I am fixing to purchase an 87 LB9 trans-am GTA, I was wondering what mods you guys think should be first.

 

Well depends, but if you are going to leave the engine in the car, then exhaust should be the first thing, go headers back if you can. If you're taking that motor out of there, then make it bigger, 350,355,383 whatever you can afford.

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87 GTA 350 L98
K&N filters, beefed up TH-700r4, Accel Manifold, Ported Plenum and Runners, Fuel Press. Regulator 49.5psi, air foil, modified MAF, SLP cold air box, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/160 thermostat, MSD 6AL and Blaster 3, B&M shift kit & megashifter, Moser Ford 9in Rear with Richmond 3.50 and locker, Edlebrock TES headers and Cat Back,Hotchkis setup in rear, Poly suspension and Koni in the front, relocated MAT, bypassed IAC, 300 lbs lighter

Fastest ET's
Stock-0-60 6.8, 1/4 15.0 @ 94
Best-0-60 4.7, 1/4 12.8 @ 112
Norm-0-60 5.2, 1/4 13.2 @ 108

 

first thing i'd do is give it a good inspection and make sure everything works or fix everything that doesn't. for mods it depends on what you can aford and what you want to do with it.

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ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond Lodge 538 F&AM

 

Assuming everything in the last post has been done, a K&N air filter would be my first choice. Cheap and effective. I would then go with a Flowmaster muffler. These are also relatively cheap, but yeild both horsepower gains as well as an awesome sound.

[This message has been edited by AT4 T/A (edited April 07, 2001).]

 

The first place you should spend money on your new car is just doing a complete tune up and make sure the car is in good running condition. Then you should start with your free mods, then do exhaust. Always work from the cat-back foward, DO NOT do headers first. Headers in front of a stock exhaust can rob you of power, especilly at the lower RPMs. I would suggest the Hooker Aerochamber cat-back system, it sells for about $260 in Jegs and you can install it in your garage in about an hour with a hack saw and some other basic hand tools!

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1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission
Borg Warner 7.75" 9 Bolt Rear End

Current Mods: LT4 HOT Cam, Comp Cams 1.52:1 Roller Rocker Arms, Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker 3" Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Performance Resource Chip, Accel Ignition Coil, Cap, Rotor, 8.8mm Wires, K&N Filters, JET TPI Air Foil, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET (w/o LT4 cam): 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

Soon to Come: 7.625" 10 Bolt with 3.42s and Accel TPI Intake Base

 

Subframe connectors, change every fluid in it, full suspension check, alignment. I would do suspension mods first, if you want to tighten up the suspension/handling. If it handles good enough for you, start the engine/power mods by first doing a good tune-up. Plugs, wires, and stuff. It needs to run good before performance mods will do any good. Then exhaust is a good cheap mod to go with.

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82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro