im 19 years old and about a year and a half ago i bought my 3rd gen info in garage on details. i am looking for helpful advice on turning my baby into a street rod i havent had the money lately due to personal reasons but now ive got a job good enough to support my car habit. it an 84 z with the regular 305 ive got a 30 bore and an rv cam so far thinking about a 327 after i finish everything else i wanna do to the rest of the car. so what by everyones opinions would be the best set up currently it is my daily driver so mpg is a mild factor

 

Cool classic! Be careful with it. Looks like a lot of potential there, just needs some TLC

 

definatly potential and shes my baby i wouldnt do anything to hurt her treats me better than any woman

 

I can't say it enough, LS1 and a T-56. It is expensive to do, but I'm getting about 30 MPG highway. Even with a big cam, heads, headers and nitrous.

 

how much u end up paying for it cause im just a young kid with not much money
i was gonna build it the classic way and then do a swap on just the motor i do like the t56 though buddy of mine has a 2000 ss

 

I got the motor for free. I work at a Chevy dealer. One of the idiot technicians couldn't find the noise, so he said it needed a motor. Then they put the old one in the metal dumpster. It stayed in there for about 6 seconds before I took it out, took it apart and brought home in pieces in the back of my grand prix. The noise was a bad cam and cam bearings. They were getting replaced anyway. But I went through the motor anyway. And I did the FAST intake and throttle body, with everything done I was somewhere around $4 or $5K. You can buy engine and tranny together on ebay. Look for one with harness and PCM. People are amazed when they ride in my car. Now I just need to finish the interior and paint it.

 

im not familiar with elecronics on autos wat is the pcm and doesnt the ls need a computer different from the one i have

 

The PCM in is the computer. Powertrain control module. And yes it is different.

 

If you are trying to keep up with your friends car, you will not without alot of money invested. He proably has a LS1 and can make big HP with little money. You have a nice car, understand it is 20+ years old. Why dont you roll in it, go to trade school, then you can do all kinds of stuff yourself AND support yourself also.

 

Before you even start building up the car, get the #1 needed thirdgen upgrade - subframe connectors and have them welded in even if they are the bolt-in style.

Definitely consider the LT1 or LS1 engines.

 

no im not trying to keep up with the 4th gen personally i just wanna build it up with the motor it has im not even gonna change the motor until the rest of the car is ready and wat make sub frame connectors so important

 

they are unit body cars, so it has a two part frame, i have attached a crude 5 sec drawing to help explain, the fron frame is attached to the car body and so is the rear but they do not connect to each other, the subframe connectors get welded into the empty space effectivly makeing a solid frame so that the car wont twist....

 

i didnt know that thnx for the advice

 

good luck with the build up, there are to many kids out there that buy them and trash them

 

well u dont have to worry about me trashing my baby just gotta slowly build her up due to finances