fact that around 12 am, I became absent minded due to lack of sleep, I would misplace something that we needed (most of the time it wound up on the lift or in the car).

I'm currently waiting for one part from BMR, and I'll be able to get it on the dyno. I took some pics I'll be sharing with you in this post from the other night, and I'll update it when I get more taken.

Last night we fired it up for the first time, and OMG. . . The sound. . .The best I could describe it is that it's like angry demons trying to escape to eat small children, then spit out their bones like bullets causing more havoc. I'll be sure to get some video up soon.