What would it take to make my 68 roast an LS1, currently it has a 327 with edelbrock performer 650 carb and intake, th-350 auto, not to sure on the gears, I just got it. any ideas beside putting an LS6 in it

 

Well, if it doesn't beat an LS1 the way it is (you need to go to a track to figure that out) then I'd say heads / cam package. AT LEAST a cam anyway. A 327 is a good engine (high revving) and a TH350 is a strong tranny. If the car doesn't already have them, then a set of long-tube headers as well. I see no reason you couldn't be spanking LS1's with your car. FWIW, my dad is expecting the 350 in his '73 to kick my a$$, and it's not really all that radical or anything.

 

A bigger engine. My 400 makes more than enough torque to smoke LS1's, even with home ported smog heads, small cam, and a stock converter.

If you want to do it with a 327, you will need a much more built up engine. Cam around 230 degrees, rpm intake, 750 carb, either well ported fuelie heads or aftermarket units, high stall converter, and a deep gear in the diff, say 4.11's. High stall and a deep gear will be absolutely necessary due to the torque loss the 327 will experience with a 230 cam.

 

I just recently put a 222 degree roller cam in my 327 and it hauls now. Lookin back now i should have gone with at least a 222/230 cam, but oh well. If you do some head work and get race valve springs that 327 can get cookin. I now shift at like 6000-6500, and it helps with the power. Roller cam is the way to go, so you can rev out higher, but it is more $$$$$

 

Roller cams don't usually like being revved much over 6000, so be careful with that. I think it's Comp Cams (mabye Crane? I dunno) that makes a "Hydra Rev" kit that puts little springs between the top of the lifter and the bottom of the top of the lifter valley I think. I can't remember.. anyway, it helps it rev past 6000. The rollers on roller lifters add a LOT of weight, and weight is not conducive to high revs.

But yeah, steep gears and a high stall would be a good first step. A good sized cam and good heads/intake would be the finishing touch. Good luck.

 

I think 327's are highly underrated. If well built they'll run with a 350. I agree, a decent cam, headers, and gears will get you into LS1 territory. I ran 13.36 w/stock 186 heads on my 70 SS 350, but good heads make a huge difference.

The only thing wrong with this discussion is this. An LS1 w/ minor bolt ons can run in the 12's easy. Go against one with a cam and headers and its a whole other story. There are getting to be more a more guys going deeper into their LS1s, running gears, and nitrous too. Then they can turn around and knock down 25+ mpg and do 160 mph.

 

ls1s used to give me trouble in my 79 camaro when i owned it.. but not too much of a prob now. i walk all over bolt on , cam and exhaust ls1s in my daily driven lt1. so i see them as no prob for my 406 72 camaro. but when they start in with heads x1 cams and and bigger mods then it evens out..

 

You're going to need some serious cam, head, intake, carb, exhaust, transmission, gearing combination to run in the 12's to make sure you can outrun an LS1. The stock 327/210 hp engines are pretty anemic. Just yank the 327 and throw it in the garage and start building a 350 or preferably a 383. But don't forget to upgrade the brakes to discs if you add a lot of power. 4 wheel drum brakes aren't going to stop you very well if you start running with LS1's.

 

Jeff H, have you ever taken your '69 Z/28 to the strip?

 

Actually, a friend's '69 ran 13's w/his 327 w/ 3.73 posi, Edelbrock performer RPM cam & intake,flat top pistons, 750 dublepumper, and stock 64cc heads. I don't know an exact ET, but he could run decently w/my 70 when it ran 12.90's. He usually stayed w/in a car length or so with me.

 

No, my car is still being restored. I will have way too much money into it when it's done to risk anything by racing it at the track. Insurance won't cover racing so I can't risk it.

 

LOL! Yeah if it's a numbers matching crossram camaro you'd be NUTS to put it 50ft near a track. The actual crossram's have got to be one of the rarest camaros besides COPO's.

 

Well, crossrams were never actually an option on the Camaro. It was an over the counter accessory that you could buy so technically it's not considered original equipment. But since my car is an original 4 wheel disc brake car, I decided to restore it like a Trans Am race equipped car with the crossram, heater delete, radio delete, Minilite wheels, Stahl roadrace headers, transistor ignition and the original GM fiberglass crossram cowl hood(less than 100 of these hoods made).

 

One nice thing about having a plain old 71 RS is that I can thrash it mercilessly and not worry about it being rare or valuable.

 

yep no-one in the trailer park will even think twice about it