Have any of the T-top owners out there noticed body damage from high HP engines? If so at what HP did you begin to notice the damage?

I'm considering a SB (or maybe even a BB) swap for my '86 Camaro SC, and was just wondering at what HP the body will begin to twist apart on a T-top car. I know I'll need SFCs at the very least, and the idea of an 8pt cage isn't out of the question. I also am aware of the fact that the T-5 will have to give way to a T-56

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'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Mods:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

3

 

No, Is this your daily ride or a track only car? You get frame twist with a track Duty car because of the use of "solid mounts" & power adders like Nos "Instant 100hp+ tq's the crap out of a car frame with solid mounts"
I have t-tops in my camaro i've had my 350ish hp engine in it for 4 years i've never noticed any frame tweeks or anything out of the ordinary. Just dont use solid mounts and you will have no problems.

 

I haven't noticed anything yet on my car, but I'm kinda taking it easy until I get SFC. I have seen stock 305 cars tweaked. Solid mounts help speed up the flexing, but even stock mounts can only flex so much before something else has to give.

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85 Berlinetta Iroc exterior NOW 454 powered, 4.10 gears, 275/60/15 Hoosier Quicktimes and a PILE of other goodies..........YES, it's street driven!

check it out at http://www.bsronline.net/members/rob/rob_specs.html

 

I cracked one t-top already. Only had the V-8 for a few months. I just bought SFC's and am waiting to get them put in.

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1992 Pontiac Firebird 350/Six Speed
1987 Toyota Pickup 383/500+ HP

 

This will be mostly a street driven car, seeing some track time. I will not be using a power adder such as NOS or a supercharger, I will however be using polygraphite mounts. Does anyone know what the torque rating on a stock T-56 is?

 

My 83 Z28 5-speed with T-tops has a 400 with big heads, big roller cam, 800 CFM 4-barrel, 3.73 gears, yada yada yada... I have the type of SFCs that run the full length of the door sill and are tacked in multiple places to the floor pan; no cracks in the roof or broken T-tops yet but the chassis has fairly low mileage at only 310,000 or so.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

I dont know the torque rating sorry
But those polygraphite mounts should keep your cars frame problem free.
SSC

 

I don't know the number, but I know I've seen the torque rating in some threads before. Try running a search, I'm pretty sure you can find it in the text of something a few months old.

 

450 ft-lbs. How much torque are you going to make?

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1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula LO3 Auto
-180 degree stat
-Hooker Cat-Back
-velcro t-top bag
-Wonder Bar from my IROC
*****Possible future mods*****
4th gen seats, fiberglass spoiler, new paint

1985 IROC-Z, TPI Auto
-Accel Super Coil
engine and tranny overhauls coming this summer


http://www.geocities.com/krt80/

 

I noticed the floor under the passenger side of where there rear seat should be has started to buckle but I don't know when it started. I've had SFC since before the car first went to the track, the roll bar went in at the start of last years season but I only noticed the buckling during this winter. I don't think it's going to get any worse but will keep an eye on it all this season. If it does get worse then I'll probably have to back half the car.

Nothing external is visible and the t-tops are still in place.

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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block

Best ET on a time slip: 11.242 altitude corrected to 10.69
Best MPH on a time slip: 121.52 altitude corrected to 127.76
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP based on power to weight ratio: 504.5
Best 60 foot: 1.546

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited May 15, 2001).]

 

I was just wondering what my limitations were. More likely than not I'll be perchasing a GM Performance Parts crate motor, and even the 350 Deluxe @ 380 ft lbs would eventually turn my T-5 into a fragmentation grenade. The ZZ4 and the HT 383 @ 405 ft/lbs and 415 ft/lbs are near the top end of the T-56's limitations. I had considered the possibility of a BB swap, but with the 454 HO and 502 HO @ 500 ft/lbs and 550 ft/lbs a manual tranny would be out of the question. I know the ZZ4 is the hot motor right now, but I think I'm leaning towards the HT 383, with 325 hp @ 4500 rpm and 415 ft lbs. @ 3500 rpm it's not that far off the ZZ4 HP numbers and exceeds it in torque.

 

if you want to go big on a t-56, the dodge viper uses the same trans just beefed up it is called the viper super duty T-56 they are the same bolt pattren and mount the same. most people don't have any problems with the stock T-56, there are 10 sec 4th gens running the stock T56 that was origionally in theyr cars.

 

check out may of 2001 motor trend, they did a report on these "Hennessey Vipers". things pump out up to 902 ft/lbs of torque and use the stock T-56!! these must be some bad trannys, and he warranties the cars, and i'd imagine a guy building engines like these would know if the tranny would hold up



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oil burning
brake squealing
2 minute painted
305 rolling timebomb