I need some help deciding on something. My father just purchased a 1981 Camaro z28 thats completly original. It currently has a 350 in it but its a little messed up.... It runs but it stalls now and then and the gaskets leak like a b*tch. I am wanting to do a complete engine swap to something bigger and am wondering what engine would be best. The price bracket is around 5000 $. So far we have a possibility of getting a brand new zz4 from a friend for 2500 or getting a supercharged 502 for 5000. Now i really wouldnt mind having the 502 but, Dont know if thats TOO MUCH. Opinions?

 

I would buy the ZZ4 and get a good rebuilt trans. And go thourgh the rest of the car at the same time suspension and brakes etc.The 502 is going to cost a lot more than $5000.00 to install.You will end up finding the weak points in the car faster with the 502 , trans and rear come to mind.Plus the 502 is heavier and if you want to have fun driving around corners and such , a 350 is better for the weight reasons. If you want more 70-81 Camaro info check here www.nastyz28.com it is a 2nd gen message board.

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1994 Z/28 M6 t-tops not stock
1970 RS Camaro 383/th350 4.10's
1987 C20 parts hauler/beater

 

I would recommend a 400 small block. With good aftermarket heads, these make big power. No weight penalty either. Have the TH350 beefed up and it and the 8.5 diff will do fine.

 

Bro I dont know if your planning on driving this everyday or not but if your anything like me there is ABSOLUTELY NO POSSIBLE WAY!!!! I could pass up a SUPERCHARGED 502!!!!. Its just a physical impossiblity I couldnt pass it up if I had the chance to put it in. But thats just me. I mean just picture that fire breathing monster rumbling inside your Camaro puling up next to some body kitted Type R Turbo Civic and absolutely eating him alive sending him crying back to his little weiner friends. Oh my God Im drooling just thinking about it.

As I read in a signiture on here.
"THERES NO REPLACEMENT FOR DISPLACMENT"

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I find your lack of faith disturbing

86 IROC .040 305 TPI
#186 Heads shaved .040 1.98 valves
Shorty Headers 3 in exhaust with Flowmaster
Lunati 259/271 .500/.515 cam
Highly Modified 700-R4
B&M Slapshifter
3.55 Posi Rear
Accel Plugs and Wires
Petronix Flamethrower Distributor
Cragar 15x7 front 15x10 rear

 

HELLO GUY I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH DID YOU GUY PAY FOR THAT CAMARO I HAVE A 80 AND I AM TRYING TO SELL BUT DONT REALLY KNOW FOR HOW MUCH I SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON IT. BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU GUYS GOT IT FOR AND IF YOU HAVE ANY PIC THANKS.

 

a supercharged 502 for $5000? where?

I like angelrs 's 400sbc idea. You can budget build a 406 sbc and make monster power, all motor, pump gas friendly.

 

The supercharged 502 sounds great, but...

That much power is going to put serious strain on the car. You'll probably need a built TH400 tranny, the rear will need some beefing up, you'll probably want to replace the u-joints, front springs will need replacing, you'll need new accessory brackets, you'll need to replace the motor mounts (bitch of a job...), sub frame connectors at the very least - a cage if you want to be legal at the track, etc... If money is no object, go for the 502, otherwise you might want to stick with the zz4, which is what I have, + the HOT cam kit.

 

Exactly! More like a 8-71 supercharged 396 maybe for 5k...there's no way that's right for a functional 502 engine and a supercharger.

 

Also with the big block you're going to have to redo the fuel system. Those tiny little small block lines aren't going to provide any where near enough fuel for the 502.

 

Not to Pee on your parade, but I drove a blown 502 (71 Camaro). It went "OK". Maybe since it wasn't mine I didn't really beat the pi$$ out of it. It just seemed there should have been more. It wasn't brutal.

My 80Z with the 454 in it went pretty good.

I'd opt for the ZZ4 now too.

 

Either way sounds good to me. $2500 is a decent deal for a complete ZZ4 crate motor, but you better check out that 502. Does it huff smoke, have 20psi max oil pressure, rod knock or something? "Let the buyer beware," you know? Maybe the supercharger is for a lawnmower. There's supercharged and then there's SUPERCHARGED! I think it would be wicked to jam a SC 502 in there and twist that sucker into a pretzel, breaking driveline components all the while!

 

personaly i would go for the zz3. thats what i have in my 68 right now. i love it. its 350 hp at the moment since im 16 and am going to wait for more driving experiance to make that number go too much higher. but i would go for the 350 for just the weight factor alone.