91 Firebird Formula.

 

with $4k I think you could easily get 400 hp out of a motor. It would pressure you to build the motor AND the car for that much without spending a little extra.

 

"First off, you cant make a 406 out of an L98. a 406 is a .030 400 block."

So why can't he just use a 400 and built it? Have you ever seen a 406 TPI engine? They are a good compliment to eachother, both designed for torque. That and 400 blocks are cheap, you can pick up bare 2 bolt blocks for $50 around here. (you don't want a 400 4 bolt, they were only produced from '70 - '72, and have weaker webs)

 

Thats what Im doing, but Im making a 427, not a 406

 

He'll find out that is just the beginning.

Now the tranny is going to take a dump. After I had an LPE 383 with crummy TFS heads and Accel SR and cam on it, the fresh GM rebuilt tranny took a dump. That is 6 months after it was rebuilt and me babying the car. Had to get it rebuilt and it lasted 3.5 years with me beating on it. Later on, I broke a gear in the rear end.

PS, don't forget the driveshaft. Get a loop because if the front yoke breaks, it will suck if it digs in the ground.

 

yeah I know what you mean about that being the beggening. Between steel crank Eagle full float rods, Ross pistons, machine work, Dominator, ALuminum heads I think I can get my engine built for around 4k.

Then the fun begins, 1k between suspension mods and slicks. 500 for rear-end. at leat a grand for the tranny if I can buy all the parts and get someone to put it together cheap. 300 for a 10 point cage. ANd these are all "at least" prices

I dont know what tubbing is gonna cost Im afraid to look it up

 

OK I will take your guys word for it, that 400 rwhp will not be possible, at least not cheaply and emissions compliant.

Will 350 rwhp be doable? When the Scoggin Dicky Vortec intake and vortec heads thing came out, they bolted it onto a dead stock L98 and it dynoed at like 304 rwhp. No cat back or anything.

Probly BEFORE I do the motor I will install a T56 and try to beef up the rear.

So you guys think 350 rwhp is possible? maybe for less than $4000? 4 g's is really the absolute most i wanted to spend, I was hoping more for $3000-$3500. I want to be one step ahead of bolt on LS1's at least.

 

I would say it would be pretty easily if you didnt hvae to be emmisions compliant. Thats gonna throw a kink into things.

 

I am curious, how much would a good 427 cost? From scratch. By good I mean budget Also can a 427 be EFI? Would it pass emissions, or am I just dreaming here?

 

A 427 sbc like the one Im building of a normal 427 big block?


If you wanted it to I suppose you could make either one sneak by emmisions, but Im really not very good with emmisions legal stuff.

 

I'll dissent here. I think you can for "close" to $4,000. I did this several years ago.

401wrhp. ZZ4 350 short block, reworked L98 aluminum heads(bigger valves, 5 angle valve job, pocket port and port match), LT4 hot cam kit(1.6 rockers), 58mm throttle body, 24lb/hr injectors, adjustible fuel pressure regulator, High performance fuel pump(in tank), CAI, LPE/edelbrock superram air intake, Borla cat back w/high flow cat, and of course programming. Over $5,000.
But all was new so it could be done for less.
Also I would not do this combo today, better parts out there now!

This engine had excelllent idle, mileage, and was emissions compliant. I originally intended to do this with the 385 fast burn heads, but no TPI base was available at that time. It is now!!

 

A 427 SBC. I've looked into big blocks and doing that creates even more problems/expenses. How much would a budget 427 SBC put me back.

 

Can you give me any more details on this? I am running an LT4 HOTcam, homeported LT1 heads with bigger valves and all bolt ons. I assume your numbers are through a manual tranny? I think 350ish rwhp would be expected with what I have, but I'd love to get into the 380 rwhp range. I know I'm going to need a dyno tune, but do you have any other advice? Also do you know what your heads flowed?

John

 

I just picked up an 87 IROC-Z that put 337horse to the rear wheels and is probably makin close to 385 at the crank. Maybe this combo will give you some ideas...Its naturally aspirated, and a total sleeper. Pop the hood and you couldn't tell a thing. Passes CT state emissions too. Its a 350 .040 over (357?) with a ZZ4 cam, 1.6 r.rockers and a set of WORLD S/R Torquer heads, 2.02/1.60 valves 171intake runners and about 10:1 compression. Edelbrock long tube headers, with the factory TPI.. ill probably swap the stock TPI soon to help the motor breathe easier. If you even want a chance of passing emissions, keep your air pump there... you don't have to put a belt on it until you go to emissions but just make sure its on there and connected.
The heads are about $700, the cam is around $200, rockers $200 ... everything else is stock... so Im sure thats in your budget... on the other hand... ive got a cast iron crank in my S10 thats making over 400horse naturally aspirated with 9:1 compression . Dont waste your money on a steel crank unless your going to spray it or use some other sort of 'forced induction'. Unless of course.. you want a steel crank, and yes full floating pistons will reduce friction and free up some horsepower, throw a windage tray on that motor too and youll also free up horsepower.

 

FastZinTennessee,

I don't think there's much to add. This was an 87 Corvette. Due to circumstances I ended up with a new set of aluminum L98 heads. So I had them worked over by a professional shop. They installed 2.00" intake and 1.55" exhaust, worked the combustion chambers to unshrouded the valves, 5 angle valve job on the seats and 3 on the valves, pocket port and gasket matched to slightly over size intake gasket. Do not recall the gasket number, flow was slightly over 200 at .50 lift. The 87 Vette has a good stock tubular 4 into 1 exhaust manifold, similar to a Hedman Headers, so I kept those. Replaced the precats/resonators with an nice off road "Y" pipe and a single monolithic cat, into the Borla cat back. The intake was smoothed out by replacing the accordion rubber pieces with smooth and increasing the filter area. The Vette has a nearly straight line flow path to the TB. LT4 knock module.

As you can see there is nothing very dramatic here. The object was to match the components to midrange power and keep the port velocities as high as possible.

Oh, and this was though a new street/strip 4L60 automatic.