85_Camaro_Kid

I just made the transition from imports to domestic, and I am a uber newb, so bear with me for my first hundred or so post.

About a week ago I purchased my first Domestic car, and a V8 at that. 1985 Camaro Z-28 350 4-bolt main swap, 350TH, eaton posi. Other than this I know nothing about the car.

I do know I have a edlebrock 4bbl carb and intake manifold, and echaust on the car. I also no cosmetically I have the hood blisters, and the high rise spoiler.

Over the past week I have just been doing what is NEEDED! I fixed some rust spots on the rear, alignment, front wheel berrings and dust caps, alignment, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, intake manifold gasket, adjusted the ignition and carb, and hooked up the electric choke. Hooked up my e-brake, changed oil and filter. You know all the petty crap that makes a car go forever, and keeps the vehicle mechanically sound.

I have also done some electrical things, signal switch in steering colum, about 5 fuses, and traced my blower motor problem to a bad contol unit in the inside of the car. (Hint: need to buy one if you have an extra).

Now I am looking at things I could do to get the car up to speed with the rest of my local buddies. Being in east Tennessee, all we have to do it hit 1 of the 3 dragstrips up in the 20 mile radius from our house.

Right now, my car runs a 9.6 in the 1/8. My buddies are well into the 7's and a few are in the 6's. (One runs a 6.7 @99mph).

My exterior is almost finished (primer black), I just need to pick up my hood I want and a Berlinta (spelling?) front bumper, and possibly some hatch glass louvers.

I am doing some other things before I do the motor, but I am wanting to pick-up parts now!

Question: I am looking for a place to start, and looking for what will give me my best bang for the buck as far as motor upgrades.

At the local speed shops (hot rod barn, performance products) I have seen pullys for uber cheap and I have always had good luck with those on my imports. Are they equally effective on my 350 sb? I know I am going to do headers, but I may just do full leingth and run a new custom exhaust straight back instead of following the tunnel (I'm not droping the car, so clearence isn't a issue). I just need ideas from people that know. I am to embarassed to ask my friends. They know about their cars, and my imports, but I know about my imports and nothing of these cars. I am here to learn, so teach me....

Vader

Welcome Aboard!

Performing the routine maintenance is a good start. You'll get more familiar with the vehicle, and have a good starting point.

It would be helpful to know a little about the setup. What heads, cam, and pistons are installed? What is the current exhaust configuration? What accessories are installed?

If someone went to the trouble of exchanging engines, trans, and installed a decent rear axle, there is a chance that they actually took the time to select reasonably good heads, matched a cam to the heads and intake, and paid a little attention to the key details. There is also the possibility that they simply dropped in the first available truck 350. While you're moving around the engine bay cleaning, adjusting, and inspecting, try to get the casting numbers for the block and heads.

Underdrive sheaves can be a double-edged sword. You may gain a peak increase of 10 HP or so under the right conditions, but may sacrifice some reliability and ease of daily operation, such as an undercharing battery, poor A/C operation, weak steering assist at low speeds, and short life of the aluminum sheaves. If you are using it mostly for racing, those are lesser issues.

The exhaust may be a restriction, and may free up a lot more power. Considering the stock exhaust system on the car was likely designed for a carbed 305, it may be choking the 350 badly at higher RPMs. The stock exhaust manifolds are potentially not the worst part of the system, but can be a restriction, so don't think that simply installing headers will solve that.

You'll find lots of facts here, some help, even more opinions, and many ideas about what you can do.

A lot of what you may already know will still apply. An engine is an engine, and most of the conventions of basic operation still apply. You will also find that there are some things about the old SBC that are unique. Fortunately, they've been around so long that there are no longer any real secrets. Stick around, and you can pick up some good information.

85_Camaro_Kid

Yea, Little things like the oil dipsticks location on the driverside where I can't check my oil? lol.

It was a 3" exhaust system on it now, and a flowmaster 40-series.

I know my car doesn't make a bunch of power, it's about high to mid 14's in the 1/4.

stroker_SS

Welcome aboard, my calculators tell me your making about 280-300hp at the crank so your doing decently well. Long tube headers and a true dual with an H-pipe might take ya down to low 14's. You can always spray your way down too.

85_Camaro_Kid

So do I just avoid using the exhaust tunnel the current system follows? I can get Block hugger headers for $109.99, and I can fabb my own exhaust system up for probably around $200 all said and done. I really like the Hooker header super competitions (full leingth), but I didn't see a price on them.

I still need to change my transmission fluid, and my rear differental fluid, but I don't know what I should use. Like I stated before, I am completly new to the V8 world, and domestic word alike. I can get Any fluid out there so just let me know what's best.

My next high dollor modification is my tires, I am getting The firestone/brigestone Indy 500's. If I do 16" Iroc wheels I will do the 245/50/16 tires, but if I stick with 15's then I am doing the 245/60/15. All for with free life time mount and balance is $489.01 total, and that goes well with my free lifetime alignment I have with them.

