HELP!!! New to the racing scene, trying to build kick ass entry level camaro

[thebest11778]

I've decided on buying an LT-1 Camaro, but I'm unsure if I'm going to keep the engine or not. I found where to buy a 440hp 350block for 3k new, and I'm thinking of buying a camaro with about 75k miles on it for a low price and then popping in the new engine and few other parts. I was thinking of just buying a v6 and then getting rid of that because it's about 7k cheaper then a z28, but I don't know if the same mods that work on the LT-1 would work on the new engine. The Z28 stock engine alone doesn't have too much power but I'm going to add a Stage II Twin Hi-Flow Intercooled with D-1SC supercharger which according to the site adds 75+% to the car. With that it would be quite the good car, but would it work with the 440hp engine? It would result in some serious power that way. What other mods do you recommend? My budget isn't what it was going to be so I'm trying to stay under 15k. Tell me what you'd get if you had 15k and were gonna build an LT-1.

This is what I'm thinking of getting, but tell me if it's worth the effort or if I should just start off with a Z28? 1994 3.4 Camaro 3k 6 speed manual tranny, Stage II Twin Hi-Flow Intercooled with D-1SC supercharger 4k, 440hp 350 small block 3k, Competition Ram Air Intake Assembly $325, MSD Fuel Pump $125, front and rear racing breaks $200, 93-96 150mph Flame Face Gauge $120, Camaro/Firebird V8 Borla Dual Rear Section Exhaust $600, CA-300 Camaro Ground Effects Package $600, 93-01 Roadster Wing $300, RKSport Ram Air Hood $700, Tailblazers $60, 93-96 C/F Crystal Clear Tail Lamps $225, Clear Corner Lens $60, Big Attitude Stripes-Black $135; the grand total is under 14k. I'm unsure what whatelse I should add to keep this running to maximum performance. This thing if put together right should have rediculous HP. If you figure out what I'm missing please tell me and the estimated HP of the car and final price.

I need to know what mods I'd need to keep this car intact. Someone told me I'd need to totally reenforce the chasse and several other mods to keep this thing running.

[Steve n Seattle]

need more details on the "440hp 350 block".

For that price I'm assuming it's a traditional Chevy small block (Gen I).

As for the V6? don't bother. Early 4th gen V6's got rear drum brakes. all 4th gen V6's got 2-piece driveshafts that would be shredded with a stock V8, much less a built-up version. The V6's gauge cluster would also be a mess. V6 springs were softer, shocks lighter, and I believe the sway bars were smaller as well.

Don't forget that V6's had open-differentials which would be a nightmare in a 440hp RWD car in ice, rain, or even light dust.


If you're gonna start from scratch, use a '93 to '97 Chevy Z28 or Pontiac Formula hardtop. That way you're suspension will be up to par for an iron-block engine.

Personally I'd just get a high-miles '96 Formula hardtop and put the $3000 into a 12-bolt rear end and some headers.

That 440hp V8 you're planning on will rip apart a stock 10-bolt rear if you're using a manual. Although it may survive the abuse if you go with an automatic tranny.

Are you looking for speed or just a show car with HP bragging rights? for a $14K budget I don't know why you're including 1/2 the stuff you listed. You can do better putting that money into other areas. Race cars break... build up the drivetrain and save yourself some painful months paying off broken stock parts. (Trust me, I learnt this one the hard way).

[thebest11778]

CHEV 350/440HP Hi Performance Balanced Engine
With Pro Lightning Heads
1968-1985
This engine would be EXCELLENT for a Street/Strip car, Street Rod, or Pickup Truck. With 440HP @ 5900rpm and 450ft lbs of torque @ 4400rpm this engine has a rough idle and will run on leaded or unleaded 91 Octane pump fuel.

