I am looking at doing something with my engine since it is over 194,000 miles now... and got to thinking: it would be quite unique to have an original SBC(like... carbuerated or at least throttle body injected) in a newer Camaro... I was looking at RPM and the entire longblocks are dirt cheap for 383 strokers... I was thinking about the $2499 Street/strip stoker:

Street/Strip Stroker SBC 383 4 bolt main block, Eagle cast steel 3.75" crank, Eagle SIR 5.7" rods, KB Performance or Sealed Power hypereutectic 9.6:1 pistons, Sealed Power rings, solid or hydraulic flat tappet cam, double roller timing set, new balancer and flywheel, pushrods, new OEM rockers, OEM heads with Manley 2.02/1.60 stainless valves, HP springs, locks, and seals

Here is the site: www.revolutionaryperformance.com

I was thinking it would be cool to see if I could get that but with a bit more bore/stroke to get it to 396... Then rebadge my car as an SS... sort of as a tribute to the 69 SS. It probably wouldn't be the fastest thing still, but would be very simple, clean up the engine bay, and by far the most unique thing I'll have ever seen...

I'm not exactly sure how you would overcome all the computer sensors and obstacles like where to place the accessories and whatnot, but that's what you guys could possibly help with What would all need to be addressed for this to become feasible?

 

My opinion is it's not worth it for a mild engine swap. Not even close. Rebuild the LT1 as a 383/396 with some AFR heads.

 

You CAN use a 4-barrel manifold instead of the one that came from the factory; should you feel it desirable to do so.

However, if you are determined to do something "different" but still realistic, your best bet is probably to swap to one of those "pizza box" type 2-piece intakes that you can get from Lingenfelter. (I think)

It's actually about the only manifold that I'm aware of that available, other than sheet metals; which is an improvement over the stock manifold. People don't generally use it though, because it's only a little better and I think it's around $700 to buy the whole set.

But it does LOOK very cool, very different and allows you to simply reuse your factory support systems. (To the best of my knowledge. I have never installed one so I am not positive.)


As to 396...?

Well, the smart way to do that is probably to just buy one from Golen. But you're looking at a lot of money. I think around 7 grand for the long block, plus you'll need to upgrade your support systems.

The WISE choice is probably going to be a 383. Plus, if you're not using any power adders, you can use a Scat9000 cast crank to keep the costs down. That crank will support any level of naturally aspirated HP that you are likely to make in a STREET motor. For rods I suggest that you take a good look at the choices available in an inexpensive I-Beam, which often are lighter than H-Beams and plenty adequate for an ordinary hot-rod. Pistons...? Mahle makes a nice set that comes with rings and pins, plus coatings. TRW's are probably fine for you though.


All that is just my opinion of course and is worth at least as much as you paid for it.

 

Who did you sb2 headers? Any pics of your setup? I am trading a 4 cyl coupe for a 95 v6 camaro. I plan to 6spd and carb it for some road racing.... should be fun, Im burnt out of fox body coupes so I want something different.

 

Alright, I suppose staying with LT1 would be more efficient as well... Maybe I'll save and just get an LT1 shortblock and send my heads off to lloyd to get done over along with a cam and some other small supporting mods. At what point do you need a new fuel pump and injectors?

 

OK... now this has become an "LT1/LT4 Engine Tech" topic. Moving it there......

 

For the love of god, please don't rebadge your car as an SS. Your car was not born an SS. It was not modified by SLP, and no matter what you add to it, how fast it is, or how much it looks like one, it will NEVER be an SS.

Why not be proud that it's a z28m why make a tribute to a 69 SS when yours isn't even one to begin with. If you want a tribute to the first gens, throw some 69 z28 badges on it and call it a day.

 

Eh, I'd never seen it done before.. but now that you put it like that it is kinda stupid. LOL.

I think LTs, CAI, tune up, 160 stat, shift kit, maybe stall converter.... THEN move onto building a 355 to toss some LE2 heads/cam on? Sound reasonable?

 

My brother has been looking for a good SBC stroker for a long time. At that price for a long block, you'd probably be in the 425 FWHP range. Consider that with a mild cam in your LT1 you'd probably be over that :P

 

Call Rpm and they can set you up with a short block or a long block for a resonable price. First class place.
It would likely cost more to get a sbc in and working than a stock or performance rebuild.

 

No it wouldn,t but you would have to be willing to pillage and burn.
As in take out the complete engine wiring harness, completely gut it out of there and do your engine swap and wire it up once its in. It would not be hard once the old stuff is out.
I would only do this with a shell though. Guy here in town did it but he bought the 96 (I think) firebird for 300 bucks. Its been totally gutted and is much closer to a race car than a street car. But it lives its life on the streets. Sawzall was taken to the cowl area to fit a 14 inch air cleaner.
In my honest opinion it could be done alot cheaper than a built up LT1 but like I said you would have to be willing to turn the car into something only you and a few hardcore gearheads would want to own.
I see built 355 and even some 383 SBCs go for 500 to 1000 in the local paper, if you did all the work yourself I think it could be done cheaper.

Of course what your willing to live with and what someone else is willing to live with are 2 different things.

 

My car has a fudged up EGR valve now so I'm getting about 10-12mpg in the city... Which I estimate is what a 383 SBC would get if built right? If so, I could definitely live with it... especially if I had 400+hp on tap I know an LT1 is the better way to go, but damnit popping a hood and seeing dual 650cfm Demon carbuerators and no BS around the engine(emissions crap... grrr) would be a very unique experience. I'm trying to figure out different things that would need to be changed/adapted to fit a 383 SBC... aside from the rear end, I'll just go easy until I can get a ford 9"....

intake
carbuerator(s)
air filter(s)
tranny bellhousing
headers
true dual exhaust dumped underneath the car
get the pcm retuned to not read any of the no-longer-used sensors

Few things I'm not sure how would work... would the tachometer work with the new engine? I'm not sure if it reads the tranny or engine speed.

And what about motor mounts... would it be overly hard to fab up my own? Or can I get some that are for this application?

Though this "project" isn't really feasible, it's something I've been lusting after the last couple of days... not to mention if I fixed up the paint and interior some(back to factory like condition), maybe I would have a chance of getting it in a magazine? Another cool thing would be to paint it flat black(hot rod flat black... not po-boy ricer flat black) and then get some weld draglites/prostars...

 

Good luck getting DUAL carbs to work. It would be mandatory to notch the windshield to get em to fit. Not worth it in my opinion, one carb is more than enough.

 

I'm just wondering have you ever driven a Carb'ed car. They are horrible, i mean horrible in the winter. Nothing like waiting 5 mins for the car to warm up so you can take off.

I'm just wondering because EFI has been almost standard for around pretty much 20 yrs so its getting harder and harder for people to have access to carb'ed vehicles.

 

I'm pretty sure thats the same flat black.