I just graduated and will soon have about $1k. I have a 4.10 gear thats going to get installed once I buy the T/A girdle. So I'm thinking the next thing I should do is long tubes....who has installed them theirself and what brand will bolt right in. I'd rather get some friends and do this myself instead of paying 600 bucks to get somebody install it. Or do you think I should do something else with the money, Im going to stay N/A too.
Any help would be appreciated.
Bill

 

My Jet Hot longtubes bolted up great, and I have had no problems with them. In fact, I think they are a steal at $550ish. However, factoring in that it'll probably cost you $300 for the gear install and another $100 or so for the girdle, you probably will not have enough to go the longtube route. I'll use my scenario as an example as I installed them myself as well.
LT's - 550
02 Extenders - 25
Bolts - 15
Copper gasket - 40
Mufflex POS Ypipe - 250 + 20 shipping
Mufflex reducer - 30
Bolts to block AIR - 5

TOTAL: About $950

I hope that helps. Best of luck.

 

Well I have a guy thats going to install the gears for about $100. And its going to be about $180 for the girdle and stud kit together, but tonite ill get paid and have another $150 coming my way. Is there anything else i should do instead of the headers...and what is the AIR bolt block off? Is that where one of the sensors goes?
Bill

 

Here's my writeup on a longtube header install for LT1's..

http://www.zmydust.com/headers/

AIR are those two tubes that plug into your exhaust manifolds on both sides, they preheat the cats on start up. If you do LT headers with no cats, just remove the AIR pump and tubing entirely and plug the notch on your cold air intake that feeds the AIR with a 5/8" rubber vacuum cap.

 

Bill, I went ahead and removed all of my emmissions crap. Since my headers had the provisions for them I had to block the tubes that connected to the AIR pump. If you buy headers without these provisions you will not have to worry about it.
Next to gears, I would say that your next best mod would be LT's and a cutout. I would suggest that you save for another month or so and do that instead of spending $500 on little items here and there. You'll definately get some great gains out of those two mods.