I have about $200 to spend, current car configuration follows.

1989 Camaro Iroc Z
L98 tpi - A4
Hooker Comp Headers
Full header back exhaust
K&N filters
2:73 posi
!AC accesories (condenser, lines, etc)
!smog pump accesories
85K original miles.
Car ran 14.3 last time at the track.

I'm thinking either cam or AFPR, I'd preffer not to start grinding on internals with a dremel unless it really would give me a nice gain.

Thanks!

 

i would recommend a set of 3.73's, that would really wake that car up....it'll be about 180 for gears, then you'll have to get them installed....you might exceed the 200 dollar mark, but not by much...

 

Labor would put him WELL past $200 Most of the time, you're going to want to do new bearings, seals, etc and that's more $$$.

I'd say 3.42's. Gears are definately worth it. Sticky "track only" tires are worth even more if he has traction problems right now.

 

yeah, probably be $400-$500 installed, gears, bearings, labor

 

What about finding a rear that already has higher gears? Any ideas what those generally run at a junk yard?

 

loook for someone selling a 3.42 rear local to you, i sold one for $100

 

$200?? A cam. Easy as that.
That 14.3 will turn to somewhere in the 13.?? range.

 

AFPR and gaskets from porting your plenum, runners and base.

The cam will cost more than $200, you will need to change springs and timing chain. 3.42 or 3.73 gears would be good if you can find them and install them for $200.

 

You can find some DAMNED nice cams for <$200. A cam would be more worth it than anything mentioned so far, besides head-work (which more than likely will NOT be done for under $600.)

 

good luck, a 89 L98 has a roller cam, comp gets $250 for them, + install

 

^Oooh snap.. I forgot those were rollers Ya, never mind the cam-thing unless you have another $150 or so to spend (in addition to the $200).

 

Gears or a stall, do the labor yourself

 

What exactly goes on when you install a stall-convertor?

 

you pretty much need to drop the trans, slide the torque converter out, and slide the new one on...then rebolt it to the flywheel...kind of a b!tch if ya ask me....

I don't think I would go with the cam right now, for one thing the cam swap is gonna cost you more probably than a gear swap...because you'll prolly end up doing some spring work, and a new timing chain, plus labor etc....

Plus with a new cam, its gonna want a higher stall converter and lower gears most of the time anyways....

So theres no way really around it, your gonna have to do gears/stall soon or later anyways, you mines well do it now...you already have posi, just get some lower gears and that will turn that car in too one fun street car....theres no doubt you should change all the bearings in there as well, you could prolly have it done for under 400 bucks for everything if you find the right deals...but otherwise you could go on some classified sites and find 3.73 posi rearends for a couple hundred to 300 bucks...try like thirdgen.org or soemthing...

 

Eh, it doesn't sound like *that* much of a swap when putting in a stall; does a stall take place of a convertor?