I have about 4k to spend on my car. I plan on doing 2k worth of suspension mods, which I think I can handle based on searching the board, but I also want to do about 2k to the engine. There are so many varying formulas I need help picking which way to go.

I will probably need to build up my Trans(A4), so take that cost out of the 2k. I have 75k on the car and the Trans doesnt feel good.

Anything that's not bolt on would probably require me to spend money on labor too, so keep that in mind-

So what should I do? I would like to run high 12's. I was thinking ported heads/intake and a cam plus programming- what am I looking at there? What about just a cam? Also, I have a cutout- so would I see much benefit from headers? With my 95 I dont have dual exhaust, so would headers even work without having to swap to a dual system?

Please help me spend my money!(By the way, I just moved to Eastern PA, near lancaster, saying this because we have no smog checks and I would also like to know if anyone knows some good LT1 shops/mechanics in the area)

Thanks a lot

 

i think another thing you're going to want to look into is some gears. it's going to be pretty hard to get the times you want with those tiny 2.73's.

you could probably pick up a set of 3.42's from some m6 guy or go up to 3.73.

as for the heads/cam. i think $2K would be do-able if you weren't paying for labor. a mild head port will probably be close to $1000 alone.

i'd suggest maybe something a bit smaller cam wise, compatable with stock heads (say a Hotcam), roller rockers, programming from Madwolf or www.pcmforless.com , a stall w/ tranny cooler, tranny rebuild, and gears.

for suspension:
sfc, lca w/ relocation brackets, and some nitto dr

 

well, i'm in the same boat as you, so with 2,000 I went, bought Jet Hott long tubes, put 3:73 gears, I bought Intrax springs which cost alittle bit to have installed if you don't have a spring compressor. I bought a ligenfelter CAI, It'll cost you some cash to have the exhaust custom made or you can spend the money to buy the prefabbed stuff. I'm also having the custom tuning from PCMforless. Thats is so far we'll see what it runs in a couple of weeks

Good luck with yours

 

Hmm...I would think with $2K to spend in mods, I'd be looking at LOOOOOOOW 12s.

How's this look?

Headers: $400-$600
Simple dual bullet exhaust: $100ish maybe more
Gears (3.73 or 3.42s): $150ish plus labor www.gearsareus.com
Hotcam Kit: $500 www.samtaylor.com (Jason Cromer)
ET Streets or DRs: $250-$300

That's around $1800...but...you may want to consider a Torque COnvertor, which usually isnt cheap. There's a guy here in SC that mods stock convertors for like $200 or less and its comparable to a 2800 stall. Atlantic Coast Convertors in Conway, SC do a Yahoo search for the phone number.

With good launches and practice, high 12s should be attainable.

 

How could you possibly spend $2K on suspension (unless you mean to include wheels and tires)? If you are getting Koni shocks, etc. or something, I guess I could see that.

But before I get too specific, it would help to know how you plan to use the car. The $2K on suspension implies road racing or high performance street use. If that's the case, I'd say your best way to spend the $2K is to get gears, and an M6 conversion and not spend money on that crappy 4L60E transmission.

So what are your goals and intended use?

Rich Krause

 

Oh...yea...forgot to mention that suspension stuff. What are you planning to get!?!? Man, slap some subframes and LCAs on there and be done with it.

160K mile COMPLETELY STOCK suspension on my car and I'm pullin' 1.9X 60's on stock 3.42s in an M6.

And I second the M6 conversion as opposed to rebuilding the 4L60E...chances are, if you blow $2K on suspension and then rebuild the A4...won't be much go-fast money left. You'll have a smooth ridin' good shifting car...but wouldn't you rather go fast?

 

ok, what does a m6 conversion cost? roughly

 

I am going to give you a free piece of advice. OUR REARS SUCK!!!!!!!!! I wish i would have known that when i put my 4.10's in. Now i cant run DR's!!!!!!!! If i could go back i would have put the money into a strange 12 bolt. ( Which is exactly what i am doing this summer!). Just wish somebody would've told me thats why i am telling you.


