Well, I'm back, but I don't have any good news. I'm running out of money, due to buying a house and getting married (just booked the hall). Anyway, the GTA has been dead for over a year now, and I need to get it up and running. Unfortunately, even after I build the motor, it's gonna need a tranny.. Anyway, any ideas on a low budget, low compression, durable small block? I was thinking along the lines of a GM $1,200 goodwrench longblock, 300hp/8.1 compression, just to get it running. But will it hold up with the supercharger? Obviosly, it's not gonna be as fast as I want it to be, but, will it last. I am more concerned about being able to drive it at this point. I'm gonna do some racing, but very little. Remember, I'm going to bolt the Vortech back up @10lbs, and the superram. So what do you guys think. I have the car all apart, waiting for a new powerplant. Is it worth doing? Every motor builder wants to build me a $5,000- $10000 motor. I can't afford this now. I'm gonna do it down the road, but 12's will be fine for now. What do you think? Thanks -justin
BTW, you can check out the detailed list of parts on my website link below. Thanks guys!

 

12's will be fine for now. You make me sick. I'd kill for 12's.

 

well, all I mean is that I was running 12's before I blew the motor, and I had plans to go faster. I just ran out of money. So, if I can put it back together for under $1,500, I'll wait on going faster!

 

anybody?

 

what blew on the motor, what survived? A machine shop might be able to get you up and running again using some of the surviving parts.

 

Detonation is the enemy, not cast pistons...there are alot of kits out there running that much boost on stock motors. With 8:1 and only 10lbs boost, I would think you would be fine. Just be careful on the tuning. There are guys in the 9's and 10's on a cast crank...something to think about.

 

B4Ctom1,
I'd prefer only to salvage the heads and block. I haven't opened it up yet, but the motor was detonating for a while before the blower, and the crank is alread 10 under, so I'd prefer not to use the parts from it.

IROC FAST: That's what I was thinking, I just wonder what cam I should use (exactly) and if I should use my heads or not. Also, I would be very dissapointed not to atleast be as fast as I was. I originally wanted to rebuild it to go 11's, but I want to be sure I'll atleast be in the mid 12's. Will that motor be enough to get there safely, w/out breaking and with such low compression. I guess I could get a shortblock and use my heads, and try to raise the compression a little , but again I don't want to compromise durability. Aside from durability and overall performance, I really want to get it running again, but like I said I have to do it cheaply, or not at all. The good thing is, I have all the parts already,...i.e. blower, superam, heads etc. Thanks for your opinions.

 

Im still not clear as to what type of failure it was. A rod knock? A broken piston? didnt you say you had TRW's?

 

sorry. I had TRW forged. It sounds like a rod knock to me, but it could be bearings, pistons, etc. I was detonating for a long time, but then I corrected that.
Then I put on the s/c and it didn't last to long. I must have been detonating again. but i'm not sure. There is a list of everyting in my car, engine and whatnot on my weblink below. Check it out. I doubt the pistons went, but who knows. It was NOT a blower motor. It was just a summit 360hp crate 355. let me know if you have any other q's. thanks

 

I would drop the short block by a reputable machine shop and let them have at it. They may have another crank for it and if a rod needs replaced they can do that too. The TRW turbo blower piston yields a low compression, but this avoids some of the problem you saw with detonation from fuel quality or timing. These also happen to be some of the toughest, let alone the most affordable, forged pistons I have ever seen. get some ARP's on the head bolts and the rod bolts, some basic quility machine work and little other minor things like timing chain, oil pump, rings, bearings, gaskets, etc, and I believe you will be back on the road with power and durability within your budget.

 

well, i see what you're saying, but everytime I talk to these guys, they try to tell me that they have to put all this crazy stuff in and it's gonna cost at least $3000, and most places want $5000. That''s why I'm looking into the gm shortblocks for $1200. Are they sufficient. I'll need a cam, but that should be it. Or, does anybody know of a L.I. machine shop that'll do it cheap like I want it.? -Thanks

 

I have learned through experience that the kind of machine shop you want to deal with doesnt tell you what you gotta have. they listen and just do what you tell them to do unless you ask their opinion. Im sure they think you gotta have a callies crank, carrillo rods, and custom arias pistons in a bowtie block. You know better than that. a cast crank, stock rods (with ARP rod bolts), forged piston motor will take alot of abuse from an S-trim, a P1sc, a 177 roots, or a 150 shot of juice. Some people put even more to them than that. If there is on other place to splurge it is in the head gaskets useing fel pro loc-wires. do a search here using "loc-wire"

 

i couldn't agree w/ you more. I guess I'll have to keep calling around. I'm just really having trouble finding that place that'll build that type of motor. Anybody know of a good place on Long Isand? thanks for your opinion

 

The GM goodwrench motor is 1500 and only puts out 250 horsepower. it would be a tough candidate for a blower as it has about the smallest cam in the free world, but the compression is right.

 

What if I put in a blower cam. N/A hp should go up right? would it be a good choice?

 

Only 250 HP...our cars (with 350's) Only came with 230-245 depending on what year you have. The heads on that GM block can't flow any worse than the stock heads on ours. With a blower cam, you should be just fine. With the same mods on this motor you should be back where you were. Like Tom was saying though, you should maybe have a machine shop look at that shortblock you have, may be something minor. Might end up being cheaper! Chevy Hi-Performance took a shortblock like you are talking about and put a 142 weiand on it with a mild cam and TFS heads and made about 480 HP on pump gas. Considering that your blower will not produce nearly as much heat as that 142, I think you will be fine. Good Luck and let us know if we can help anymore.

 

making power is all about airflow, mostly heads, cam, intake and exhaust. Until you reach an ungodly power range, any extra stoutness in the bottom end is just as a safety for when you screw up.

There was an artical, I think in hot rod a few years back that took the goodwrench, $1200, 8.x:1 350 and swapped cams and some other mods (I think stock vette heads)... and ended up with around 400hp for just around $2000...

So the answer is, yes, and spend the money that you have where it makes you power and be carefull with the tuning...

 

Actually, $1300, but the rest of your info is right on.

why did I get this motor again.

 

IROCFAST,
Thanks for the opinion, that's pretty much what I was thinking. I can put my Trick Flows on there and a better cam, I should be fine. Just want to know if anyone has done anything like this. But you're right, I guess I should drop my motor off. I'll let them look, but I'll definately need blower pistons and a blower cam, which I never had.

'83 Crossfire,
I already have all the intake/heads and other goodies. all I would need is a cam.

Does anybody see a problem w/ this?