Need Advice
Need Advice Got a rare silver hardtop 6 speed 96 WS6. It recently had a rod knockin so I gotta dig in the motor. This car has only 50k on it. I was thinking about stuffing an LS1 in it but that would decrease the value plus its a pain in the *** and I know I could have an LTX built that would definately satisfy me just as much as a built LS1. I would own an LS1 trans Am I just hate T-tops. I am going to.....
A. Fix it replace all rods and sale the car and get a mean vette ( which is really the only other car I would rather have) or......
B. Spend big money and put a 383 with a turbo and turn it into a high 9 second show car I would have someone do the work on it.
Its about time to make a decision I am tired of the car just sitting in my shop and I just about have the money to play. I know if I mod the hell out of it I wont get half the money I Put in it but thats the price we pay as hotrodders.
I will leave yall with this pic as it is right now
Help me decide....
A. Fix it replace all rods and sale the car and get a mean vette ( which is really the only other car I would rather have) or......
B. Spend big money and put a 383 with a turbo and turn it into a high 9 second show car I would have someone do the work on it.
Its about time to make a decision I am tired of the car just sitting in my shop and I just about have the money to play. I know if I mod the hell out of it I wont get half the money I Put in it but thats the price we pay as hotrodders.
I will leave yall with this pic as it is right now
Help me decide....
Nice ride....what about a 434 smallblock w/true 10.25-1 CR, a Thunder or Lunati Custom grind sleeper cam", and transfer over your 100 shot ZEX + a nice exhaust & X pipe? Maybe not a 9 second car, but easily less expensive then the full turbo setup & accessories. Easier selling of a rare car with stroker muscle and the old motor wrapped in a bag that goes along with any future sale..... JMO 
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Just a lotta time (which I dont have I work my *** off in the oil fields) and money. I am going to fix it regardless I will probably forge the whole bottom end but leave the stock crank even if I do sell it.
There really is no downside just I wanna do a lot of work to it and its a real headache vs. gettin a vette like I want it.
Please keep suggestions coming guys.
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TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,564
Likes: 4
From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
Putting an LSx into it doesn't HAVE to lower the sale price. Just keep the original motor, wiring and transmission.
I'd do what the_merv did if I ever had the money. I love how LTx motors sound compared to LSx, but with the abundance of 6L truck motors at the junk yards with low miles, I just couldn't pass it up. Get the 6L truck motor, L92 heads (best flowing heads, even compared to ported ones of other castings) and toss in some other parts from stock motors, you'll have a monster. Merv might even make you a wiring harness, since he made his own and knows what to do now
His is a 402 with some crazy power for how cheap he got everything! Sounds great as well. Only thing is, you either run the truck intake or I think an LS3/7 will fit. I did read an L76 (I think that's the one) can fit, but am not sure.Lots of good info here (I bookmarked it)
http://www.impalassforum.com/vBullet...d.php?t=199352
Other than that, if you do the turbo 383, you'll HAVE to stick money into a 9" or 12bolt rear. If not, you'll just break our poor 10bolt really quick.
I'm curious as to why it has rod knock @ 50K. Lots of people here have 200K on them, pumping 150shots through it, and are still going strong... LT1s have really strong bottom ends. Wonder if it was ran with really low oil?
x3
Putting an LSx into it doesn't HAVE to lower the sale price. Just keep the original motor, wiring and transmission.
I'd do what the_merv did if I ever had the money. I love how LTx motors sound compared to LSx, but with the abundance of 6L truck motors at the junk yards with low miles, I just couldn't pass it up. Get the 6L truck motor, L92 heads (best flowing heads, even compared to ported ones of other castings) and toss in some other parts from stock motors, you'll have a monster. Merv might even make you a wiring harness, since he made his own and knows what to do now His is a 402 with some crazy power for how cheap he got everything! Sounds great as well. Only thing is, you either run the truck intake or I think an LS3/7 will fit. I did read an L76 (I think that's the one) can fit, but am not sure.
Lots of good info here (I bookmarked it)
http://www.impalassforum.com/vBullet...d.php?t=199352
Other than that, if you do the turbo 383, you'll HAVE to stick money into a 9" or 12bolt rear. If not, you'll just break our poor 10bolt really quick.
I'm curious as to why it has rod knock @ 50K. Lots of people here have 200K on them, pumping 150shots through it, and are still going strong... LT1s have really strong bottom ends. Wonder if it was ran with really low oil?
Putting an LSx into it doesn't HAVE to lower the sale price. Just keep the original motor, wiring and transmission.
I'd do what the_merv did if I ever had the money. I love how LTx motors sound compared to LSx, but with the abundance of 6L truck motors at the junk yards with low miles, I just couldn't pass it up. Get the 6L truck motor, L92 heads (best flowing heads, even compared to ported ones of other castings) and toss in some other parts from stock motors, you'll have a monster. Merv might even make you a wiring harness, since he made his own and knows what to do now
His is a 402 with some crazy power for how cheap he got everything! Sounds great as well. Only thing is, you either run the truck intake or I think an LS3/7 will fit. I did read an L76 (I think that's the one) can fit, but am not sure.Lots of good info here (I bookmarked it)
http://www.impalassforum.com/vBullet...d.php?t=199352
Other than that, if you do the turbo 383, you'll HAVE to stick money into a 9" or 12bolt rear. If not, you'll just break our poor 10bolt really quick.
I'm curious as to why it has rod knock @ 50K. Lots of people here have 200K on them, pumping 150shots through it, and are still going strong... LT1s have really strong bottom ends. Wonder if it was ran with really low oil?
I am also curious it does have a stock bottom end and I was on the bottle when it started to knock it shut the car off and service engine light came on. I waited ten minutes and started it up and it started knocking.
I just put a Moser 12 bolt in with 33 spline axles and 3.90s this year.
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,564
Likes: 4
From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
What size shot were you spraying on it? I've been on vaca for 6 weeks and need to get back into the swing of things, but I believe 150 is the most you want to spray on a stock bottom end LTx motor. You can get that answer in the LT1-LT4 section though. A search there would most likely bring it up. I only slightly doubt my answer because I know that's the most you can run w/o having to pull timing, just run cooler plugs and you're game, but not sure if that's the most the bottom end can handle.
What size shot were you spraying on it? I've been on vaca for 6 weeks and need to get back into the swing of things, but I believe 150 is the most you want to spray on a stock bottom end LTx motor. You can get that answer in the LT1-LT4 section though. A search there would most likely bring it up. I only slightly doubt my answer because I know that's the most you can run w/o having to pull timing, just run cooler plugs and you're game, but not sure if that's the most the bottom end can handle.
150 is the most I would run on a stock bottom end anything. Thats what I was runnin and the weird thing is I was only at 5k rpms when it did it and before this happened it was missing real bad .No Its not the opti it is definately mechanical its continous and sound horrible. I would bet my right ******** its a rod, right front