Chris

 

I would PM or email xxsaint69x on this forum. I know he did the A4-T56 conversion. He could give you an idea. The big determining factor is the cost of the tranny itself. The sad thing is, you can buy an LT1 engine WITH T56 for a few hundred more (and sometimes LESS) than a T56 by itself. The good news, if you go that route, is that you can sell the motor and get a chunk of that money back.

There was also a guy on here that wanted to swap HIS T56 for an Auto...check around and see if there's any interest in that.

 

Good point. A4s are a little better off in the rear department than us M6 guys. I had a friend running 4.10s and ET Streets on his stock 10 bolt. He just wouldn't launch hard at all. It outlasted the motor.

There's a local guy here that does a Ford 8.8" conversion on 10 bolts fairly cheap. I think I'm going that route as opposed to the $2K 12 bolt!!

 

The cost for converting depends on what you get. I sold my T56 with a new Street Twin and all the little pieces needed to convert for $1850. The clutch was worth $900+ though. The remaining $900-1,000 is typical for a low mileage T56. So, you could get the whole with a clutch and gears for ~$2,000. There are always some around for sale as people why want to go really fast at the drag strip often swap for a TH400. I did, but the T56 is much more fun than an automatic and gives better street performance as well, unless you have a super hi-po car.

Rich Krause

 

Are you figuring the $2K you're gonna want for a rear? You can spend $1000 total on suspension, gears and stickys, and the rest will go to a new rear. Throw in the head work and cam, and the 10 bolt a'int lasting.

Since you need help /w install, it'll be tough. Not including the 2 grand on your rear end, here is what you should do:

I spent $410 on suspension and I got BMR LCAs, SFCs, PHB and STB.....

Then you want headers.......$500. We're up to $910.

I don't see you being able to get a cam and/or head work for less then $1000 including install. Most places will quote you around $500 for either cam or head work. Lloyd Elliot P&Ps heads cheap and good for 400 or 600...


So if you get a cam kit (not talking about hot cam....) you're looking at like $550 or so but then you have install which is $500-1000. Plus you want tuning? PCMforless is around $100, and a dyno tune $400-600.

So if you can get buddies to do the work with you, you're best bets are:

Used AS&M or hooker LTs ($550)
Head work ($400/600) plus bigger valves ($180)
Suspension ($500)
Cam will only be like $200, plus you want RRs, springs, etc.....

Without knowing how to install, you could pick out one or two of these.

 

My friend ordered his cam stuff:
$250 XE 224/230
$89 Comp 987 springs
$135 Comp Titanium retainers
$26 Locks
$40 Locator seats
$115 Trick Flo chromoly pushrods
$300 Comp Pro Mag 1.6 RRs
$200 Comp Lifters
--Some people might be able to get away without lifters and pushrods...but, you're down there already, might as well be safe.

That's $1100 (if you buy it all) minus shipping just to have a cam!! Sad thing is...he's running the same 1/8th mile as ME!?!?!?!

There's a million ways to spend your money. Just look thru all of this and pick the combination that best suits you. I would personally listen to the one guy about suspension and not go crazy down there...again, I've got STOCK 160K mile suspension and have NO problems running good ETs and 60 foots.

 

Hey guys thanks for the advice!

For what I want in a setup, I am looking to run high 12's but I dont want this to be a drag-only car, hence I would like to have a decent suspension for the street. I dont autocross, so being perfect isnt neccesary. I do want to get some springs, shocks, LCA's, SFC's, and new bushings(my rear suspension makes lots of noise right now). I was planning on getting something nice like Koni's for the shocks, but I guess I really dont need them. Maybe $1000 is a better bet- in which case I would spend the other 1k on the tranny and rear end.

I like the M6 conversion, but for that kind of money I could just buy an M6 car. I plan on buying something new in about 3 years, so until then I think I will just suffer with the A4 and spend the extra 1-2k on performance or something else.

So with what you guys are telling me, I should probably look at getting gears/new rear end, torque convertor, headers(what about dual exhaust, I guess I would need that too? In that case, what about cats?), and a hotcam kit. I could throw a dyno tune on top of that for good measure- so all in the bag I think I could do all that(including suspension) for 4k, maybe 5?

What kind of a car would I be looking at then? Hopefully a very noticeable difference !?

 

In order to make your money go farther try to buy as many parts used as you can.