Affliction

My goal for my 1993 z28 was always to run 11.50 AND be street legal. Driving to the track in a racecar was something I've always dreamed of instead of pulling up in a truck hauling it behind you. Today at the racetrack I was inspired to start my car's journey. Car is a summer only car and with summer coming down to an end, I have taken off the insurance to begin working on it.

Some information about my car, 1993 Z28.
- Auto trans
- K&N intake
- Gutted cat (there's actually a hole in my muffler aswell)
- Everything else is stock.

Car has 115k miles on it.

I have a set few questions at this time.

At 115k miles, is the lt1 worth dumping cash into?
-or should I just go pick up a 350 sbc and start modding that?

As far as mods go, what is recommended first?
- I was thinking headers for a start? My dad keeps telling me to ditch the optispark and go with an msd ignition system. Would that improve my 1/4 mile time on a stock motor?

If you need any more information, please let me know!

Injuneer

What MSD ignition replaces the Opti? They sell a "billet" Opti, but that's no better than stock, if not inferior. The only way to delete the Opti is the EFIConnection 24X system.

"Street legal".... meeting what emissions requirements?

Affliction

Oh really? My dad has a racecar and it has the msd ignition (red box) mounted on the firewall. Is that not possible for our cars?

as far as street legal, I have no emissions. I just meant, for it to be legal on the road. for example, (not too loud, slicks obviously arent street legal, illegal tints) pretty much anything that will get me pulled over I don't want. I can have a super loud car, as long as i'm not running open headers or anything lol

Kevin Blown 95 TA

You still need a distributor unless you find a way to eliminate it with sensors, electronics, and multiple coils. There isn't a MSD box that makes an LT1 not need a distributor.
And doing a 350 sbc is not an easy proposition, either (look where your engine is). There are a few recent threads about it if you want to know in detail why it is not as easy as it seems.

Affliction

Is it worth spending thousands of dollars on a motor with 115k miles?

Injuneer

Sure..... if you are going to build a 500HP engine, it's going to be basically "rebuilt" by the time you are done. The fact the block has high miles on it makes it well "seasoned" and does not make it useless or inferior in any way. There are LT1 engines that have surpassed 200,000 miles, and are still going strong.

The red MSD box is typically a multiple-spark discharge unit. As noted above, yes you can ADD that to the LT1 ignition system, but it doesn't eliminate any stock parts. It is generally only useful for "power adder" applications - nitrous, S/C or turbo - where the engine encounters extremely high combustion chamber pressures. I ran the MSD 6AL when the engine was still basiclaly stock, but had an NOS 125-HP dry nitrous system on it. Some people feel the multiple spark boxes can accelerate the destruction of the Opti.

Show your dad this article about the LT1 engine, and the differences between it and the Gen 1 SBC engine:

Rebuilding the Chevrolet LT1 Engine, Doug Anderson, Automotive Rebuilder, September 1999

Affliction

Will do. He said to add the msd box because my uncle did it to his 87 regal. stock he was running 14.7, he added the box and jumped down a whole second on the 1/4 mile.

I'm going to do the coolant bypass mod soon, but what is the first performance mod i should go with? Would headers be smart? or should i start off with a set of rockers and springs?

Injuneer

My setup is basically "street legal" using your definition.... 500HP at the flywheel on straight motor, runs 11.5 @ 117MPH. Will actually pass a tailpipe emissions check - I have dual cats flanged into the exhaust for the street, and drop them out at the track. I have two sets of wheels - skinnies and full slicks for the track, and conventional radials (drag radials in the rear) for the street. Loudness of the exhaust is easy to control.

The problem in NJ is that they can do a full visual inspection, and also had mobile emissions teams that would set up on the side of the road, and pull cars over for a full emissions check, including a portable dyno check and a full visual check by people who actually knew what they were looking at. That's why my car is basically a track car.... 800HP/800lb-ft with the nitrous. Unfortunately it's been sitting in the garage for too many years, due to my work schedule.

HardcoreRM125

****, if you just want a 11's car, in full street trim - I would do full bolt ons (CAI, Long Tubes, No Cats, Dumped or Good Muffler, 1.6RR & Springs, Drag race Springs, Rear Lower Control Arms and Brackets, Torque Arm & Tunnel Mount, Tires, and a nice wet kit.

I personally like NX. A 100 Shot will get you damn close on a full bolt on car. If you install a cam, and are running stock heads, 11's will be easy on a 100 shot with any kind of traction. A 150 shot will def get you there unless you stink and launching.

Personally, I wouldn't rebuild it til it pops. A lot of motors on the spray, or heads/cam, etc. that have 100+K miles ... Not a deal breaker for a spray car that sees the extra stress for 12 seconds at a time every couple weekends.

My $0.02's

HardcoreRM125

I would however, pick up a spare LT1 or even just a block on Craigslist, here, etc.

And build your ultimate bottom end as you get time and money. If she lets loose, it is your Plan B and is a weekend swap. If she doesn't - you eventually build a killer motor then swap at your convenience.

Injuneer

Work on major weight reduction and 11's get a lot easier.

Mystery Bird

In good air my car runs high 10's. I street drive it all the time and pass inspection without issues. I still have a single 3" quiet cat back exhaust on there too. 11.5's are much easier to attain now-a-days since it's been done so many times already. Weight reduction, heads/cam, gears, quality converter (if auto), and sticky tires. A couple of suspension parts and a tune. Here is an old thread of mine when I was looking to do the same thing. https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/lt1...ch-11s-710144/

Affliction

If you had to take an educated guess on how much it'll run to get into the 11's, what would you say?

And as far as nos goes, the car would be a bracket car, so I'd stay away from nos.

Mystery Bird

It depends on how much of the work you can do yourself and if you use new, used, or a combination of both when buying parts. Also, depends on your starting point. Where are you now with mods and a healthy bottom end, transmission, and rear?

Affliction

90% I won't be able to do myself. I have a family friend who will do it at a discounted price though. As far as mods go, car is stock besides cai and gutted cat. Couldn't tell you if the bottom end or rear is healthy. Trans shifts hard on occasion. Also, on occasion when I floor it, car makes a **** ton of noise for a second or two, and THEN it starts to scoot. it's not instant which I thought is weird..