The balanced rotating assembly (typically includes crankshaft, pistons, rings, connecting rods, rod bearings, and balancer) featured in this engine:

3.484" stroke steel crank
5.7" forged big beam rods with ARP rod bolts
Hypereutectic flat top pistons at 10.0 to 1 compression
More special features of this engine include:

Seasoned 4-bolt main block
Hydraulic flat tappet cam with .512" valve lift
Pro Lightning 64cc heart-shaped chamber, 220cc intake runners, angle plug heads with 2.02"Int/1.600"Exh swirl polished stainless valves with undercut stems for even more flow
1.440" High performance springs set up to match cam
Chrome moly retainers and hardened keepers
Bronze valve guides
Extra thick deck surface
Hardened exhaust seats for use with both leaded or unleaded fuels
Screw-in rocker studs with guide plates
Hardened push rods
Roller rocker arms
Double row timing set
High volume oil pump with welded big pickup screen and steel drive shaft and steel guide
Revolutionary 1-pc design molded rubber oil pan gasket with load limiters to prevent over-tightening and higher temperature resistance than standard cork-rubber gaskets
Brass expansion plugs
Edelbrock Victor Jr aluminum intake manifold

I'm looking to build a race car, but I also want to show it off... it's like a 50/50 thing, half each way. I want it to look nice enough that it'll make all cars around me look like ****, even vettes and cobras and then if I raced such cars beat them w/o a sweat even decently hooked up versions. The most money I'm willing to spend is 20k. I just want to build the best car I can for that money.

[93PlumZ]

You could get away with the GEN I smallblock if you use something that would allow for a coil pack distributor located elsewhere. I have heard of the TPIS Mini-Ram fitting in the 3rd gen body... but not dure about the distributor and setting the timing or removing the distributor.

Good luck though.

[Art Vandaley]

Sounds very intersesting project you are doing the best... If you do complete the job i would love to see pics and other stuff.. keep up the good work!

[86RedRocket]

You would have to change out the k-member also if you went w/a v-6 model. I thought about doing the same thing you're talking about. I agree w/Steve. You are spending a lot of money in the wrong places. I understand you want a good looking car, but w/the kind of power you're putting down, you will need to beef up the drivtrain and chasis. I would do that first if it was me, then I would concentrate on looks. Like Steve said, it's basically a race car, so you need to address all the main points of a race car.

[thebest11778]

I'm planning on working on the chasse and drivetrain too... I forgot to list the parts I have in mind. Here's what I have planned: Hotchkis Trailing Arms 93-00 F-Body,Hotchkis Strut Tower Brace for '93-'97 LT-1 F-Body, Hotchkis Panhard Bar for '93-'00 F-Body, Hotchkis Performance Coil Spring Set for '93-'00 SS,LS-1, and V-6 F-Body, Hotchkis Subframe Connectors for '93-'00 F-Body, Auto Specialties Underdrive Crank Pulley w/ Belt for 93-97 F-body's, Street Twin clutch assembly with steel flywheel. I'm just not sure if I need all of that or if I need more. Drivetrains aren't my field, so I don't know much about them. I'm also probably just going to buy a 94 or 95 Z28 and just forget about the V6 and the 440HP engine. Up until now I've just been trying to get the max HP possible w/o consideration of other parts... which as I now know doesn't work. My goal was a 900+HP engine... make some real money off that one... damn ricers wouldn't have a chance (that's the goal, embarrass imports) but now shooting for 500+ or 600+ seems more likely. If you think it's possible to build the 900+ and have it run w/o breaking the car with a 20k limit, then let me know and I'll buy every part specified... or would you recommend just shooting for the lower HP and keep the car safe? How much HP does it usually take to take down most imports? I've seen some sick ones with 1000+HP, that's why I started with such a high goal. I know hondas aren't a challenge I'm more interested in 3000gts, supras, and the other bad boys. Thanx for you info and opinions.

[thebest11778]

I was checking z28 prices and it seems I can pickup one with alot of miles for around 5k... I was looking to spend about 10k one one in good shape but I can buy the engine and put it into a z28 frame, would that work i.e. would the car be able to handle it? I would need a new tranny too, so I'd end up spending the 10k in the end, but it would have 0miles on it, and 150HP more. What would be a tranny that would hold up the best?

[86RedRocket]

See if you can find the article on Popular Hot Rodding Magazine's web site. They had an article on a everyday driven (I believe 87') vette. It had a built 400 sb w/mutiple turbos. It put out well over 1000hp w/ease, and it still had quite a bit left in it. That engine would be very bad a$$ in your project if you can make everything fit.

