ok you guys might think im crazy, but i have heard somewhere that when the ss was reintroduced in 1996 slp started making then. [i knew this].....but what i heard that i didnt know was that when they started, they ported and polished the heads, intake, and intake manifolds [along with the ram air hood, supension, and exhaust].....but they only did this to the first 497 ss's made that year.....making the horsepower rating on those 350ish.....[running 0-60 in less than 5 sec.....and running the quarter in 13.2 at 108mph]......the rest only had ported intake manifolds.....making those [ss's made after the number 497] rated at 305 -315hp....................ok did yall get all of that... im not sure if i explained it well ................anyways.......have yall heard anything about this???..........i was wondering if it was true, becuase if it was, then those 1996 ss's made through number 497 would run with the ls1 ss's [well actually out run them as long as both were in stock form that is]..............thanks guys

Scott

 

i doubt it
SLP is incapable of doing anything worthwile

 

anyone out there that does have a 1996 ss build number between 01 and 497 i would love to see a stock dyno chart to see if this is true. i am very curious.

Scott

 

i heard once that they extrude honed some of the exhuast manafolds...as for the intake...i donn't think so...and i highly doubt they were making 350!!

either way, the ls1's run like rapped apes on topend...enough to outrun lt1s that's for sure

 

Contrary to Trey's belief, SLP is capable to doing good things.
As for the first 497 SS's in 96....The only thing I have ever heard of is the extruded manifolds that were on the first 100 or so in 96. Then the 97 LT4's got the same units. The factory burned down that made them and they didn't make the hp that they had hoped, so they dropped them.
Otherwise, the SS is simply a very nice looking cosmetics package with the ability to upgrade suspension and a few other goodies.
If you can get a 96 for a good price, I would consider getting it. Best of luck.

 

Yea some of the "95 1LE's were the grandfathers to the 96 SS. My mechanic(Franco, at Lattoff Chevrolet) told me that. I have run a LS1 Trans Am when I had no mods and I beat him. You can ask Wheelman about that one because he was behind following. I'm not sure about the porting heads and intake in the '96 SS's but I know my car is as fast as a stock LS1. Call b.s. but explain why my car came with 3" exhaust from the factory.

 

I can guarantee that SLP did not make any special Super Sports in '96 with ported heads and manifolds. As mentioned, the only thing that remotely resembles your statement is the extrude honded exhaust manifolds, which correct me if I'm wrong, is where an abrasive is pressed through the metal that then etches it. From the factory, '96 SS's were rated at 305 with the performance exhaust option.

 

Has it even been confirmed that ANY 96SS's got the extrude honed manifolds?

My 96SS #1779 dynoed 259rwhp 298rwtq bone stock.

My 97SS LT4 #91 dynoed 311rwhp 325rwtq with a dyno tune and oil change.

 

I have a low # 395 96 SS and mine came with the extrude honed manifolds. Myunderstanding is that this stoped after car # 398 in the 96 run. Now hear is something elese to wonder about my broshure that i got from the dealer when i bought the car new says 305hp but 315 hp with preformance exshaust.However later that same year. A differant booklet came out and it says 305hp with preformance exshaust.So i really wonder what happened.I have both of these booklets that came from the dealership in 96 when i bought it new. It was about 2 months later when i took my car in for service when i seen the new booklet and keept that one as well. Who knows???? Thanks. Mike...

 

Poir to my 97 I owned a 96 SS in the low 200 build numbers, a4, t-top car, ran 13.8's in the heat of the day near sealevel. Never had the exhaust off the see if it had extruded manifolds.

 

SLP: Great style 96/97SS. Terrible Scam Air Box. Never bothered to retool the Air Box as A-Market product.

GM dropped idea of High-Flow exhaust. Don't know if they even made any.

Didn't bother telling anyone. According to SLP and GM 'they aren't required to tell anyone of any changes'. Nice eh?

Could have produced a 96/97 with 300 RWHP by merely providing some clean heads and RRs, but I guess that's where the 50,000 Lt4 came in.

It's all a game my friends. JMHO

 

My 96SS is #308. I have never dynoed it or had it to the track. Hopefully this year. I have also never had the exhaust off of it. I have read that it was under 100 of the first SS's that had honed manifolds. Based on driving it, I would say it isn't much faster than a standard Z-28. Who knows though. Maybe I will be surprised at the track this year.

 

I was under the impression it was all 96 SS's under build #500, but who knows.

My build # is 1475 so I'll never know

 

Regarding the extrude exhaust manifold, I have car #82 1996 and the stock manifolds appear to be unmolested. They still have casting flash,etc.. on and around the edges of the exhaust ports. There appears to have been no extruding process performed. The bolts holding the manifolds on also had no markings where a socket/wrench would have left some sort of impression/markings when removed and reinstalled which leads me to belive no attempt was made to remove them.

Kenny

 

Interesting Ken...