Hi guys, I just bought a 99 WS6 Trans Am, I'm not new to this board, or performance cars, but this is my first LS1.
This car NEEDS to be able to put 500 ponies to the wheels, just because I don't plan on getting continually wasted by my friends and their vehicles.

What I need to know is what is the best way to get there? I'm not planning on using nitrous to get there ( juice is an option, but I want 500hp on tap).
Budget isn't really a barrier, I have a budget, as everyone does, but it's not that strict.
So will bolt ons do it for me? Or do I need to supercharge?
And if I'm using forced induction, what kits do you guys recommend, and whats involved in their instalation?

 

A good turbo kit, pushrods, rod bolts, and good tuning will get you there.

 

Rod bolts? Is that a weak point?
I was hoping if I was gonna used forced induction it would be something I bolt on without having to yank the motor...
Oh well..

 

find slower friends.. save $

 

haha, or just pull spark plug wires before every cruise night

I'm not interested in saving dollars... I just don't like the idea of down time right now (just because I just bought the thing). Pulling the engine would put the car out for the rest of summer

 

check sts turbo they have turbo kits for 500 hp. and there not that expensive. theres a sponsor on ls1tech.com, but I dont know about here.

 

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=668393
its a long thread but has alot of very useful information. IMO thats the best kit out there for an f-body. everything is well thought out. retains all accessories.
APS turbo kit - $5500

another route is:
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=732392
AFR/trickflow/ETP heads $2500
ported fast 90/90 combo $1500
valvetrain upgrades (including cam) $700
thats $4700

so you can either spend $5500 and have tremendous potential when you go to upgrade the engine or spend $4700 and have a setup thats completely wrung out.

going either route you're going to have to upgrade your fuel system, your trans, your rear, and such. the turbo setup will make for a much nicer car to drive. when you want to go wild, build a stout bottom end, drop the compression, and up the boost. hello 700+ rwhp!

 

Stroker motor, Turbo, Supercharger.

Heads/cam car will be too unforgiving and you'll have no low end with a cam big enough to make 500rwhp.

 

^^^^
listen to him lol

 

Yup, Kraest knows. He's had a cam-only LS1, a heads/cam, a supercharged, and now a 408 NA.

I have similar goals (a more restricted budget is forcing a very long timeline, however), and my plan is to go the Procharger route. I haven't completely ruled out STS.

 

Rod bolts aren't a must but if you don't change them in a 98-99 motor then you have to keep the revs down to the stock rev limit (6200). Which really isn't a big deal it just limits your HP a small amount.

 

Easiest install will be a supercharger kit, but with low boost and without supporting mods and a good tune, I don't see 500rwhp. A 500rwhp heads/cam set-up is neither easy, nor cheap. Check out Patrick G's "Recipe for 500rwhp" sticky on LS1tech.com. A decent stroker would fit the bill and you could buy the long block ready to drop in from somebody like Texas Speed. I had a nice heads/cam set-up, but enjoy driving my stroker much more. I don't know enough about LS1 turbos to give any good advice there...

 

I am totally willing to mod it right.. not going to cheap out on this car at all. The Turbo kit seems awesome, but the thread seems to indicate I can't get one until fall/winter... that's cool.. but I got school all winter and just won't have time to work on the thing.

Seems supercharging is the way to go...

 

www.exoticperformanceplus.com

 

Supercharge it and try to hit that 500. If it blows and you have the funds, you already have the blower. Change the pulley, rebuild the motor and be done with it.