[Steve n Seattle]

Ok, lets keep this simple. At 440hp, you'll be putting down about 375rwhp. That's manageable. Anything over 500rwhp is crazy on the street. why? because your tires can only go so wide, and can only have a certain amount of grip per inch on a dirty/wet street.

3000GT's arn't much of a challenge at the track, they're heavy pigs and can't hold their transaxle together beyond 500hp or so. ONe guy on my team had one stripped down and a HUGE turbo... it was running 10's and he gave up. He was eating 3 transaxles a year and there are NO serviceable parts inside the transaxle. Some moron bean-counter decided it'd be better to leave them as a single modular unit. keeping junk yard transaxles on hand to do your own repairs isn't a whole lot of fun apparently.

Supra's? well... they dyno nice. :p That IRS is a major PITA and their suspension just isn't made for high hp numbers. A majority of Supra drag racers go to 9" live axle rears once the hp climbs. If not, they end up tagging a wall the first time they try to "dump" someone above 100mph or so. We watched one nearly kamikazi one our team mates last season. The guy went through the traps at 124mph ON THE BRAKES... lost camber in the rear tires and fish tailed sideways. He ended up cutting accross my teammates lane (who thankfully had engine trouble at the start), and pushed 6 concrete Jersey barriers 6' sideways. The car was taken off in pieces using a fork lift. They look nice, and yes they can dyno high numbers... but the rpms they need to turn the numbers makes them gutless down low. I wouldn't sweat it anyways, there arn't many around these days anyways.

Hotchkis Trailing Arms 93-00 F-Body,
Hotchkis Strut Tower Brace for '93-'97 LT-1 F-Body,
Hotchkis Panhard Bar for '93-'00 F-Body,
Hotchkis Performance Coil Spring Set for '93-'00 SS,
Hotchkis Subframe Connectors for '93-'00 F-Body,
Auto Specialties Underdrive Crank Pulley w/ Belt for 93-97 F-body's,
Street Twin clutch assembly with steel flywheel.

Street Twin? excellent choice (I love mine)
Pulleys? why not, couldn't hurt
Sub Frame Connectors? absolutley!
Strut Tower Brace? yup, I dig mine.

PHR? yes... but I'd reccomend rod-ends in this application. This is great deal and uses Aurora rod ends (nearly the best you can buy) http://www.unbalancedengineering.com/Camaro/

trailing arms? don't bother. I've discussed this before. If you have them, great, but unless this is a drag-only car you'll probably be better off with the stock ones (for road racing, autocross, daily driver wouldn't matter either way).

Springs? well... that's a whole new topic.

Don't leave out a 35mm front sway bar though... and some polyurathane sway bar bushings/end-links. A poly tranny mount and a Pro 5 shifter wouldn't hurt either... oh wait, that's my car.

[initiater]

hey dude dont waste your money on those rice lights and the body kit, put that money into getting that car to hook up. if your talking that much horsepower than your just going to waste time spining the tires and if its a daily driver get a second job for the gas bill. All that stuff sounds great but not for a DAILY DRIVING CAR. Y ou dont need 900hp to beet a ricer, MOST of the imports arent fast (most). I know of cars running 380hp that can keep up with cars running just over 425 hp just because their getting the car to hook up. But if the money is there make the that succer 900hp

[Art Vandaley]

I agree

[cutlasssupreme]

stupid thought. supercharging an already 10:1 engine = bad idea
8:1 is better for supercharging, ... 8:1 with twelve punds of boost... oh hell, eighteen punds boost, you should makes ome power, just run really really good gas

[PoorMan]

Hydraulic flat tappet cam with .512" valve lift

No more info on the cam?? The lift looks small for that HP but it is a flat tappet. I bet it's flywheel HP and not RWHP. Even if it is flywheel it still looks alittle high. I would ask for a dyno graph to backup the claim. Not a carb guy, but isn't the Victor Jr. manifold a single plane? I always thought they made more HP than Torque.

Jeff D.