My car is getting a lift off cowl, sometime after x-mas, and then my exterior will be done. I am just going remove my ground effect on my car, all the way around. I spend alot of time on gravel roads, and I'll just store them in my garage untill I am ready for them to go back on. Just something about wide tires, high stance and powerful V8 camaro flip a switch on inside me. I don't think a camaro should sit on the ground like my Acura and Mazda did.

I really want to get my car into the mid/low 7's (1/8 mile) before summer rolls around. That is my goal! And thats where I need to run to beat some local twin turbo Supras (the car I dispise most). All of them run 7.7-7.9 in the 1/8.

stroker_SS

Hugger headers won't do you a whole lot better, maybe 10hp. Some long-tubes for a third gen will net you a bit more. Check out summitracing.com for exhaust components, a whopping $140 for heddman long tubes, paint them up with some silver manifold paint and they should last you a couple years without rusting. Do some searching for dual exhaust pictures to give you some ideas.

As for tranny and rear-end lubricants, i stand by Amsoil products, Royal purple is great stuff too.

Irockz

iTrader: (1)

If I might add,it's worth the exta $$$ for a bolt on hood.I have a lift off,and while it's nice for major repairs/modifications,for the most part it's a pain in the ***.Keep in mind how often you check fluids,and figure on a scratch/chip in your paint,not counting actual repairs.

85_Camaro_Kid

See, whats so tempting about this is that I will loose the latch, cable, hinges (shave 5lbs) off the Camaro. The hood weights 22lbs, and the camaro hood feels like it's in the vecinity of about 80-90lbs. There is 60 or so lbs of weight savings. I am not real worried about paint, because a scratch or chip can be fixed for about $ .98. (rattle can primer black baby, which is the new color of my car).

(side Note: what are my hood blisters worth?)

I am also loosing my ground effects all the way around (minus high rise spoiler) because it makes the car "look fast," And that is the last thing I want. I do have a spoiler from a 87 BMW 318 that would look snazzy on the tail of the car, but it veighs about 2 lbs more according to the bathroom scale, and would require different mounting holes.

Also how do I get the rear bumper side ground effects off? I got the bottom two phillips scres, and the one clip, but it's hangign up on a clip that I can't get to, and I don't want to break it because I may decide to put the ground effects back on someday.

Thanks guys!

MaxxMitchell

iTrader: (4)

A 7.7-7.9 in the 1/8th is basicly what, low to mid 12's in the 1/4? If so your going to need to be making around 310-340 at the rear wheels. Im going to be making close to that with my set up, but you can do that with a 75 shot, and some ported heads, and possibly a cam change, soo basicly $600 should get you all of that done, if you do all the work yourself.

If you can, take off the valve covers, and get the casting number from the heads, that will tell us just what you can do with that car. Also get the casting number off of the block, it will be behind the driverside head.

Like the others have said, exhaust should be looked at, the 3" set up you have now is ok, but if it still has stock manifolds, then your still choking it. The hooker super comps on summit are roughly $450 for the painted version, and $700+ for ceremic coated. I would shop around for a used set. The hedman Long tubes are nice, but they are only 1 5/8" primairies, the hookers are 1 3/4" i belive, giving you more top end.

Once we know what heads you have, we can figure out what you need to do next performance wise. V-8s make all their power from thier head, and cam set ups. If at all possible try to find out if the previous owner did any work to that motor, besides what you can see. It sounds healthy so far, but there could be something he over looked.

Somehting else to consider, you say you have a eaton posi in it, it does leave two burn out marks right? If you can, count howmany bolts on on your rear end cover. It is probly a 10 bolt still, if so you will NOT WANT TO RUN SLICKS, it will break sometime or another. You really need a 12bolt, or a ford 9" under there. To reach your 1/8mi goals, your going to really need to address traction. If your wanting to just have enough power to beat most of those cars ont he street, then look at building a new 350, with forged parts, and add some good heads/cam and youll beable to take out those supras N/A, let alone if you stick a little nitrous on it.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

Just like any car, you can get more with less by having the entire drivetrain work together effeicently. This wont mean much for your basic bolt on's, but to get the speeds you want, your going to have to dig into the engine and start swapping hard parts.

Considering the times your running, it's a safe bet the heads are oem smogger/junkers, flat top 4 valve reilef pistons, and a stock type hyd cam....you can cam it, but your restricting it due to crappey heads. with any sbc, stick the majority of your cash into the heads and then cam/lifters, etc...that is where the power is made in these things....stock short blocks can get by with alot of power for a long time if everything is built correctly and maintanied.

Dont plan on keeping up with or beating the imports with bolt ones to what you got, it just is not going to happen. Nice thing with the sbc, you can start buying parts now (intakes/carb, headers, etc..) bolt them on what you got and they can be reused on a different motor so your investing money and not wasting it.

