Hey everyone, after years of saving money and 12 years of owning my Z28, I am ready to go all out. I have about 15K to do my new motor and tranny, I had several ideas. Quick list, its not my question but will help your answers. I have considered many options. GN Turbo 6 swap, 402 LS2 on nitrous, 408 iron block and a turbo, or putting the 402 in my SS and slowly building the Z28 to be turboed from the SS' 346 when I pull it. This will be an occasional street car, no radio, no a/c, light weight etc. I was told something that I found intriguing and was said to be easier, so here's my question.

2 Seperate people have told me to just throw a monster carb'd small block with a big shot of the juice and be done with it. It will cost less and be just as fast. It has taken a long time to save my money (12 friggin years, something always comes up to blow the money), and with a new kid and a long hour job the time to do the swap in my garage could be almost a year alone (the first swap undertaken all by myself). The need to swap the PCM and get the car running with any LS1 variant will be a chore, and is my main concern. People have also told me that getting a good LS2 motor in there isn't that difficult and the only real work over a carbed car is the PCM issues and the tuning.

What should I do, I just want the car to finally make around 500 hp and over 600 on a power adder. Should I stick to my guns and do the LS2? The Turbo 6 is out of the question, I just don't know enough about them to do it myself. But a carb'd small block is pretty simple. Will a carb'd car save me that much money. It would be nice to do good wheels and a paint job if I save enough. I am making my short block purchase on June 25th (my 30th B-day). Help me give myself the coolest b-day present ever. Thanks for your opinions guys.

 

Don't leave out the carbed big-block option as well as the turbo LT1.

Sorry, I know that doesn't really narrow it down for you but if you already have an LT1 you might as well use it. And there is no point in putting a carbed SBC in your car if a BBC will fit.

My uneducated $.02

Jeremy

By the way, you really should have tried to get Big Rick's setup when he was selling it. That would have been a good start.

 

$15k Gs is alot, I think you could have a good setup for ALOT less
he wants raw power!

 

At first all I wanted was to be unique. So many people tried to get me to do a Grand National turbo 6 that I almost did. Had a ton of money saved for the new Aluminum block GN motor and was ready to go, and had enough to hire a GN pro to do the install. Then my wife got Pregnant, I had to buy her a TL and new Bedroom and house furniture and baby furniture and I lost about 10 grand. Unique costs money, when I am older I can do unique, all I want now is 10's or 9's. there is a lot I have to buy along with the motor also. I need a K-Frame, new fuel pump, tranny that can hold the power, 12 bolt or 9 inch. So the 15K will get eaten up pretty fast. I figure my best bet for now, would be to spend a lot of dough on heads and the block, and can go carbed on an LS2 to be quick for now, and eventually when it is sorted switch back to EFI. But at least the car will run and run fast. I am just not sure anymore what I should do. Big Block is out of the question though, because one of my goals is for the car to be featherweight. LT1 is also out for me because I am sick of the problems I have had with mine. I'd rather go for the newer, better designed LS heads and get rid of the opti puke. My dream is the Turbo 6, or the 454 warhawk. I figure the most likely ALL OUT that I could get running immediately is spend 5k on the tranny and rear, and 10K on the motor. Carbed 454 Warhawk LSx would be no slouch. But if I could go cheaper, I could do wheels and paint also.

I just don't know what to do, lookin for ideas ya know.

 

You are in a good position for sure. Decisions, decisions........ You're going to get a lot of opinions in here, so here's mine! I would go crate motor sbc. You get proven performance, easy install, zero tuning headaches, minimal wiring, faster project build time, and A WARRANTY!!!!!!!! Check this out...
http://www.shafiroff.com/ultrastreet/434_595_engine.asp
$8995.00 only needs a carb and a distributor, 2 YEAR UNLIMITED MILEAGE warranty. 595HP (FIVE HUNDRED NINETY FIVE!!!!!!). If low 10's start to bore you, then strap a 200hp plate nitrous kit on there and trip the 60 foot beams with the rear tires. This way, you'd be way under your budget.

 

Awesome, I like that website, lots of goodies in there. But I hit the LS1 button and Bammo, almost the same price.

http://www.shafiroff.com/ultrastreet/ls1.asp

Big heads, carb, intake, same result, future efi possibilites, and 600+ hp. This gets more confusing by the minute. How the hell can anyone decide, lol. Too many options.

Edit: I just need to call a builder, and maybe they can help me also.

 

Hmm... first of all... I'd say if it were me, I would want to minimize nitrous use or eliminate it... 24/7 power sounds more enjoyable to me than nitrous which gives you power only at certain times.

Second, since 15k is plenty to do something... why not be creative and get it done for 10k... then you've got the other 5k to do whatever... maybe put into some investments, maybe with a good stockbroker, etc... you'd have your car done and fast, and could possibly put some money into assets they will pay off more in the long run, rather than dumping 100% of your extra cash into a liability like your car. Doesn't sound fun, even to me but you may be really glad after all is said and done.

Drew

 

15K isn't all my extra cash, just what's set aside for the car. The rest oof my money is invested by my father and my 2 investment properties. Thats taken care of.

 

Sweet. Didn't want to get all in your business... just know that that stuff slips alot. I'm only 20 and in college, and not yet in a position to have alot of money for my cars, or to invest, but I know that alot of people dump everything they have in their car, then grow to hate their car for the burden it becomes... hate to see that happen... happened to me for a little while.. taken care of now. Looks like you've got it all figured out. Have fun w/ the car.. can't wait to see what you do!

 

http://www.sdparts.com/product/SDL92...CIFlatTop.aspx

Build it and play.

If you get a junked ls1 camaro, you could throw all the goodies at your car, save on nickel and dime expenses, and make some money back from selling parts you don't need.

The latest gm high tech had a review of a cammed ls2 with l92 top end that was putting out the numbers you're looking for. This seems like it would be right around the budget and knowing you've got an ls7-killer with 11 less cubes for about half the dough has got to be an awesome feeling.

Good luck with the car and have fun with it.

 

Ya can get an LS1 408 iron block in that area with a GOOD set of heads an the turbo or blower. Ya should be able to put over 500 to the tire and still drive it (not DD).
LS1 will do the same.
If ya are going to build a FAST set up it will cost more than $15,000. Ya will need rear end,tranny,converter,suspension,roll bar wheels and tires + the engine. 15 would be one hell of a start.

 

Wow, resurrected from the dead. Did this to the car a while ago, went more budget to not spend a huge wad of cash and built the LS1 in my 02 to get it done and slowly build the 94. Decided that 15K would not complete the 94 to my satisfaction. Hit almost 500 to the wheels on a conservative dyno, could easily be over 500 if I did a few more tweaks. Not to mention the bottle sitting on my garage floor i am afraid to use. The 94 will be under the tarp in the garage, one day to be completed. I am in no hurry, my wife wants a G8 and I want a 08 Camaro.