I'm new to this forum. I am on several MR2 forums, but have now sold the MR2 and have been looking for a new project. I would prefer to buy a nice LT1 project car as you don't see any fast F-Body cars around here, especially of the LT1 variety... So heres my questions.

Is it logical to expect to put 340-360 hp to the tires with basic bolt-ons?

Will the rearend and transmission (M6) take that sort of power?

What bolt-ons would you suggest to make that sort of power?

Thanks in advance, sorry for the dumb questions, I'm still pretty new to big N/A motors...

 

It would probably very difficult to put those kinds of numbers down with just bolt-ons. You might be able to hit 340 with just bolt-ons but that would be about the max and you would have about all the bolt-ons. Good bolt-ons would be headers, exhaust, cold-air intake, Throttle body, 1.6 roller rocker arms, and many more. They Tranny and rear end should hold up fine to that power range.

 

With my experience on my A4 for example, I have basic bolt-on's like..cai, 160 stat, headers, cutout, catback and a tune and I'm around the range of 170-180hp. To get 340-360, your looking at a cam and an M6 would be fine with that power in my opinion but just like everything else, if you beat it to the ground, it will break eventually especially if you have sticky tires and doing hard launches all the time. I would think that the anything over 400hp you might want a 12 bolt rearend. Search in here and see what power guys are making and if they are they breaking rearends...

 

First you'll need a cold air intake, headers, and exhaust.
After that, this is generally considered the cheapest source of power. It's what I'll most likely be getting sometime this spring, you won't find a better deal anywhere.

If you're used to mostly import engines, then the LT1 will definitely be a little confusing for you. Turbos and superchargers are generally considered a little to much for the stock engine, the cast hyper---- pistons don't hold up to well to anything over 6 lbs. The compression ration is at 10.5:1, which for it's time was way up there. You can get the same power levels as forced induction for cheaper with a heads & cam swap, so unless you're not inclined to do a little engine work, it's highly recommended.

By the time you get to 350 rwhp you'll probably be overwhelming the stock tires, and you'll be looking at new rims & tires. BTW the weak point in these cars is the rear end, plus the auto trannies aren't the best when they start racking up the miles either. I wouldn't say it's the power levels that kill the autos, but more just the wear and tear on them, a lot of them seem to go at about 100k miles. Mine went at 91k.

 

It depends on how much money you have to spend and how much of the work you can do yourself. But I would go to the for sale section on this board and buy a set of Lloyd Elliott or other reputable ported heads then get a custom matched cam, 1 3/4" headers, 58 mm throttle body,cat-back exhaust, 160 stat, electric water pump, under drive pulley and a custom tune. There was a board member, I can't remember his name who mad 400 or 415 rwhp wiht a stock bottm end and these mods. You will definatley want to replace the sorry 10 bolt rear with a 12 bolt or 9".

 

Thanks for all the replies. I can do anything mechanically, this is just a bit different to me but the motor work shouldn't be a problem for me to do myself. Nitrous? How do these motors do with Nitrous? Thanks in advance...

 

Well, LT1s don't like boost much, but they seem to love nitrous. Generally a 150 shot is the highest people go on the stock bottom end, even with that I would at a minimum get a better fuel pump and an adjustable fuel pressure regulator so you can bump up the pressure. Even if you don't do the fuel mods a 100 shot would probably be acceptable providing your fuel system is in good shape. I've already got a Walbro 255 pump and some LS1 injectors ready for my engine carnage this spring. Can't wait...

 

170-180hp

Rob
1994 Z28 A4

 

lol, omg..I just noticed that
I meant 270-280...woops.. thanks for pointing that out