I've had my 1996 SS for about 5 years now and I've left it completely stock. Now I have more resources available and I want to make it my own personal show car. I know what I want to do to the interior (I do custom audio and fiberglass work for Pimp my Ride), but I don't know where I should go with the engine...any suggestions? I plan on first installing a set of bolt in subframe connectors, then moving on to performance upgrades from there. I know I'd like to do some long tubes (I have the SLP 2OTL SS exhaust) and probably a cam. Is there an intake upgrade for the SS model? What upgrades will give me the most bang for the buck? Any suggestions will be much appreciated!

 

If it's a hard top don't bother with sub frames. Intake upgrade? I take it you mean air induction and not intake manifold? I got rid of my "ram air" intake because it warped from the TX summer heat and it was always in the way when wanting to do the simplest of things.
Best bang for the buck would be LT headers, off road Y-pipe and gears. I can't remember what would give you the best performance for your stock power band, but everyone used to get 4.10's. Not sure if that would be better than 3.73's. I've never seen any proof stating which is better.

 

your intake already flows prety well, get a differant filter though, like a donaldson or a K&N (the K&N part number is for a jeep) long tubes are a good idea, change your rear gears, get some dyno tuning by a reputable shop. for the interior, im not a big fan personaly of big gaudy fiberglass everything but to each thier own.

 

leave it stock.....a 96 SS is a somewhat rare car.

I would hold on to it and leave it stock

 

My K&N never fit right. Before it was warped (could've been one cause of the warpage) I put one on and had horrid gaps between the box and filter. However that was almost 10 years ago. Maybe it's been improved upon...

 

It wont stay stock, it's going to get molested, say hello to the car featured in the next "WTF Camaro Lambo doors and 4" drop" lounge thread.

I say make it for go, not for show.

Longtube Headers
1.6 Full Roller Rockers
E-WP
Camshaft swap
PCM Tune
4.10 Gears
Cluctch

-Dustin-

 

I would personally ditch the airbox for a standard cold-air or do the LS1 lid swap. The stock SS airbox sits right on top of the heat soaked intake manifold. As far as the exhaust goes, get a good set of longtubes and call it a day. There's no use even trying a set of shorties, most people buy them and then have to sell them because they decide to go with longtubes. The other things that will make a big difference are gears, tire, and a shifter. With an M6 you can go to 4.10's and be fine on the freeway. 6th gear actually becomes more useable with the shorter gears. Then you'll need to pick up a set of DR's to get the thing to hook. People seem to miss this one a lot in here, but a shifter is also a great mod. You probably won't net a huge gain with it, but it definately makes the car better to drive. On my M6 car, I left the stock Hurst shifter and bought a short stick that gets rid of the rubber bushing that makes the original so sloppy.

 

disagree, subframes is good money spent either way. Every car should have them if you dont want chasis-flex to take its toll on the quarter panels.

 

My old hardtop had the dimpled quarter panels like every other 4th gen without SFC's...

 

my 96 ta ran pretty good stock and i didnt want to get into the engine at this time

on my car i put a factory ram air intake w/ k/n air filter. pace setter long tubes, (ceramic coated), flowmaster, hurst short throw with 5.0 stick (i think thats wat its called) it aims rite over at ya is so sweet.. it has 3.73's. i was considering new brakes but i just painted the ones i had (looks good) i put underdrive pullys on piggy back style (would like to get me one with a balancer in it havnt yet tho... i put a 160 thermostat in and had the fans tuned to come on at 185 and 195 when i had my car tuned and dyno'ed

my car dont have a whole lot stuff done to it but when i dyno'ed it did 285 and 307 at rear wheels under 107degre operating conditions.. that was before i hooked up the ram air had the factory airbox

so i figure on a cooler day with the ram air im prolly around 300 at rear wheels now

im prolly gonna keep it as is for now.. if engine gives me trouble and need a rebuild.. ill prolly do a cam head job and maybe some forged pistions and a supercharger... but for now.. what lil i have done to my car.. i love it where its at now

as far as apearance.. dont know about camaro's but i had a few things done when i painted my car that i REALLY think sets an fbody off.. you know the triangle pieces behind your driver and passenger windows i had those painted black with the car. I also had the plastic pieces that souround the pop up headlights on my car painted black as well.. it really makes the car look much much nicer

 

And everyone is absolutely, posolutely affirmative the dimples are caused from chassis flex? Can you tell me more?

 

I have a T-Top car, which is pretty much the same as a hardtop car, minus the thin sheet metal covering the roof. Subframes are definitely worth the money. I noticed a difference as soon as I went over a speed bump. Hell, I noticed once I started driving.

 

I can tell you that I have one more dimple after my last trip to the dragstrip than I had before...

 

I agree. "Show" cars suck. I don't wanna here about car audio upgrades unless your ripping that stuff out to save weight. Besides, IMO the Lt1 SS is the best looking F-body ever to rattle and squeek down the road, I wouldn't touch a thing if it didn't help it go faster, stop shorter, or corner flatter.

 

This is interesting if its true, iv never thought about it.

To the poster
I dont think id go "show" car either, wheres the fun in that we dont wanna stand by our cars, we wanna drive the pis out of them.