I'm debating whether or not to ditch the engine I have now and buy an LS1. I currently own an '84 Z-28 with a 305 carburated 4BBl. It's all stock except for the K&N filter. I know an LS1 would be kinda expensive, but there's a local junkyard that may have some good deals for used engines. I like the fact that the LS1's are all aluminum and have 325+ HP, and the light weight may give me a better horsepower to weight ratio. They also got decent mileage. OR I could build up the engine I already have, but I don't want to do too much that would really drink the gas. At least with the LS1 I could do a few mods to get to my goal of 400HP naturaly aspirated (redo entire exhaust system, cam, little bit of porting, suspension for better launches), as opposed to more work for my maybe 200HP 305 which will probably steal some mileage. Any ideas?

Also, some people are telling me that I can't make my ThirdGen true dual exhaust. Are they wrong?

 

I guess I should have mentioned...I'm wanting to build a decent street machine. Nothing for pro-drag racing or anything. Just something to take on the local Mustangs and Ricers, especially the Ricers.

 

I'm going to move this to the General board. You'll get more answers there.

 

jester you dumbass when you transfer it you have to not lock it so people can reply. i don't know how you get by without me to straighten things out for you.

as for the car problem, be easier to fix what you have. doing any kind of swap is major work and i believe to go with the ls1 you'd need a trans too. the ls1 is easy in the respect that the ecm sits on the inner fender and you don't have a lot of wires to pull, other than what you remove. i'd do a lot of looking around and reading on here before i jumped in to do this swap.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

The local junkyard specializes in 4th/5thGen Camaros and Firebirds. I'd deffinately want to get the LS1 with tranny, and most likely need the rear differential. OR I could bore mine to a 350 and do some playing with that. IF I decided to go ahead and do the big swap, I'd get it all done at once. I know that no one can really say which is easier, but I'm just wondering if the swap would be as effective as I think it would be. Also, with the amount of work I'd have to do to get, let's say 300-320HP, how bad would my mileage suffer as compared to an LS1?

 

I didn't do it..it's some glitch somewhere. This is the 2nd or third time it's done that. I don't lock them before I transfer, I just move the post and it comes out locked here. I dunno why.


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"American made baby. 100% American iron. The muscle among the masses. My hero. Yep, you can take your ergonomically designed, space age, computer controlled, 4 door, cup holding map lighted split double wishbone split fold down retractable cargo covered moon roof piece of transportation and keep it. For I have felt the thunder. And I know the difference!"
JSP Motorsports
ICON Motorsports

 

Well it really depends on what you REALLY want. First you can't bore a 305 to 350. You could stroke it to 335(?) I think that is max, but you need a 400 crank and block machining. Add AFR heads, edelbrock performer manifold, and a Compucam 2040 cam, SLP or Edelbrock headers, new cat and cat back exhaust, tune the carb to the max and maybe push 300-325 FLYWHEEL horsepower (good for about mid 14's in the 1/4). It should pass emissions if that is a concern.
You can do the same mods (spend the same money) to a GM crate 350 including the stoke to get a 383 and have about 400hp.
Both choices will give you gas mileage in the 10-15 mpg range city driving.
I think that would be cheaper, way cheaper and easier than an LS1/tranny swap. With the LS1 you need to modify the gas tank (huge PITA, you have to remove the rear suspension to drop the gass tank)to accept return lines for the fuel injection add an electric fuel pump, plus a myriad of other things that I can not even begin to list. However, LS1 is the ULTIMATE in cool, you'll get 20+ mpg, emission legal, and great performer.
IF you want good gas mileage, why not just swap a modified TPI onto a 350. Way cheaper than your LS1 plus great availability of aftermaket parts, AND make more horsepower than the LS1 with less money.
Just some ideas to toss around. There is nothing worse than a massive project without a detailed plan, and you become sickened at the site or your thirdgen and the car is off the road for months or years.

P.S. There is no such thing yet as 5th gen.

[This message has been edited by Nightcruzer (edited October 11, 2001).]

 

Well, thanks for the tips. I also was debating about a carb to TPI conversion, but some think it's not worth the hassle. One thing that I'm wondering: what's so special about carbs? Is it that you can do mods without having to inadvertantly change some of the other stuff? Thanks for the advice about the LS1, even though it's not anything I wanted to hear. But yea, I deffinately want to research my options to the final detail before I do anything. That's why I'm here. So, let's say I'd want to drop in a 350 TPI. Who's got some ideas to make power out of it, without supercharging or NOS. I think I'd want to leave the crankshaft alone. I'll play with everything else. Would I need to replace my fairly new 700-R4 tranny for the 350? Any ideas for making the car lighter? Thanks.

 

What would I have to do if I wanted to put a 75 shot of NOS into the TPI engine? It would be a new crate 350.