I have an '85 camaro z28. It has a T5 in it. I will be getting a G-force Transmissions T56. I plan on a 12 bolt with 3.42 gears. I know what the gears will cost. I know what the rear will cost. I have no idea what the engine will cost.

From what I am told a big block would be the easiest solution, but it is very heavy and would hinder performance in autocross events.

So what do I get short of a big block? Can this be done and still blow low emissions numbers?

Thanks,

 

What you need is 10 pounds of torque in a 5 lb. bag.

Go with a 406 and some decent heads, like Vortecs. The 406/Vortec head combo makes enormous torque and HP with a streetable cam. CHP magazine ran a 406 awhile back with 9.5:1, Vortecs, and a 230 deg. # 0.050" Lunati flat tappet cam, RPM intake and 750 Holley. They got 428HP and 520 ft/lbs torque. Those are big block numbers from a mild small block. Life doesn;t get much simpler than that.

BTW - I run the 400/Vortec combo in my Z/28. I've gone 12.15 on drag radials with the stock valves and rocker arms, and my car is over 3800 lbs race ready.

Just something to think about.

 

Yeah, a 406 with vortec heads is a stump puller. Didn't that engine end up making over 400 ft/lbs from like 2500 on? Great match for a t56. You could also do a 383 with the same heads and get pretty close to the same results.

 

What rods, crank, and pistons do you need? Is that as large as you can go without "clearancing" everything?

What's the dollar ballpark to make one of these things?

 

a 406 is a 400 small block bored .03. It's different then a 350 small block. You should be able to find a bare 400 shortblock without too much trouble. 2 bolt main is prefered over 4 bolt mains when it comes to 400 SBCs.

 

A properly built 383 or 400 could do it easily, but making 500 horsepower with TPI is going to take some work.

 

hey guy's new to the message board sece. but here it goe's.

METRAIL LIST:

406TBI build list: 1-forged crank large journal 8-sd forged 30over Keith black pistons, 8-sd forged rods, 8-sets of moly50/50 titanium rings, titanium bearing set: main rod cam, titanium gear drive set, stainless steal valve set.

SPECS:

400sbc .030 over bore,10.5:1 C/R,Dart head's,ported poliched,292dur.575lift. 2-670cfm TB's Holley TBI setup .


DYNO:

540hp@6500rpm 620ftlbtorque@5,000rpm.

Now I don't want to hear hear non of this BS about TBI has no performance.

 

yes.. just do a 406.. ull love it

 

umm.. y would u keep TBI on a 406??

 

That's a real engine? With TBI? Does it pass emissions?

 

Emmissions is up to the cam and the tune.
Also- let me ask you this:

1. Why do you want to go to 6500? I wouldn't go big block for that, if you need a spinner. Too much weight inside the motor.

 

From the 01/04 issue of Hot Rod:

...assuming engine displacement is fixed, raising the engine's operating rpm range is the most effective way to make naturally aspirated horsepower numbers.

It is simply unrealistic to expect a normally aspirated engine to produce both big torque and big power numbers under 6000 rpm - unless the engine is really huge.

I like the way engines sound when they rev at high rpm. I wish it was more complicated than that, but it isn't.

I have never had an upgraded car, so I don't really have a reference point for what can and can't be done. My "sports car" before was an Acura Integra GS-R. I loved that car. It would zing to 7500 with no problems and sing all the way. My Crown Vic really clears its throat up high also. But for the money vs. power returns in an FWD Integra a RWD V8 is a much smarter choice. And my Crown Vic is too big to really have fun, so I bought a Camaro.

All I really wanted in the beginning was to expand the power range on the 305. Each time I would mention it experienced rodders and books would say get rid of the 305 and get a 350. Then since I have a T5 everyone says that it will break if I mate it to the 350. And it has been often repeated that the stock 10 bolt can't take much of a power increase either. So if I have to get another trans, get another engine, and get another rear end I might as well make some serious power. So far I have been "bumped" to a 406. I thought that this was a bigger bore and stroke job on a 350, but I see that is not the case. I am not after a heavier engine, as I want to autocross and do HPDE in Nasa Pro Racing. If I was only interested in drag racing I would have no problems considering a big block.

With autocrossing I have observed that your runs are so short that if you have to shift you will really lose time. So if I can have good torque off the line and not really have to shift I can get better times right off the bat and not screw up with shifting.

