If you were starting off with a say 30-40k mile all stock vette, what would you do to get 500 hp?

Not talking brand names, but actual parts. What would you do if you had your own shop and could make whatever you want? Like instead of saying "just drop 20k and get an engine from so and so" how about "a stroked 406 or 427 with hi-flow heads, cam intake and exhaust". Or how about a turbo?

What would you do?

 

It will be "easier" and more comfortable to drive on the street I think if you go with a mild heads/cam setup and a supercharger.

Or you can talk to Kraest on here,he had a vette with a Futral Motorsports F-15 cam,Dart 225cc heads and that car made 471 RWHP....no nitrous/blower/turbo and with the stock 346 cubic inches.

 

Put an ls6 cam in with all bolt ons and spray 125 shot and that will net you over 500 rwhp for very very cheap.

 

heads/cam and exhaust and a tune should put you around that ballpark if not over.

 

I am going to assume you are looking for rwhp. The cheaper route would just be to spray the car an you will get to your desired level. The more expensive routes would be heads, cam, forced induction or 421cid LSx long block. It really depends on your budget and personal like or dislikes.

 

Depends on budget. Also, do want the power there all the time, or just some of the time (ie: nitrous) ??

With a tighter budget, the heads/cam/exhaust/tune route is pretty much a no brainer, and about the only way.

A little more money, throw a blower into the mix.

With a big budget, the sky is the limit with options. Now it becomes personal preference. I'd be going for a fully forged, ~427 LSx. But you could still do well with a ~383 - 400 c.i. stroker, with heads/cam etc., and/or forced induction, and/or nitrous on top of that!

Price is probably the deciding factor .

 

There is always a budget, be it one that is too small or be it one that is unlimited, each is a budget.

What I am looking for is a way to get 500hp (RWHP is always better) all the time without killing gas mileage and without "NAWS". No offense to those that use it, it's just not for me.

I am looking at either a head intake cam exhaust and tune package/ or a turbo. I am thinking the NA route will be better as it will increase power accross the board, where the Turbo might yield higher peak numbers but it will not be as level of an increase as the NA set up. I would personally prefer 200 ft lbs off idle and a peak of 450 or so, with hp staying linear, than 160 ft lbs off idle and then rising real fast at the end of the rpm range to the peak power level.

I am not a supporting vendor yet so I can't say why I am looking into this, but I would for one, like to know the popularity of each direction, as well as the affordability of each. For example, a head/cam/intake package can be an easy 5k with porting and extras, and a turbo kit can be an easy 10k. But then there is also ease of installation, etc. Where a Turbo kit 'might' be easier to install, however costing more and giving different power results.

COuld you get there with intake, cam, fuel system mods, exhaust and tuning? I think that may be possible on the LS2 (500 Flywheel hp), but probably not the LS1, even still if 450 is attainable with those mods, that may be a good thing to look into. I would not mind a wicked cam that is a bit lumpy at idle.

 

The turbo kit is going to give you the most "room to grow" with your project. The downside will be initially you will be limited in the amount of boost due to the stock bottom end. If you replace that the sky is the limit with your project.

 

I am looking for simplicity.

does anyone here think it can be achieved through a cam, intake exhaust fuels system and tune?

Even if it is a very aggressive cam and a radical intake?

 

500rwhp without heads.....no chance on an LS1 engine.

even with the monster cams like the Magic Sticks or the Trex you're only gonna be in the 440rwhp range.

although i haven't seen any recent dyno results from those big cams and the FAST 90/90


but in all honesty...you can stay pretty simple on a head selection and at that power level it will make a WORLD of difference in power. off the shelf AFR 225s would most likely put you upwards of 460-470 rear wheel.

 

Real 500rwhp heads/cam combos are rare and streetability often becomes an issue. I'd say do a forged 402 with good heads and a not too radical cam. The extra cubes will keep the torque and you can always hit it with nitrous later. Turbos are the best, but require too much money and patience for me...

 

Why not supercharge? Less complicated "plumbing" than a turbo, and they deliver off-idle power due to no lag . And more boost is just a smaller pulley away!

 

Well 440rwhp is a honest 500 Flywheel hp.....

wonder what that'd go to with an intake/ long tubes and full exhaust.

 

If the original poster doesn't mind, I'd like to pose a twist to the question.

What would you do to reach the 500rwhp goal if the car was your daily driver? The idle shouldn't scare women and children, the fuel economy should remain reasonable, and turbo lag or a peaky cam are out of the question. Furthermore, the car needs to be hot-lappable, i.e. heatsoak and other longevity concerns should be considered.

 

500 Flywheel?

That's easy.


LS6 Intake Manifold (or if you have a 01+ vette, it already comes on it)
LG Motorsports or Kooks Longtubes - either 1-7/8" variety.
Ported Stock TB
Futral Motorsports F14 or F15 camshaft.
Borla Stinger Catback (LOUD), Corsa Supercar Catback (loud) or a stock Z06 catback (quiet)
UD pulleys
Dyno Tune
CAI

Clutch that will hold the power (Ram Dual Street or something similar)
4.10 gears
etc


500 RWHP?
All the above +
FAST 90/90 Intake Manifold and TB
Trickflow 215cc LS1 Heads

Mike