Hi
This is my first post here. Bought a 96 SS a couple of months back and would like to add a little more to it.
I have been reading here and other forums and have an idea of what I might like to do.

I am thinking of the TFS 21 degree heads.
Stock out of box flow of
Lift Intake Exhaust
.100 65 54
.200 138 117
.300 202 162
.400 243 189
.500 270 197
.600 273 209

And Kooks LT headers, but not sure on cam.
I am looking at the
CC503 224/230 .536/.544 112 LSA,
AI 218/226 .540/.540 112 LSA,
AI226/234 .569/.570 110 LSA with 1.6 RR's.
And a local speed shop custom ground 224/230 .573/.533 112 LSA with 1.6/1.5 RR's.

The car is driven as a non daily street car but I would like to be able to drive 2 to 3 hour trips etc.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Brad

P.S.
I am thinking of the buying the new heads (running as sold in box now and porting later) V's porting stock heads for a future 396 build for car.

 

Personally I would just start collecting parts and hold off on the mods until you can do it all at once. With a well built 396 and the 21 degree heads ported I would think you could make around 475rwhp depending on the cam. This hobby is expensive enough as it is, let alone adding some mods now and then re-doing the set-up down the road.

 

I am thinking a couple years down the road as the car only has 17,000 miles on it right now so it would be nice to have the extra power till then.
I think that the only part that would have to be duplicated would be the cam.
Thanks
Brad

 

i have a 503, loved it. However, due to a mishap, I am rebuilding my motor. Going with a 383 this time around

 

How was the 503 on the road?
How low of RPM's can it run down the highway at?
Thanks
Brad

 

idk, i could cruise at about 2500 with no problem. road manners were great, drove like it had a stock cam with a ton more power IMO.

 

For drive ability/ cam choice.. A LOT of it is in the TUNING. I've got a custom ground cam thats 236/242 and .555/.576... I can go down the highway in 6th gear at 1700RPM's.. If I get on it that low there is some surge but then ya just shift down in to 'passin' gear.

 

Hey Sk8phreak88 I live just down the road in Lino Lakes.
I am kind of new to this stuff but I am understanding that as long as you dont try to accelerate to much from the low rpm's it would still pull it's own weight down a flat highway in 6th without surging at under say 2000 rpm. I will have it dynoed at Hi-Tech in Elk River.
Thanks
Brad

 

I would pick your cam once your heads are done. The heads are going to determine the power the motor can make, so you may want to wait on the cam.
If you planin a 396 your really going to need airflow to support that big of a motor.

 

Thanks slomarao
I added the flow numbers for the heads to the original post.
My plan is to drive it for a couple years with the stock bottom and reuse as may parts as possible in the 396.

I think the only major items I will have to change is to port the heads and change the cam?

Thanks
Brad

 

Nice! I'm in Coon Rapids.. Are you on MNGMP? If not, you should join up. It's the local GM forum. Lot's of good people on there.

Back on topic, that is correct. Like I said I can cruise at 1700 just fine. If accelerate slowly It will pull its self up. But I'm usually too impatient for that.

Ask around the local forums before you go to hi-tec btw...

 

now that I understand your plan better i would go with a AI custom cam and the TFS heads out of the box. It should make good power.

Your not going to end up reusing too much with the 396, the heads will have to be hand ported along with the intake. A new cam, bigger TB, and bottom end.

Than you have to address the trans, suspension, rearend, DS, etc, etc.

 

Thanks Sk8phreak88, Thanks Slomarao

I signed on to the MNGMP, same user name as here.

Sk8phreak88, Do you know what the LSA is on your cam, what brand.

I am thinking the AI 218/226 .540/.540 112 LSA or AI226/234 .569/.570 110 LSA.
I read some of the stuff about Hi-Tech, but had talked to DRM before them and they only seemed interested in LS1's.

I will probably put it together myself and just have them dyno tune again as my seems to run nice now and they give a big discount after more mods, but then it is only stock.

 

Brad, My cam is a Comp Cams Full specs are 236/242 @.5 .555/.576 (with my 1.6 pro mags) on a 112. It's got a nice lope to it.

APS is a good shop.. I'll get back to ya about shops on the local forum as to not hijack this thread too far off track.