There are a thousands of avenues to go with this and all are limited by cars intentions (daily driver, cruiser, racers,etc..) and budget.

joe383

I say a 2,500 RPM stall with a anti balloon plate from TCI for 279.88 and a Edelbrock performer NOS kit for 379.95 with the 100 HP jets backing off your timing about 4* to 6* when using the squeeze. This should give you the extra power you are looking for. They say for every 100 HP of NOS you gain around 150 FT LBS of torque on a stock motor.

85_Camaro_Kid

The supras a built Twin turbos. I just REALLY dispise the toyota. They are cocky SObs, I justy can't wait to find one at a light with their girl. Sorry, it's just a rant of mine.

What about the 350 vortec heads?

I can upgrade to trickflow head package for about $2000. How much more power would that give me if I ran that and a stall convertor. Just as long as I can get some good straight line performance.

Yea, when I stomp it every night pulling out of the parking lot from my job, combined with my bad rear tires, she fishes out, I counter steer, and it's like I am sliding sideways on ice. I can't feel any G's pushing me like you do when you are taking a cornor or anything.

I can do a brake stand, and she burns them, and goes all the way throuh 1st, then just sits at like 4000rpms and burns them. As soon as I let go of the brake she leaves 2 strips about 20-50ft long, depending on the type of pavement.

To give you guys another idea how fast my car is, at the end of about 1/6 of a mile a C5 vette has about 1-1/2 bus leingths on me. She runs strong, and has gobs of tq.

Would you guys even bother rebuilding the block, and just slap some heads, a cam in it, and some rockers, lifters, push rods, etc and call it a day? Or should I just bite the bullit and build the bottom. I just really hate using a plasti-guage, I have never been good with berrings.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

If you're not getting smoking, knocking, or low oil pressure the bottom end should be fine; plus you can check that when you have the heads off. The Vortec heads are a good buy on a carb engine make sure to get the intake that matches it and get a decent cam that matches the heads. Before I did anything to the motor I would get some sticky tires out back, then invest in suspension parts (if they're not already in there) lower control arms, are a good place to start. A nitrous system will completely transform your car if you go that route, plus it's about the lowest buck HP you can get.

85_Camaro_Kid

heh, I have been thinking of doing this instead of picking up these New in box old style cragers I found at Performance Products.

I was looking a the 100 shot. Fiqured that 50 was a real safe number on a 4cyl, 100 was real safe on a 8cyl. If you can push 80shot on a 4cyl with a retarded ignition, then a 150 shot is safe on the 8cyl with retarded ignition. Correct or no?

IHI

iTrader: (1)

As long as the short block is in good mechanical condition you can hit a stock sbc with a 150 shot all day and not have any issues...but as you know having the fuel and timing is critical or you know the outcome.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

Direct quote from a friend "Third gens don't look good with Cragers". Look on ebay and buy a decent nitrous kit, you should be able to get everything cheap. Get a wet kit, upgrade your fuel pump, and get good plugs, wires, and make sure the distributor, module (basically the ignition) is up to snuff and you can do a 150 shot without any worries. Make sure to check your plugs after a run or two to make sure you're not going lean and enjoy.

85_Camaro_Kid

Hell, my car always looks like it is lean. On the end of my plug, I have a white ash, but towards the igniter, it looks good. The car runs really good though, no ping under a load or anything so.....You got me.

My ignition is running advanced right now. If I spray I will retard it a degree or 2. I got lazy the other day. I run 93 octain. I had a friend hold the brake, and step on the gas to put the car under a load, then I advanced my ignition untill I heard it detonate, then I backed it off a bit. Tightened the bolt, and enjoyed what seemed like alot of power I picked up. THat helped my car out a whole lot. Dist cap, rotor button, plugs and wires, helped me out alot, and royal purple full synthetic, helps it rev a bit quicker. These combined added a butt load of spunk to the motor, and the car. When I am going up the on ramp (to 640) at full throttle the car shifts to second and gets squirly. A second pass driving normal, I can see 2 black stripes about 10-15ft long where it was.

The car runs strong and hard. I think after these things I have done I am running a 9.2-9.5 in the 1/8th. I am not really sure, I have to get to the drag strip soon.

I can get the Nitrous Oxide System (NOS), Cheater kit, Wet 150-250 hp shot , 10 lbs Bottle, Square Bore, 4-Barrel Kit at HOT ROD BARN for $459.44 + tax and filling the bottle which takes 24 hours, because they hae to freeze the bottle to some ungodly temperature (-115F I think). That would give me time for the install.

Having used Nitrous systems before (1990 Acura Integra w/ B18C1, 75 shot, ran 12.9 @ 114 at bristol with 22"D MT DR's) You have to poiont the nose of the bottle towards the front of the car to avoid misfires. How would I mount the bottle in the camaro. Or a better question is where. It's not a big bottle, just a 10 pounder, but still, there is no room.

85_Camaro_Kid

I have cragers on my car now, and they look real sharp, just a little to much like "dukes of Hazzard" for me. They stick out a little to much, and I rum if I turn my wheel sharp.

These are the same pretty much, they are about 7lbs each, and they have alot less back spacing, so they will fit quite nicely.