Mods, please don't move to lounge, hoping to keep it in LT1 Tech for guidance in modding direction.

I've had my '97 SS for just shy of 5 years now, but haven't dropped a ton of money into modding it.

I'm going to break down the mods/car:

1997 Camaro SS
Original LT1/T56/3.42
155,000 miles

Modifications:

• Pacesetter LTs
• 3" ORY (no cats)
• SLP 2OTL
• Factory SS Airbox with K&N Filter
• 1LE Intake Elbow
• 52MM TB with Airfoil
• LT4 KM, !AIR, !EGR, TB Bypass
• Rear LCAs w/ Relocation Brackets
• Adjustable Panhard Bar
• Durastop Drilled/Slotted Rotors up front
• LS1 Aluminum Driveshaft
• Factory Hurst w/ Lou's Short Stick

Opti/Water pump/Fuel pump all replaced around 120k. New clutch at 140k. Car runs great and I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a 300+ mile road trip tomorrow. The clear coat is coming off on the hood, and I've thought about having that repainted this fall, but I've also thought as far as selling it for a cleaner "starting point." Car's paid off, and I have no intentions of selling it because I do get a grin every time I fire it up, which was this afternoon on the way home from work.

Anyways, looking for suggestions, I'm open to just about anything from something as small as swapping my ram air intake out for a CAI, mail order tune, etc. to as big as spending $3500 on a budget 355 with a mild/moderate cam. I've been thinking about putting a LT4 hotcam in it this winter but I'm worried that with 155k miles on the motor, I'd want to replace the main bearings. If I'm going to do that I'm probably better off swapping in a budget 355, right?

I've even thought as far as selling it and getting a cleaner/low mileage foundation to mod on, but then I added up the $$$ in mods to get that car (looked at a 2000 Firehawk a month ago) where I wanted and what I'd lose when selling my car, so I doubt that option will happen.

We'll say the cap is $3500 to spend, no nitrous, and keep in mind the lesser the amount, the more likely it's going to happen. IE: "The best bang for your buck is 1.6 rockers so get Comp Golds in 7/16" stud self aligning with these springs." is more likely to happen than "If you have $3500 to spend, drop a budget 355 in it."

I've also been kinda looking for a cheap Corvette 4 bolt LT1 block.

 

Heads and a cam would be my choice. I would rebuild the engine in the process. That will probably excede your budget. Suspension upgrades would be another option. You have a nice foundation to start.

 

Heads are out of the picture for a while now.

If anything I'd look at something around a Ai 226/234 cam swap but I'm hesitant to do that without replacing the lower main bearings, and possibly a few other things on a 155k mile longblock. My car has ran Mobil 5/30 it's whole life as far as I know. Ported stockers would suffice with that cam. I thought about doing a hotcam for the sound and added performance throughout the powerband (it's also quite a bit cheaper than the Ai kit), but I'm still hesitant swapping cams at 155k. The car isn't my DD so spinning a rod wouldn't be the end of the world, but at the same time I'm not looking to intentionally break my car.

What suspension upgrades? My car has a brand new set of shocks/springs as of about a year ago. Replaced the factory Bilstein Level II parts.

• New Moog Upper Strut Mounts
• SLP Bilstein Level II Springs (SLP #70002)
• SLP Bilstein Level II Shocks (SLP #70002)
• Rear LCAs
• Relocation Brackets
• Panhard Bar
• Factory SS swaybars

I'm sure some SFC's would help but I'm not sure what else I'd replace, I don't really need a torque arm, do I? It's not a drag car but a cruiser. I've also thought about going to Strano Springs but didn't want to spend the $$$ on Konis. I miss the look of it sitting on Sportlines, but needed the ground clearance for my long tubes.

 

Good dyno tune probably could help bring out some more power. It really helped on my friends old bolt on 95 z28.

Mild cam would be nice but at 155K miles i'd be concerned at the cam bearings. hate to see you wipe a cam bearing and ruin the motor.

 

Cam bearing and lower main bearings would be my main points of concern. I'd probably leave the stock rev limiter in tact.

I'd think a dyno tune would be overkill on a bolt-on LT1, as I'd assume the mail order tuners can get it pretty close for a lot cheaper.

 

we just did a budget 355 for my buddies car and he came in right at about $4000. he got the block machined (.30 over) full eagle rotating assembly, then for top end he went with the lloyd elliot stage 1 heads (you send them your stock heads and they machine them to their stage 1 kit) also lloyd elliot sells a cam that is meant to go with their stage 1 kit. but instead of a LE cam my bussy ended up going with a cc503 cam (the biggest cam you can put on those heads) 1.6 scorpion RR. then after we got everything together he brought it down to a local shop that dyno tuned it for $200. he came out of it with a little over 400 rwhp

 

You'll lose your *** if you sell it. It's a total buyers market right now. Mod it! If the motor has high mileage like you say, I would build another motor for it. Find something local in your craigslist and slowly build it as time/money allow. A 355 keeping the factory crank and rods along with a set of TFS 21 degree heads ported by LE or AI is a hot combo right now.