When I'm on the highway the Camaro seems to be running at about 2500rpm in fifth. It doesn't really seem worth while to down shift because that puts me right on the redline. With the GS-R at the same rpm I would have to down shift which would alert everyone around me to my intentions. With the automatic Crown Vic I have to be really sensitive or it will kick down. It seems to be more desireable to me to just press the throttle further. That requires torque. But if I don't have the rev range or power to accomplish that then the whole thing becomes silly.

At 500 Hp it should be no problem at all to go down the 1/4 mile in 12 seconds flat with a stick. I just have to make sure I hook up.

Another challenge I've been having coming up with a plan is the carb vs. efi deal. Since my car has a carb now I was told that EFI was illegal. But withh a carb I have observed that essentially you make power above 5252 rpm or below, but not both. I think I have resolved this by choosing to do a SuperRam on as big a "350" block engine as can fit without super-duper clearancing excerises. If that means a 383, 396, or 901 its just a number. If I get a midways cam, hyrdraulic rollers, and a laptop I think I should be able to cruise at 20 or 30 and open it up when appropriate.

I really don't care what combination I end up with. I just want to make sure that the performance increase is worth the cash outlay, that I can drive it on the street without breaking it or me, and it passes the sniffer. If I accomplish the number, nothing short of a stock Z06 should be able to touch me.

I am sorry if this post is too long.

 

Ok well .

1. it's a 400 chevy Hence 91 F-body.

2. a 400 chevy= small block.

3. small block = RPM's to make Big Power.

4. i'm running 26 inch tall tire's with 3.73 gear's.

5. it's a 700R4 witch only use 3 third gear when on the floor racing it don't shift in to OD.

6. i want to run it out at the track with big power better time.

7. you could beat " Billy bob's" stock old L-98 with 2 million miles on it . racing on the Avenue shifting at 4,500 rpm if you wanted.

8. you just slamm it down and beat 80% of the Guy's on the avenue without having to shift in to 2ND gear.

9. it's got 2 670cfm tb's and 670+670= 1340CFM so it's going to take rpm's ta peak out the CFM flowage.

10. it has a 292* duration cam and 575lift engine Don't even start pulling till 2,250rpm's, witch give your tire's time to roll before get slammed with power.

11. better traction winn's the race. aka you could have an Engine with 900hp and 1,200TQ that spinn's off the line and it vould get beat my an engine that only make's 375HP and 460FTLB TQ that grip's.

12. I Like to kick it Down and run 120 130 140 MPH on the back road's every now and then, so with it balnce and cammed up it wil maintain the higher Rpm's better for sustained run's.

13. now this reason stupid but Just like "jrg77" I also Like the sound of and Engine under load at High rpm's.
a small block GM has an awsome sound above 5,500 rpm.

A Small Block AMC390 sound's awsome@7,000RPM.

my AMX's shift Point is 7,750RPM's,but it Don't,
REDLINE till 9,300RPM's.Rather it all out power at 9,300RPM Top speed is 175.68MPH@9,350RPM,1/4Mile's in 9.63@143.26MPH 1.352-60ft.
But if you wanted to scare a Buddy riding with you ya could whined it out in first gear to 9,700-9.800rpm's.
But it a 4spd manual car.
launch rpm is 5,200-5,300. 5,252RPM is ideal launch rpm but 50RPM either way won't hurt any thing. Ideal idle for this engine is 1,750rpm But with EFI and Computer Controled timing i can make it idle at 1,300Rpm but it's all choppy. witch is cool cause
People are like dude you car is going to Die I'm like nah just a nice cam.and it has s Dana/AMC20 rear end with 4.44:1 gear's,and 28X2R15 slick's but i'm going to run some 28X14.50's on it once. cruses the High way doing 65mph@3600rpm. I want the 28x14.50's cause there DOT aprooved street leagel. Not much of daily Driver or a cruzer But the S/S AMX is so much fun to drive.

 

91 GTA Ramair2,

Dude your AMC must sound like NASCAR on the street!! Do you have to rebuild it often?

With the cam in your 91 how "rough" is it around town? I know the back roads gotta call everyday. So often you hear about losing low rpm torque, but no one quantifies it.

 

Ok Well Guy's sorry about the Post getting so long.
Ok Well Number 13 getting so long and off Subject there.
But the First 12 should give you the idea.