stope21

Heres the deal: I have 10k to spend on a muscle car.

I want a thirdgen camaro with a very powerful engine, and a bulletproof powertrain. I'm not concerned w/ handling right now, but I would like to get a camaro with good base/stock suspension.


1)Which base car should I get Z-28, I-roc Z, or RS?
2)Which year(s).
I beleive I could get a decent roller/base car for $800-2000.

Now there's two ways I'm thinking about going.
A) 454
B) Forced Induction 350/383 (maybe L98/lt1/ls1 or even a crate w/ procharger d1sc)



The 454 setup I found so far:
I found a solid roller 454 that ran a 9.98 all motor for $3500. and a TH400 freshly rebuilt for $400. That would bring the total to $4700-5900 + $1000 for parts to fit the BBC into a 3rd gen (fuel pump booster, insulation, air ducts, engine mounts, transmission crossmember, etc) and $400-1000 for a radiator to keep it cool. That would bring it to $6100-7900. headers/exhaust and all the other stuff I missed would bring it to about 10k and I would have a 454 camaro w/ about 750-850 hp, and only thing I would have to worry about later would be rear end going out.

Lt1/ls1/L98 and prochargers are pretty easy to find:
a built procharged 383 (maybe a stroked lt1/d1sc), with everything added up would come out to about 9k (depending on which heads I used) and i'd have about 750-850 hp.

-Chase

oifish

I'd say get a 92 Z-28, then get the T-56 tranny, and get the LS1.

85z28guy

Personally I would go with any of the three models, basically pick which one you like. I would also go with a sbc forced induction, manily because its a proven combo. If you want to be different, but maybe have to mess around with stuff go bb. Either way your going to have to upgrade your rear and, ESPECIALLY with a bb. I would strongly consider a cage with a bb too. It may pay off for you to spend a little more on a roller that basically just needs a motor and tranny. One that someone has already spent the time and money on upgrading to properly handle 750+hp. Your also gonna have to decide if your going manual or auto. Manual your going to have to swap in a t56, auto you could just build a 700r4, or 350.

stope21

i'm most likely going auto, but I'm going to do whichever is easier with what I find (If i find a good auto car/th400 then i'll be auto, if I find a good manual and a good deal on a beefy manual trans like a t10/t56 etc, i'll do that).

I agree, sbc forced would be easier, but a BBC is well a BBC . It will have more potential if I decide I want to put more money into it a few years from now, 454 + forced induction would be ridiculous.

As far a s building up a 700r4 - i wouldnt trust it to hold up for extended time, a th350 would work, i'll most likely use either a th400 or th350 depending whichever I find the best deal on.

bac67

iTrader: (2)

Get a V6 RS rip that motor out, and buy a wrecked 4th gen Camaro and do a full interior and LS1 T56 swap and all the running gear

Lo-tec

Let someone else do the work and get a twice the car for 1/2 the price:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=331786

oifish

You'll regret going auto, I know I have.

85z28guy

I thought I would, but I really haven't. Once you get a nice beefy tranny behind, shifting the way you want it its no big deal.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Dump the car ideas and buy us tickets to Vegas .

JamesC

stope21

Half the fun is knowing that I built it and the car is the way it is now because of me - not because I bought it that way. Anyone can buy a fast car.

I currently drive a 98 c5 6 spd and am considering selling it to fund the project, it's a great car but I have always had a thing for 3rd gens.

Does the 454 setup I was talking about seem reasonable?

85z28guy

Put 10 grand into the c5. DO IT NOW

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

don't forget suspension mods, a cage, subframe connectors, a cowl hood, a fuel system to support it, a rear end to handle the power, etc etc. take that 10k and think a little higher, i have 14k into my camaro and i'm still not running the motor that i will run eventually but have swapped everything else out now besides that.

stope21

I covered suspension, fuel system, and rear end in my proposal, You're right I will need SFC's and a cowl hood depending on setup - I figured the total of $6100-7900 which includes 454, th400, parts I need to fit the engine/tranny (fuel pump booster, insulation, air ducts, engine mounts, transmission crossmember, etc. and a radiator

headers/exhaust, SFC's, and cowl hood and anything else I am missing (which there always is) will be covered with the remaining $2100-3900.

Lo-tec

Not covered in your original figures, and a stock one won't make it 10 feet at the track with the proposed engine and trans. There goes $2500. Plus a driveshaft to take the power, plus a rollbar or cage as xpndbl3 mentioned, plus ......

It's a viscious cycle, I stopped counting at 25k....

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

double your money that you think you're going to spend i would imagine. you can not make a list, there is no fuel pump booster, there is a dropping of the tank and adding a sump, running -8an or -10 line to the front, a huge fuel pump, filters, fuel pressure regulator, all the fittings. figure 1k just in those. then 2500 to 3000 for a nice 9" rear end. another 750 at least in suspension mods. i'm at almost 5k and i haven't included the motor radiator or tons of other items. $500+ for a nice carb setup, trust me 10k won't make it.