Hi guys im looking to make a little more power with my stock 1995 z28 but have a slight problem, LE requires you send in your heads to perform the porting on them, my problem is the car is my daily driver and cant be out of comission for four weeks or better (outside with no heads on it). I have also talked with AI about purchasing heads and cam package. What do you guys think about the small afr heads? you know something i could just purchase outright, or does anybody know of a reputable porting shop with the product ready for sale?

 

You can buy a set of used heads off here and send those in. Usual cost for heads on here is about 200$.

 

Exactly, buy a used set, send them to Lloyd or Advanced Induction. Take your old set off the car and sell them on here. Problem solved.

 

Gave $150 for my cores here on the forum.

 

Junkyard is where I found my cores...True you run the risk of them being cracked or something, but sometimes people ain't selling the highest quality of stuff on this board either.

eBay is another route, or you could just buy some slightly used ones that someone is selling on the board or on eBay.

 

Hey thanks for the suggestions guys, Do you guys think putting heads and a cam into a stock 50k short block is a waste of money? heads and cam deal is around 3400+ for roughly 370hp and who knows how long it will last, (if it blows up it could take out one or both heads) vs a golen or comparable long block for like 6500 with over 400hp and a reliable lower end. I dont know, moneys tight and I like reading about others personel experiences. Im starting to think I should just save up and get an entire long block and do it once.

 

don't take the easy way out, you'll regret it
You'll be sitting there and be like "damn, i shoulda done this myself instead of driving someone elses work"
Save up, buy a forged crank, pistons, rods, etc. You can build a head/cam 383 for about 7k that'll be putting out close to 500HP

 

You have a 50k miles shortblock? I'd go heads and cam on that. You will make good power and be reliable. No worries about any of that.

 

Don't these places have sets of ported heads ready to sell? You pay the core charge and then get your money back when you send in your old heads (as long as they're not bad). Do they not do this?

 

I did exactly what you're contemplating. I did my cam/heads in 2003 with just over 50k on the engine. I got a deal on what would now be Lloyd's LE2 heads. He happened to have a bare set ported that a customer backed out on and I snatched them up and had him assemble them. I don't know how you came up with your price figure, but I did mine for under $2500 and I didn't take any shortcuts; I used Comp Cams and GMPP products throughout. Granted, I went relatively mild with my cam and I don't race all the time (just went down the 1/4 for the first time in 8 years about 2 weeks ago) but my setup runs great. The stock LT1 shortblock is pretty damn good as long as you don't get too crazy with it.

 

There is no easy way to do the project you want to do. The easiest way is to just buy bare block and heads and have them sent out to be built. After it's done then install it in the car. Even this approach will cause unforseen headaches.

Untill you have the money and the time to do something right, you will end up with poor results and driveability problems. According to the tone of your post, I don't think you want any problems. It sounds to me like you are a prime candiate for a hot cam & Long tube set up. It's easy, cheap, effective and only 20-30 short of your goal of 370 for about $2000-2500 less than what you have budgeted.

It's sad when a group of people, who so closely research results, cast aside proven results for a "good feeling". Knowing real value when you see it is critical to the sucess of a project. I think you have already made your choices and are just looking for people to agree with you. This is a dangerous tactic. It might make you feel better during your research, but it won't be any comfort to you when the #'s or reliability don't pan out.

The best way to describe how I feel is with a exchange I heard. This was during a dyno day with a bunch of mustang gys. It went something like this:

TUNER: Ok, the car is leaning out. There is nothing I can do. You need a new set of injectors.

SALEEN OWNER: Those are Saleen injectors! They can't be the problem! The guys on my forum SAY they HEARD these would work!

TUNER: Who said what? Who are "they"? Are "THEY" professional tuners? I don't care who made the injectors, there is not enough volume.

SALEEN OWNER: You don't know what you are talking about... I have HEARD of plenty of people doing fine with these injectors!!

TUNER: Get this piece of junk off my dyno.

SALEEN OWNER: I paid alot of $$$ here. You should be nice to me.

TUNER: If you want some one to be nice to you for money get a call girl. You pay me to make you fast, not kiss your ear. So buy the right parts and stop wasting money and my time.


That was probably not the nicest thing to say. But, this was one of the best mustang tuners I have seen. Despite his tone the tuner was dead on right about every thing he said to the guy. Hopefully the saleen owner chose to listen, but he probably found a tuner that was willing to tell him what he wanted to hear.

Good luck with your project.

 

"I don't understand why it was relavent to mention your "bad vibe". What is bad about it? It's sad when a group of people, who so closely research results, cast aside proven results for a "good feeling". Knowing real value when you see it is critical to the sucess of a project. I think you have already made your choices and are just looking for people to agree with you. This is a dangerous tactic. It might make you feel better during your research, but it won't be any comfort to you when the #'s or reliability don't pan out."

You are 100% correct, I should have been more specific with a statement like that. To explain so that it might not be misinterpeted, when I asked AI if they had cores on hand so that I wouldnt have to send my heads in before hand I got the impression that they would rather I sent mine in, never came out and said it outright, but just my own semi delusional gut feeling, I should add that I have spoken with them several times (sorry guys) and they have been nothing short of extremely helpful and I have no reason to doubt there quality or results.

"According to the tone of your post, I don't think you want any problems"

Again your right, more so for the reason that I am a recovering "car aholic".
I got out of the hobby 5 years ago swearing never to return after spending every dime to my name in a track only, low 9 67 camaro that ran very little and broke alot. After seeing how fast you guys are going now a days and driving your cars on the street to boot I couldnt resist. My current set up is a cheap 95 z a4 car 50k 3200 vig converter, hooker lts, cai and 3.73 gears. It has run a 12.8 and im now looking to drop into the low 12 high 11 range without falling into the downward spiral i one did that landed in divorce court. Any suggestions or enlightening thoughts im open for em.
thanks jason

 

The "car aholic" side I more than understand. When I was 16-20 I had a 89 camaro that did the same thing. Drained all my money, didn't run right. I was lucky I didn't break alot of parts... probably because it had no power . It was tough. I swore off wreching too. Then I got my 96 SS. My friends used to talk trash on it. For example: When you gonna break that one. What a bunch of good friends right. Either way I left my car stock for 45,000 mi (bought it with 1,200 mi). Then I did a NX kit, only had a few bottles through it. Then at almost 70K I did the hot cam and long tube kit. I have to say it was the most hasle free upgrade I have done. I used to run 13.5 @103 stock, and my hot cam long tube times where 12.9 @110. I picked up 7 mph in the big end, it was sweet. I have an m6 it's a little harder to get out of the hole. The car had more power everywhere, and it had a nice lope, and made good power all the way to 6200 RPM. I put almost 20,000 mi. on my hot cam kit and never once had a problem with the engine (stock every thing). 10 bolt pinon gears are another story for another time .
Your car is putting down some good times as is. Don't over kill it. You already have the exhaust so just buy the cam kit and have it tuned. I think you would be plesantly supprised. By the time you get low 12's high 11's it will be time to do a more agressive cam and head package (gotta get mid low 11's next. Right?). I am sure you know the Hot Cam kit is about $500 complete new. So it's not a big gamble. If something goes wrong with the cam and head job... it's gonna hurt the wallet big chasing small gremlins (AS&M TB's & injector sets are expensive).
I have an AI set up on my new 355, it's sweet. But I already shattered a 12 bolt ring and pinion. It's not a big deal (already fixed), but the car is also not my DD. My hot cam couldn't hurt the 12 bolt under any condition.
Good luck with it.